This is an archive of news stories and research from the National Union of Public and General Employees. Please see our new site - https://nupge.ca - for the most current information.
"Our members, who have dedicated their careers and their lives to helping vulnerable children, believe that government needs to rethink its plan to cut these services." - Bob Bymoen, SGEU President.
Regina (20 June 2012) - Children who are already highly-marginalized and vulnerable will be at greater risk when they lose the specialized, therapeutic services offered by the province's child welfare residences, according to frontline workers who support these children on a daily basis.
"Government officials seem to not really understand the complex and serious needs of the children our members care for in these facilities," says Bob Bymoen, President of the Saskatchewan Government and General Employees' Union (SGEU/NUPGE).
The government has announced it will close Eden House in Regina, the Saskatoon Treatment Group Home, the Prince Albert Adolescent Group Home, Red Willow Centre in Saskatoon and Dales House in Regina.
"Children come to these homes when every other community resource has been exhausted. These are children who are so traumatized, so unstable, and so potentially dangerous to themselves and others, that there is nowhere else for them to go."
"Their placements in foster homes or with extended family have broken down. Some are not accepted into the school system because of extreme behaviours. These are children who need intensive, therapeutic support that the trained professionals in these homes offer," says Bymoen.
"Where will these children go when their new foster home placement breaks down? Or the community group home cannot cope? Have the government officials who decided to cut these unique and much-needed services thought through the long-term implications?" asks Bymoen.
The staff who work in the province's child welfare residences are accredited social workers, therapeutic teachers, nurses and trained youth care workers. They have experience and years of specialized on-the-job training.
Too often, community agencies - who are supposed to absorb these high-risk children - are underfunded by government and cannot afford to recruit and retain staff with professional credentials, says Bymoen.
"Staff at private or community-run agencies tend not to stay around for long. They soon move on to jobs with decent wages and benefits. The public facilities are all about stabilizing traumatized children. That's not going to happen if there is no stability in the care they receive," adds Bymoen.
"Our members, who have dedicated their careers and their lives to helping vulnerable children, believe that government needs to rethink its plan to cut these services. It may be cheaper in the short term, but if the needs of these children and youth are not met, the long term costs - to the justice, corrections, health and social services systems - are incalculable," according to Bymoen.
NUPGE
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE