Latest News

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

New tool to get foster kids out of hotels

Website for potential parents

By: Alexandra Paul

Posted: 10/19/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

A new website that connects foster parents with children stuck in hotels has gone online.

Manitoba launched the new website along with a public feature to provide the first comprehensive look inside the system, without having to file freedom-of-information requests or parse annual reports.

Information on the website ranges from basic details on the number of kids in care in hotels, agency by agency, to big-picture statistics.

The new website was announced along with a provincial promise to add 24 new emergency beds in the next month.

"We're trying to demystify what is a complicated system," said Family Services Minister Jennifer Howard, who added the website is designed to be updated every three months.

Darlene MacDonald, Manitoba's children's advocate, responded with a statement of guarded approval.

"We support the province developing more emergency-placement resources and our office has previously cautioned the province, child-welfare authorities and agencies on the use of hotels for vulnerable children and youth," MacDonald said.

Howard said the new website gives the public a better understanding of how the system and its many different parts fit together.

"I'm not going to say we'll never have another kid in a hotel. This is going to take some time," Howard said.

"Some of those kids are in hotels because we don't have another good place to put them. We've done a lot to get more foster families but we have to do a better job of matching foster homes with kids," the minister said.

The part of the website for agency eyes only will allow social workers instant access to available beds across the province's child-welfare agencies, to avoid using hotels as much as possible.

"Some of that work is still going to be old-fashioned on the phone," said Howard, but the website provides a better big picture of what's available to work with.

Manitoba's Foster Family Network welcomed the measures. "You can find out more about the U.K. system than ours online. I'm proud our province can step up and provide that information so it is online," said network president Candace Seymour.

alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition October 19, 2012 A5

Fact Check

Have you found an error, or know of something we’ve missed in one of our stories? Please use the form below and let us know.

* Required

In which story did you find the error? *
Please post the headline of the story or the title of the video with the error.
What was the error? *
Please post exactly what was wrong with the story.
What should we have written?
Please indicate your source for the correct information.
Who else should we interview to improve this story?
Please include any contact information you may have.
Can we contact you in the future for advice on stories about this topic?
Yes

No
First Name: *
Last Name: *
E–mail Address: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Phone: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Colour:
Are you blue? If you can see this, leave it blank and get some CSS support.
Enter the words that you see: * This is to prevent our forms from being filled out automatically.
You have failed to correctly identify the words in the box above. Please try again.

More Latest News

Undock

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

Have Your Say

New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.