"HI XXXXXX:
Did you not report this to CYS? I thought you did...
here's the message from our ministry:
Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of children and youth being abused or mistreated is one of our most important responsibilities at Children and Youth Services.
We depend on our community partners and the public at large to help us do this work. In fact, the obligation for citizens to report when they believe child abuse or mistreatment may be happening is so important that it is required under the law through the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act.
Last Friday, a report alleging abuse of youth in our province was aired on the CBC's Fifth Estate. The report was about a privately run addictions treatment program called the Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre (AARC) in Calgary. The Fifth Estate spoke to former participants in the program who are now adults. While some credited this treatment program for having a positive impact on their lives, others made troubling claims of physical and sexual abuse while attending the centre.
The airing of this program raised questions this past week about the role of our ministry in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of youth in this centre. Given that the protection of children and youth is a core mandate of our ministry, it is important to provide you with information that was not presented on the Fifth Estate.
Most important is that our ministry is not aware of any report alleging the abuse or mistreatment of a young person at AARC. Such a report would be looked into immediately and investigated by the appropriate authorities. Minister Tarchuk made that point clear when she responded to questions this week in the Legislature. She stressed that every report of alleged abuse our ministry receives is taken seriously and is investigated.
( Message from Fay Orr, Deputy Minister, continued... )
Most important is that our ministry is not aware of any report alleging the abuse or mistreatment of a young person at AARC. Such a report would be looked into immediately and investigated by the appropriate authorities. Minister Tarchuk made that point clear when she responded to questions this week in the Legislature. She stressed that every report of alleged abuse our ministry receives is taken seriously and is investigated.
Our ministry does not look into allegations of abuse or mistreatment brought forward by adults, even when the alleged incident happened when they were children or youth. Reports by adults must be made to police and our role is to support police in their work, when requested.
Addressing reports of child abuse and mistreatment is within the mandate of our ministry. The provision of health-related addictions treatment services is the mandate of entities under Health and Wellness.
As Children and Youth Services employees, relatives and friends may sometimes speak to you about child and family services, including what they read or hear in the media. I encourage you to take the opportunity to ensure they are aware of how seriously our ministry and its staff take their responsibility to protect children and youth and to look into any report of abuse or mistreatment we receive. Please also remind them of the important role the public plays in helping us do this important work.
Making decisions that are in the best interests of children and youth at risk is not always easy. Minister Tarchuk and senior staff in our ministry understand that and are firmly behind you as you make decisions based on what the best information available at the time tells you is the right thing to do to support children and families at risk.
Wow"
