Child and Family Services

Child and Family Services
Box 10550 Opaskwayak, Manitoba R0B 2J0
Tel (204) 627-7240 or toll free 1-888-627-7240, Fax (204) 627-7259
Email: OCNCFSLOCAL@Swampycree.com

One major component of the agency’s operations is Child & Family Services. The office is situated in Opaskwayak Cree Nation. The agency provides community-based services by incorporating both child protection services and prevention programs. Emphasis is placed on the safety of children and the steadfast concept of family unity and reunification.

MISSION STATEMENT Opaskwayak Cree Nation Child & Family Services Will Deliver Comprehensive Child and Family Services to the Member of the Opaskwayak Cree Nation. By Promoting Protection and Preventative Services to Children and Their Families, Member of Opaskwayak Cree Nation Child & Family Services are Delivering Community Based Child and Family Services.

Winnipeg Sub-Office

The Winnipeg Sub-Office provides additional support for our children that are placed in the Winnipeg Southern region for various reasons, such as treatment centers, medical needs, and specialized/group home placements. The Winnipeg Office is complimented with a Child and Family Services Team Leader, three Child and Family Services workers and one secretary. The workers ensure that placements remain stabilized and that our children’s needs are being met. In collaboration with the Local Workers, they develop a case plan for family reunification or alternative permanence planning. The office is situated at 338 Broadway Avenue, Room 301.

Finance and Administration

The Finance and Administration Department of the Opaskwayak Cree Nation Child & Family Services will be responsible for all financial aspects of the agency including budget preparation, monthly reporting to the Board of Directors and Chief and Council. Financial controls, expenditures, and reporting procedures are done in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.

Legal Support Services

The Legal/Stats Clerk will be responsible for the preparation of all legal documentation related to services provided to children and families. The Clerk, under the direction of the Executive Director, determines whether outside legal advice is required with respect to issue that arise such as labor relations, civil liability and Agency governance. Training of staff, local childcare committees and Board on legal and governance issues is provided with the assistance of agency legal counsel.

The Legal/Stats Clerk will maintain regular and ongoing liaison with the CFS Team Leader, the Agency’s legal counsel, Court Officials, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Government Services, and members of the Opaskwayak Cree Nation community.

The Legal/Stats Clerk will also provide assistance and guidance to Opaskwayak Cree Nation Child and Family Services Management and staff regarding legal support services requirements.

The Agency legal counsel is also responsible for the conduct of all court cases, trials and provides advice and assistance on all legal matters. Intake

The intake system will be the initial contact with Opaskwayak Cree Nation Child & Family Services. The Intake Worker will be responsible for receiving referrals and determining whether the matter is a child protection issue. If it is not then referred to other collateral resources. Should it be a protection issue, assessments are made and given to the CFS Team Leader for distribution for follow-up. The Intake System is a critical component of child welfare, and ensures that the child’s safety is priority. Statistics are maintained throughout the year to identify the forms of referrals by community.

Adoption/Repatriation Program

The Child & Family Services Act recognizes agency adoption, private adoption, adoption by a person who has married a child’s parent, extended family adoption, defacto adoption and international adoption. Adoption is a legal and social process to give children permanent homes with parents who love them.

The Repatriation Program will provide support services to Adult Adoptees of the Opaskwayak Cree Nation community, who have been adopted out of our region. Such services may include, but are not exclusive to post-adoption registry applicants for birth parents and birth siblings and coordination of reunions.

The lawyers and procedures on adoption in Manitoba are aimed at meeting children’s needs for home and family. Many people are interested in adopting a child, so the adoption process has been developed to ensure that the child’s needs and best interests match as closely as possible with homes offered by prospective adoptive parents.

Foster Resource

The Foster Resource Program believes in supporting and rebuilding families in their own homes and in their existing communities. The programs and supports delivered under this program will offer support and guidance in a nurturing environment and where possible, involve the children and access a wide range of quality service and supportive resources as they are needed and required.

As a foster family, or parent you are part of a team, which includes a child and an Opaskwayak Cree Nation Child & Family Services worker. At times the foster child’s family, school, physicians, neighbor, social workers will be working in unity with one another.

Foster parents receive maintenance payments to assist in the care of the children. Foster maintenance is issued monthly on an amount per day.

Support Worker

Support Workers would be providing supervision and support directly to children in care. In times of crisis or unforeseen circumstances a support worker can be hired on a short-term basis. In these situations a worker may be required to provide overnight supervision and support depending on a situation.

Planned situations may involve the help of a support worker to work directly with a specific foster child.

Support Workers may have to assist parents in developing safe/healthy-parenting practices. The assigned worker provides positive methods of care-giving practices, in terms of providing the parent (s) with alternative ways of coping with daily stress.

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