DOES THE GOVERNMENT REALLY WANT OUR INPUT

In tribute to Ray Ferris I will be re-posting some of his insightful and helpful articles. 
this one originally posted February 12, 2012

DOES THE GOVERNMENT REALLY WANT OUR INPUT?

 by Ray Ferris

author of the book “The Art of Child Protection.”

You can purchase it at rtferris@telus.net

“Some time ago submissions were invited to the provincial standing interparty committee on the representative for children and youth. It is this committee which selected Ms. Turpel-Lafond and with whom she dialogues and to whom she reports. I made a fairly long submission and copied the minister, and deputy minister. In it I used the Bayne case to illustrate some of the serious flaws in the protection services and to suggest some remedies. I emphasized that I was not advocating for the Bayne case, but simply using the Baynes to illustrate some of the problems. Even before submissions had been invited, I had sent a similar letter to the minister and the deputy minister. I eventually got a reply.

A COMPUTER SYSTEM IS NOT MCFD's ONLY PROBLEM

A Colossal Failure - That's the System that Manages 
Child Protection in B.C.

Today I am featuring a blog remark by Ray Ferris who is responding to a Victoria Times Colonist article written by Lindsay Kines and entitled Children's watchdog says computer system for social workers a “colossal failure,” dated January 25, 2013.  Hers is a copyrighted piece so Ms. Kines credited remarks are seen in red. Ray’s are seen in blue.

DARREN STONE, TIMES COLONIST

The article is subtitled, MARY ELLEN TURPEL-LAFOND, THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, SAYS A DEEPER LOOK AT THE PROVINCE'S INTEGRATED CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IS NEEDED.  

“We’re in deep trouble,” she said. “This is a deeply serious problem,” were the words of Representative for Children and Youth Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, in response to a consultant’s report released by the province on Thursday, which confirms her warning from a year ago that the $182-million integrate case management system is woefully deficient and inefficient. 

SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE MINISTRY OF CHILDREN'S NEW COMPUTER SYSTEM

This is not ‘new’ news but it is informative and only a few weeks old.

The Liberal government spent a minimum of $182 million dollars on a computer Case Management system. It was installed and it went live on April 1^st. The previous software was thirty years old and by every assessment was antiquated and inadequate. One would think that with the criticism that has been directed at the Ministry of Children and Family Development alleging incompetence and poor case management for countless reasons, that the promised change would be precisely that which is needed right now. Wrong!

It is a system after all. It was not specifically designed for MCFD or for Child Welfare case management for that matter. Oh, Oh! Since it’s inauguration design flaws have been immediately encountered and flagged and implementation flaws have frustrated front-line social workers and in some cases overwhelmed them. Social workers were given almost no time to learn this computerized system which appears to be more complicated than anyone imagined. E-Learning was prescribed as the model by which social workers could educate themselves but not with time off to accommodate that responsibility. Rather, they were to fit this duty into their busy schedules. This is inadequate. Further, there were only 17 online training modules which is woefully insufficient.

By all reports these glitches are not the expected anomalies of a new system but rather there are fundamental flaws with both design and implementation. Over 2000 social workers are campaigning to have the government scrap this new system and begin again. It is allegedly responsible already for some high risk incidents. Reports have been received that work loads have actually increased for workers with regard to certain aspects of their jobs. Social workers have left work distraught and in tears. The Children’s Deputy Minister, Stephen Brown is promising to work on improvements by the end of summer. He denies that the system is worse than what the Ministry used before and expresses not knowledge of safety-related incidents. But he does admit that he has heard from staff who are stressed by the software and training provisions.

GETTING PEOPLE, TO GET ALONG: Principles for Empowering People To Be Their Best

Yesterday, I introduced you to a man whom I have known for a number of years, both personally and professionally. I met Dr. Orieux as a dentist, but I got to know him in his capacity as, for want of a better term, a corporate counselor. Dr. Kevin Orieux occupies a unique dual-role in the corporate world. On one hand, he is a professional trainer who teaches leaders how to serve the needs of their people and thereby inspire those same people to ever higher levels of personal performance and fulfillment. On the other hand, he is the owner of the Cloverdale Dental Clinic and he still practices dentistry two days a week. He has written two books on how leaders can create synergy in group settings. The principles that he expounds can positively transform group dynamics, in a business operation, a church, or even in a community service organization such as the B.C. Ministry of Children and Family Development. In yesterday's blog, I recommended that the Ministry of Children and Family Development would profit enormously if at either a local office or at a regional gathering of social workers, or at the Victoria office of the Ministry, Dr. Kevin Orieux were invited to consult and to teach what he knows. Let me tell you about him and what he can contribute. 

DOES THE GOVERNMENT REALLY WANT OUR INPUT?

DOES THE GOVERNMENT REALLY WANT OUR INPUT?

 by Ray Ferris

author of the book “The Art of Child Protection.”

You can purchase it from him by writing to rtferris@telus.net

“Some time ago submissions were invited to the provincial standing interparty committee on the representative for children and youth. It is this committee which selected Ms. Turpel-Lafond and with whom she dialogues and to whom she reports. I made a fairly long submission and copied the minister, and deputy minister. In it I used the Bayne case to illustrate some of the serious flaws in the protection services and to suggest some remedies. I emphasized that I was not advocating for the Bayne case, but simply using the Baynes to illustrate some of the problems. Even before submissions had been invited, I had sent a similar letter to the minister and the deputy minister. I eventually got a reply.

RAY FERRIS TOLD THE MINISTER ABOUT AYN ONCE AGAIN

Today I have posted a letter written by Ray Ferris. He has given me permission to publish it. This has been directed last week to the people named below. Ray is an unapologetic critic of the MCFD mistakes. Ray is the author of 'The Art of Child Protection'. You can purchase it from him by writing to rtferris@telus.net.

From: Ray Ferris
Sent: Thursday, December 08, 2011 1:34 PM
To: Mary McNeill ; Claire Trevena ; nicholas simons ; maurine Kargianis ; stephen Brown
Subject: Ayn Van Dyk

YOU MAY WANT TO ASK HON. MARY MCNEIL TO HELP US / 562

Hon. Mary McNeil

When Premier Christy Clark announced the new cabinet, I happily blogged the news with you on March 14, 2011 that Mary McNeil had been elevated to the position of Minister of MCFD ('NEWS RELEASE - NEW MCFD MINISTER). Our optimism at a new chapter for child welfare and child protection and family development jumped higher when other announcements followed as I indicated on June 1, 2011. The new Deputy Minister MCFD is Stephen Brown and the re-instituted position of Provincial Director of Child Welfare was filled by Doug Hughes (another Doug Hughes post), (and another Stephen Brown post). This has seemed to be a team that desires to work in cooperation with the Advocate for Children and Youth, Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond.  I trust that will be true and profitable for the youth of this province. What we need now, is some evidence that these officials are paying attention to what truly counts, compassionate and effective front line work that carefully preserves families while simultaneously protecting vulnerable children. Because there are numerous cases including the Baynes, that point to the need for reform to this Ministry, you may want to communicate with Hon. Mary McNeil in a courteous and informative manner.

CHILD PROTECTION WORK IS DEMANDING / 543

Expeditiously investigate concerns. Empathetically communicate with parents. Absolutely protect vulnerable children. Committedly try to stabilize a family. Compassionately assist parents.

No one says that the child protection worker’s job is an easy one. The CP worker is mandated not merely to protect children but to enhance their life quality as well as to strengthen families, including perhaps the families from which children have been removed.

How quickly a CP worker adjusts to the demanding rigor of the job is uncertain. It is documented however, that there has been much difficulty for many years in recruiting and retaining competent child protection workers.

The End of Compassion and the Triumph of Adversarialism / 510

The Federation Press

This is Good Friday, so named because of what transpired as Jesus, the Son of God expired on a Roman instrument for capital punishment. Western Christians term it "good" whereas Eastern Orthodox Christians refer to this sacred day as "Great and Holy Friday."

------------------------------------------------

 
A ministry culture that does not grasp the vital interplay between ethics and power, which mistakes policy and court orders for good practice, which misidentifies management techniques for wisdom, and which fails to keep in mind that the measure of a social service ministry is its compassion, condemns itself to social vilification and to judicial inquiry if not full redesign.

DOUG HUGHES - NEW DIRECTOR OF CHILD WELFARE / 509

On March 31, 2011 Mary McNeil, the new Minister of Children and Family Development re-established the position of provincial director of child welfare by announcing the appointment of Doug Hughes as the new Provincial Director of Child Welfare. She did this in order to provide greater accountability across the province and improve child protection practice.

In so doing she has effectively reversed the decision of former children's minister Mary Polak and her ex-deputy Lesley du Toit, who abolished the position in 2008.  Doug Hughes, currently an assistant deputy minister with the ministry’s Interior region, holds a master’s degree in social work from the University of Calgary.

LOSS OF TRUST & NEED TO RESTORE IT / 506

You might say that trust is like a piece of paper. Once it is crumpled, it can't be perfect again. You can flatten the paper and try to make it as straight as possible but it will never be perfect again.

The child protection segment of the Ministry of Children and Family Development in British Columbia has lost the trust of many readers and respondents on this blog site and around this province.

I acknowledge that my experience is limited to the scores of stories that I have heard since I began writing this blog. In so many personal instances, MCFD has failed to protect children, and failed to preserve families, and failed to be honourable, failed to show compassion, failed to be large-hearted.

STEPHEN BROWN MAKES ME OPTIMISTIC / 476

You already know that former health services chief administrative officer Stephen Brown has replaced Lesley du Toit as the deputy minister of children and family development. His experience encourages me. Most of his career has been spent in child and family services. He was CEO of the Ma-mowe Capital Region, Child and Family Service Authority in Alberta. Stephen has worked for the Government of Alberta’s Ministry of Children’s Services where he was Executive Manager for that province’s Child Welfare Act Review. He has a PhD focusing on the management of strategic change in the public service and holds Masters degrees in Business Administration and Organizational Psychology. Brown's autobiography is posted on Royal Roads University's Website as I noted yesterday.

This is why I am hopeful:

DR. STEPHEN BROWN REPLACES MS. LESLIE DU TOIT / 475

Dr. Stephen Brown

The Victoria Times Colonist put it this way, “The children’s ministry also gets a long overdue management overhaul with the welcome appointment of Stephen Brown to replace former deputy minister Lesley du Toit.”

One wonders what changes the changing of the principals will have upon the MCFD. On one hand, the continual changing of key personnel every few years cannot affect the necessary transformation. On the other hand many readers will welcome this bureaucratic change.
Premier Clark explained the Ministry changes this way, "We want to have a focus on families in the government and my deputy [minister to the premier John Dyble] felt it was time for a change there." said Clark.