PROTECTING AT-RISK KIDS
Amonth from now we’ll find out what tough decisions the Saskatchewan government has made to address backto-back deficits running into hundreds of millions of dollars.
Delayed by the April 4 election — and by Premier Brad Wall’s decision not to table spending plans in early March ahead of the campaign — the June 1 provincial budget will be the most difficult of the Saskatchewan Party government’s almost nine years in office.
The 2015-16 budget year is winding down with a projected deficit of $427 million, while Wall recently conceded the 2016-17 deficit will be bigger than the $259 million forecast just two months ago.
Though Wall has promised to spare health, education and social services from the pain other ministries will feel, even here expectations are low as any funding increases will likely fall far short of needs.
Doubtless Bob Pringle, the province’s advocate for children and youth, will be watching the allocation for social services with particular interest, given his frustration with a child welfare and protection system that has too often failed the province’s most vulnerable citizens.
Though the Wall government is to be commended for making many improvements in this area since coming to office, Pringle continues to report on preventable deaths, ill-treatment and poor monitoring of children in care — the majority of them aboriginal.
Indeed, Pringle’s final annual report last week — his five-year term ends this fall — pointedly said: “At this point, it appears our vulnerable children are not prioritized in our social and economic policy and resource allocation process.”
We share Pringle’s concern and wonder: If life hasn’t improved much — or at all — for vulnerable children during a decade-long economic boom during which the government was in good fiscal shape, what does the future hold in tough times?
While money isn’t the answer to every challenge in child welfare and protection, the heavy social work caseloads Pringle has cited in past reports indicates the need for increased staffing. Keeping tabs on vulnerable children is a labourintensive business and when investigations aren’t promptly launched or timely follow ups and frequent checks aren’t done, bad things can happen.
The children’s advocate serves as the conscience of the province regarding vulnerable children. While he or she should always acknowledge good policies and measurable progress, they are not there to be a cheerleader for the government.
Though the Wall government has likely grown weary of Pringle’s relentless nagging on the child welfare file, the former social worker and NDP social services minister has been a passionate advocate for at-risk kids.
We trust the province will find an equally worthy, plain-speaking successor.