B.C. Minister of Children and Family Development Katrine Conroy (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By James Peters

Birth Alerts

B.C. children’s minister says she is looking into birth alert system

Jul 18, 2019 | 7:32 AM

KAMLOOPS — B.C.’s children’s minister says her ministry is looking at its use of birth alerts after a pair of Indigenous inquiries called on governments to change the system.

Birth alerts are issued to flag at-risk babies. In a recent case at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops, a baby was apprehended by social workers 90 minutes after birth.

Both the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) Inquiry Report touched on the system, with the latter report labeling it an act of violence.

Among the MMIWG report’s 231 Calls for Justice is a call to end the birth alert system.

“We call upon provincial and territorial governments and child welfare services for an immediate end to the practice of targeting and apprehending infants (hospital alerts or birth alerts) from Indigenous mothers right after they give birth.” (MMIWG Calls for Justice, 12.8)

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Speaking to CFJC’s Balance of Power, children’s minister Katrine Conroy said privacy laws prevent her from addressing the Kamloops example specifically.

But Conroy says her ministry is reviewing the birth alert system.

“We’re looking at that. We’re reading through the report, we’re talking at what can be done differently,” said Conroy. “So we’re definitely looking at that and looking to say, ‘Is this something we need to change?’ We know there are far too many Indigenous kids taken into care.”

“We are changing that trajectory,” continued Conroy. “Our numbers are going down. We are looking at extended family and talking to the communities. Especially in the Indigenous communities, we are making sure there are more supports in place and working in partnership with the communities so that those children have the support they need – that the parents have the support they need.”