Zabeth and Paul Bayne – Part 37 – The Bayne Campaign for Justice

Five Years Ago - The Hughes Inquiry into MCFD Performance

There were grave concerns about the management of the Ministry of Children and Family Development when in November 2005 a Panel was named to review B.C.’s Child Protection System.

A Vancouver Sun article of December 29, 2005 was titled ‘BC Foster Children at Risk.’ That piece mentioned that the beleaguered MCFD was undergoing a sweeping review by Judge Hughes following the recent deaths of two children in care and the mishandling of child death reviews. There was an alarming shortage of foster homes. MCFD was acquiring more children than it had foster parents and homes. The Liberal government had restructured MCFD and the number of foster homes was reduced further. To its credit the Liberal regime sought other alternatives like mediation to allow children to remain with parents or relatives or be adopted. Nevertheless, overcrowding in some foster homes resulted. While so many foster parents regard their roles as a responsible trust, it is not reckless to imagine that recruitment standards for foster parents became relaxed in face of the need. Hence the title of the Vancouver Sun article and the suggestion of risk to children in foster care.

The panel’s mandate was to independently examine B.C.’s system of oversight, public reporting and advocacy with respect to the protection of children and youth.
Panel members were:
• Ted Hughes Q.C. (Chair)
• Grand Chief Ed John, former B.C. Minister for Children and Families and former law professor
• Jane Morley Q.C., lawyer and mediator, Child and Youth Officer
• Terry Smith, Chief Coroner, served with the RCMP for 35 years
• Joyce Preston, former Child and Youth Advocate, former director of social planning for Vancouver
• Ms. Maureen Nicholls, former commissioner of the Public Service Employee Relations Commission
• Thomas Gove, a provincial court judge who was commissioner of the Gove Inquiry into Child Protection 10 years ago, was available to engage in discussions with the panel if requested to do so by the panel.

A compelling term of reference was the review of deaths of children. The panel reviewed the roles and responsibilities of the Ministry of Children and Family Development, the Child and Youth Officer, the Chief Coroner, the Ombudsman, the Public Guardian and Trustee as they related to advocacy for children and youth and to monitoring and public reporting on the government’s performance in protecting and providing services.

It is the public reporting that chiefly interests me. That honesty and sincerity is essential to increasing trust and reducing fear. It appears that another review is required. Perhaps Mary Polak can generate that internally. I am sure she will want to as she acquits her responsibility to the best of her ability.