Province reports first decrease in child welfare numbers in 15 years
WINNIPEG — Manitoba’s high number of kids in the child welfare system has dropped for the first time in 15 years, show figures released Tuesday by the provincial government.
Excerpts from the Families Department’s upcoming annual report show 10,328 kids were in care as of March 31, a 3.6 per cent drop from the same time last year.
Families Minister Heather Stefanson said the government has tried to focus more on preventative measures by helping families before they reach a crisis point. That has resulted in fewer children being taken from their families.
“The focus primarily in the last couple of years has been on prevention — recognizing who those at-risk families are, and getting them the resources that they need ahead of time,” Stefanson said.