Pilot project aims to give kids better, quicker care as they enter CFS system

A $424,000 pilot project will increase protections for children recently apprehended by the Child and Family Services system, the Manitoba government says.

The pilot program run through theChild Protection Centre at Health Sciences Centre will allow more early medical and special assessments of kids when they are apprehended, the province says.

The extra resources will help medical staffmore quickly identify unique needs of at-risk children entering the system and expedite the delivery of supports and services, said Families Minister Scott Fielding.

"This pilot creates better outcomes for children and families through more timely and comprehensive assessments that will lead to early intervention," Fielding said.

The Child Protection Centreatthe Winnipeg hospital is expected to handle 2,000 of the assessments annually through the pilot project, Fielding said.

The2018-19 budget included plans for such a program at the Child Protection Centre tohelp get the right psychological, medical and parental care to kids "to support their development and progress in care."

There are currently about 11,000 children in care in Manitoba and 90 per centof them are Indigenous.

The pilot project could cut the entry-level assessmentprocess down from a period of months to days, Fieldingsaid, as well as give social workers a more sound foundation fordeveloping long-term support plans for kids.

"By expanding the resources in the Child Protection Centre, we can offer a daily clinic, eliminating wait times and moving medical and psychological assessments from an emergency room or urgent care centre into a more co-ordinated, centralized, single-entry point for children and families in need," Dr. Terry Klassen, medical director of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority child health program, said in a statement.

Klassen said the "child-focused approach" will match a specialist with each child to work with them throughout the beginning stages of apprehension, helping toco-ordinate appointments and communicate with the various agencies involved.

The program isexpected to launch later this year. The program adds to the $1.6 million from the province previously earmarked for the Child Protection Centre.