Our Children Our Way Society Responds to RCY Report on Child Welfare Failures
News Release
Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) Territory
K’emk’emelay̓ (Vancouver). The Our Children Our Way Society welcomes the release of “Don’t Look Away: How one boy’s story has the power to shift a system of care for children and youth” by British Columbia’s Representative for Children and Youth. This report sheds light on the horrific abuse endured by a young boy, “Colby,” and his sister after they were placed under the care of the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD). The abuse ultimate killed “Colby.”
We hold “Colby,” his sister, their family, and their community deeply in our hearts. Colby is remembered as a boy with a wide, contagious smile and a gentle nature that touched many.
The RCY’s investigation uncovered numerous failures and missed opportunities within MCFD and across multiple sectors. The report, however, emphasizes that these individual failures are symptomatic of a deeper issue: an outdated and broken child welfare system that was never designed to support Indigenous families or achieve positive outcomes for their children.
We commend the urgency with which the Representative and her team approached this work. Their thoughtful, collaborative, and deeply respectful methodology is evident, and we fully support the report’s recommendations. However, we must recognize that these recommendations are not new. Since the 1960s, voices such as the Indian Homemakers Association of BC have called for transformative change, advocating for the return of children to their home communities and the revision of harmful legislation and policies. Indigenous leaders, communities, service providers, and numerous research, government, and oversight reports have echoed those calls for over six decades.
The demand to transform the child welfare system remains unchanged after 60 years. What must change now is the response.
We are encouraged by the immediate and decisive response from the Minister for Children and Family Development. Minister Lore, supported by Premier Eby, has committed to a government-wide effort—guided by communities, leaders, and experts—to reconfigure child and youth services. Minister Lore committed to building a system that uplifts families, centers the wellbeing of children, and focuses on the preventive services that children and families need to achieve positive outcomes.
“We welcome this unprecedented commitment from the government to work collaboratively in upholding our sacred responsibilities toward our children,” says Mary Teegee, Chair of the Our Children Our Way Society.
“The Our Children Our Way Society stands ready to work together to achieve the results our children need, to hold the government accountable for fulfilling this commitment, and to hold ourselves accountable for keeping our children safe, loved, and well during this time of system transformation.”
