šŸ“° FCSSBC: May 17, 2024 Social Services Update

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SOCIAL SERVICES NEWS

News, updates, and stories about social care in BC

Unfold the recent happenings and advancements in social services

May 17, 2024

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Table of contents

  • Social services
  • FCSSBC: June 2024 current and emerging issues conference & AGM
  • Children
  • Youth bursary
  • Mental health
  • Week highlights
  • Reconciliation
  • Survey
  • Housing
  • Health
  • Member engagement session
  • Youth
  • Toxic drugs
  • Homelessness
  • Good news

Social services

Furstenau to introduce new bill tightening social work regulations in B.C. |Ā BC Green Caucus

Sonia Furstenau, Leader of the BC Greens, will introduce theĀ Social Workers Amendment Act,Ā 2024 to raise professional standards and enhance public safety in British Columbia’s social work sector. The bill aims to require all social workers to register with the College of Social Workers to ensure high standards, strict ethics, and public trust. The amendment seeks to eliminate exemptions from registration and enhance oversight and accountability. The BC Association of Social Workers has long supported these regulatory improvements, emphasizing the importance of protecting the public and ensuring professional standards.

Conference

June 2024: Current & Emerging Issues Conference and AGM

osoyoos conference visual identity: people with their hands in the air connecting with each other in a desert-y background | design by estella lum

Our June (from Thursday, June 13, 2024, to Friday, June 14, 2024)Ā conference is designed to tackle the pressing issues that matter most to our members. Based on feedback from our members,Ā weā€™veĀ tailored theĀ agenda to cover current trends and emerging topics. The FederationĀ AGM*Ā on the final morning ensures we discuss these crucial issues and address organizational matters vital to our collective mission.

*AGM is exclusive to members.

Children

3 B.C. school districts to launch fully integrated, daylong child care | CBC News

Three school districts in British Columbia will start offering one-stop child-care programs at local elementary schools, saving time and money for parents and creating less stress. The program, which will provide before- and after-school care, aims to create a more efficient use of school space and resources. The province will provide $2 million to the three districts over two years, creating 180 new licensed child-care spaces. The initiative aims to provide working parents greater flexibility for school drop-off and pickup times. A professor at the University of British Columbia expressed support for the government’s investment in daylong child care but emphasized the need for a more comprehensive child-care system.

Related:

Youth bursary

The Youth Education Bursary assists young people who are, or have been, in care and want to pursue a career in the field of Human Social Services. Since 2009, weā€™ve awarded $296,925 in bursaries to 217 recipients to help students with the financial costs of tuition, books, and supplies for post-secondary study. Donations from FCSSBC members and the public are welcome! Bursary applications are open untilĀ May 31, 2024.

The FCSSBC Youth Education Bursary

Mental health

Improving mental health supports at universities difficult without data: researcher | CBC

Corey McAuliffe, a research associate at the Canadian Mental Health Associationā€™s B.C. division, says it’s important for universities to track both suicides as well as suicidal ideation so they know what type of help their students need and can actually address the problem.

Related:

Week highlights

Outright’s Statement for the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, Biphobia and Intersexphobia | Outright International

May 17 marks the International Statement for the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, Biphobia and Intersexphobia. It is a day to reflect on the progress made in the recognition and protection of the human rights of LGBTIQ people, to zoom in on remaining challenges, and raise awareness about the levels of discrimination, harassment and violence LGBTIQ communities around the world continue to face every day, even in countries with explicit legislative and policy protections in place. Despite much progress in many places, there isn’t a single country in the world in which LGBTIQ people can live free from discrimination, harassment, and violence.

Related:

Reconciliation

Indigenous program strengthens long-term rural food supply | BC Gov News

The Indigenous Food Security and Sovereignty Program in British Columbia is supporting over 60 projects to strengthen local food systems in rural and remote areas. The program aims to increase production, put more control of food production and distribution into the hands of Indigenous communities, and support initiatives such as The Farmhouse Butchery and Tea Creek. The Malahat Nation is also developing plans to support more opportunities for Indigenous food harvesting. The next round of funding will be available for applications on May 17, 2024. The program is part of the B.C. government’s reconciliation commitments and is being delivered by the New Relationship Trust, providing $30 million over three years.

Related:

Survey

RCY Systemic Review Survey | FCSSBC

The Office of the Representative for Children and Youth (RCY) is conducting a review of the government system serving children, youth, and families. They invite individuals from various backgrounds to participate in surveys focused on specific areas within that system, including family/kin within the child welfare system, foster caregivers, residential caregivers for children and youth in care, and community service sector professionals. The surveys aim to gather insights and experiences to help inform the review process and guide recommendations for positive change within the government. Participation is encouraged, and confidentiality of responses is assured. Contact information for further questions is provided, and recipients are encouraged to distribute the surveys to their networks.

Housing

B.C.ā€™s housing permit drop ā€˜not encouraging,ā€™ says expert | Vernon Morning Star

The housing permit drop in British Columbia is concerning, with a decrease in the average monthly number of permitted units and the value of building permits. Experts attribute the slowdown to factors like high interest rates, labour costs, and market conditions. The government has introduced legislation to boost housing supply, but municipalities are struggling to meet the targets. There is a need for the private sector and government to work together to address the challenges and increase construction activity.

Related:

Health

Court upholds B.C.’s COVID-19 health-care vaccine mandate | CBC News

The B.C. Supreme Court upheld the province’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health-care workers, ruling that the mandate was justified based on the significant risk posed by the virus. Around 1,800 workers lost their jobs for being unvaccinated, contrary to the mandate. The workers argued that the orders were unreasonable, but the judge found that the orders were justified based on the available science and the vulnerability of hospital patients and long-term care residents to COVID-19. The judge did, however, send one aspect of the case back to the provincial health officer to potentially reconsider her order regarding health-care workers who could perform their job remotely or without interacting with patients.

Related:

Member engagement session

Proposed Changes to MCFD Policy Regarding Gender-Affirming Care (non-SHSS) | FCSSBC

In June 2023, the Representative for Children and Youth released a report called ā€œRight to Thrive ā€“ An Urgent Call to Recognize, Respect and Nurture Two Spirit, Trans, Non-Binary and Other Gender Diverse Children and Youth.ā€ One of the recommendations in that report is for residential services to ā€œhave policies that are specific to gender-affirming careā€ and ā€œrequire mandatory training to ensure that staff provide appropriate care that protects 2STNBGD children and youth from discrimination in the resource and ensures their safety.ā€ This recommendation is due on March 31, 2024. While SHSS policies already include references to gender-affirming care, the Standards for Staffed Childrenā€™s Residential Services do not. This session will provide an overview of gender-affirming care from MCFD and seek input and engagement from FCSSBC members on how best to update the Standards for Staffed Childrenā€™s Residential Services to meet the RCY recommendation.

Gender-Affirming Care ā€“ April 2024

Standards for Staffed Childrenā€™s Residential Services ā€“ April 2024

Youth

B.C. cuts deal with Meta, Google on youth safety, emergency info | Global News

The B.C. government has formed a partnership with social media companies like Meta, Google, TikTok, X, and Snap Inc. to address youth safety online. The companies have committed to providing direct channels for reporting non-consensual intimate images and amplifying official information during emergency situations like wildfires. This collaboration follows the B.C. government’s decision to put its online harms legislation on hold to discuss solutions with the companies. The legislation was initially driven by the tragic death of a 12-year-old boy who fell victim to online sextortion.

Related:

Toxic drugs

Creston RCMP conduct third drug related search warrant at the same residence | The Nelson Daily

The Creston RCMP conducted a third high-risk search warrant at the same residence, resulting in the arrest of two individuals. Over 500 grams of illicit drugs, a firearm, cash, and drug packaging were found at the residence. The RCMP is dedicated to targeting traffickers and disrupting the local drug trade. The public is encouraged to report any suspected illicit substance trafficking or crimes to the local detachment or Crime Stoppers.

Related:

Homelessness

More transitional housing now complete for people experiencing homelessness in Kelowna – Okanagan | Global News

A second transitional housing site called Trailside has been completed in Kelowna, B.C., providing housing for 60 people experiencing homelessness, specifically targeting individuals aged 55 and over and those with physical disabilities. The facility offers individual rooms, meals, life skills programming, and access to community services, with the goal of helping residents secure more permanent housing. The project is a partnership between the City of Kelowna and B.C. Housing. While nearby business operators have expressed concerns, the site’s operator is confident in maintaining good relations with the community. The city is also planning a third location for similar transitional housing.

Related:

Good news

If you have any feel-good, weird, fascinatingĀ or amusingĀ stories you’d like to see included in this section, send them our way toĀ giovani@fcssbc.ca!

Note

The articles included in Federation newsletters are for informational purposes and do not relate to the Federation’s advocacy work. We want our membership to stay informed of news that’s relevant to our sector; the inclusion of a story is not an endorsement.