In Manitoba we have 17 child and family services agencies that are specifically managed and run by first nations and/or Métis people. They have the responsibility for oversight and for mandating those agencies, using provincial legislation that gives them the framework with which to protect children and provide services. The agencies are responsive to a governance model that is also managed by first nations and Métis people.
We still have the problem of increased numbers of children in care. We are now working on a model where we're going to try to look at providing additional resources and services for prevention and early intervention services. It's really focused on enhancing the capacity of the family. New resources specifically dedicated to looking at ways to try to reduce the number of children coming into care is something that has started, and will be growing over the next number of years.
We feel, as one of the panel members said early this morning, that the place where children belong is with their families and in their homes. In order to do that, we have to look at different ways of helping family members in order to support them in the parenting and in the nurturance of children.
It's a challenge--