Strategic Directions

The First Nations Child and Family Caring Society Strategic Directions
2006-2011

Download Copy of Strategic Directions Document

Adopted by the Board of Directors on March 9, 2006 at Kahnawake First Nation

Mission Statement: "Building Helping Communities"

Value Statement:

We value and promote the holistic knowledge and practices that support the sharing of national First Nations communities to love, respect and nurture First Nations children, young people, families, communities and nations.

Core Values:

• Love and respect for our children, young people, families, communities and nations
• Respect for the people who work with First Nations children, young people, families, communities, and nations.
• The sharing of our individual and collective resources (knowledge, wealth, ideas, etc.) to nurture and care for the First Nations children in Canada.
• Respecting the value of diverse First Nations teachings and practices for today’s First Nations children, young people and families.

Future Directions and Planning Strategies:

1. First Nations reclamation of responsibility for ensuring the safety and well being of First Nations children, young people, and families requires that traditional knowledge supporting children and families be embraced and applied in a contemporary context.
   
   1. Maintain an updated database on First Nations child and family services.
   2. Investigate, develop and implement a strategy to ensure FNCFCS benefits First Nations children and young people regardless of residency or Indian Act Status.
   3. Publish the First Peoples Child and Family Review bi-annually whenever possible
   4. Document and share promising practices in First Nations child and family services and social work education.
   5. Develop a strategy for the active and meaningful engagement of young people and Elders in FNCFCS activities.
   6. Ensuring that knowledge, services and products produced by FNCFCS are available regardless of the user’s ability to pay whenever possible.
   7. Develop and implement a national awards program acknowledging excellence in culturally based child maltreatment responses.

    

2. Directing policy in an effective manner means conducting research and evaluation in a culturally respectful manner with the active involvement of First Nations to better understand the reasons why First Nations children experience child maltreatment and how best to respond.
   
   1. Support the participation of First Nations child and family service agencies in national studies on child maltreatment such as the Canadian Incidence Study on Reported Child Abuse and Neglect and ensure the analysis of the resulting data is done in a culturally respectful manner.
   2. Conduct research on matters identified as being important by First Nations child and family service agencies with their full participation in the design, implementation, analysis, dissemination and use of research results.
   3. Develop guidelines for effective and culturally based research partnerships between First Nations child and family service agencies and research institutions.
   4. Leverage the research knowledge of First Nations peoples by including them in all aspects of the research process and investing in their research capacity.
   5. Develop partnerships with social worker training institutions and universities to share research findings to First Nations child welfare and to advance respectful research, policy making and practice.
   6. Conduct research to inform policy and practice strategies to address the structural drivers of child maltreatment affecting First Nations children and young people (i.e: poverty, substance misuse and poor housing).

    

3. Sustainable child safety and well-being can only be achieved through the empowerment of families and communities through sustainable and community driven community enhancement processes.
   
   1. Work with First Nations, the federal government and other stakeholders to ensure the implementation of the recommended funding formula in the Wen:de and Wen:de the Journey Continues reports.
   2. Work with Aboriginal and non Aboriginal governments, child welfare organizations and other stakeholders to implement the Reconciliation in Child Welfare: Touchstones of Hope for Aboriginal children, youth and families.
   3. Advocate and engage actively in policy solutions designed to ensure that First Nations have equitable access to supports for First Nations children, young people and families from the public, voluntary and corporate sectors.
   4. Support the development of sustainable partnerships between First Nations child and family services and the voluntary sector in order to augment the number of voluntary sector resources available at a community level to redress child maltreatment using the Caring Across the Boundaries programs aninitiatives where needed.
   5. Investigate and share promising practices on community engagement in developing child maltreatment responses.

    

4. There must be meaningful partnerships between First Nations, federal and provincial/territorial governments, municipalities, voluntary sector and academic institutions that support First Nations right and ability to care for children, young people and families.
   
   1. Enhance the understanding of those working in economic development, environmental sustainability, and infrastructure development on how their work directly impacts child maltreatment.
   2. Building on the principle of interdependence, actively reach out to those working in the corporate sector, economic development, environmental sustainability, community infrastructure, education, health and social services to raise awareness of child maltreatment and how people and institutions across disciplines can be involved in child maltreatment response.
   3. Document and disseminate examples of effective and meaningful cross cultural collaborations in child maltreatment response including a description of the factors contributing to the success.
   4. Develop guidelines or processes for identifying and evaluating culturally appropriate or based policies and services.
   5. Monitor Canada’s compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and other related international treaty body instruments relevant to First Nations children and young people experiencing child maltreatment.
   6. Work with First Nations, provincial/territorial and federal governments to develop mechanisms to eliminate negative impacts of inter or intra governmental jurisdictional disputes on First Nations children, youth and families.

    

5. Creating culturally based opportunities for First Nations peoples across the country to share knowledge, experience and work together on common objectives.
   
   1. Present at community based conferences/events throughout Canada on the works of FNCFCS.
   2. Host national and international events that bring together First Nations child and family service providers to work on common issues with a particular focus on sustaining the movement to redefine child welfare philosophy and responses to better support First Nations children, youth and families.
   3. Actively support the participation of the First Nations child and family service agencies in national policy making.
   4. Participate in national working groups or initiatives that impact on First Nations children, young people and families experiencing child maltreatment.

    

6. Harnessing and respecting the passionate support and enthusiasm for the FNCFCS expressed by board members, staff and most importantly by First Nations peoples.
   
   1. Work to ensure that FNCFCS resources are available in both official languages.
   2. Demonstrate consistent quality in services and programs.
   3. Board members to liaise with First Nations and FNCFS agencies in order to ensure they are kept abreast of FNCFCS projects and to ensure FNCFSA knowledge and views are reflected in the work of FNCFCS.
   4. Continue to publish the FNCFCS newsletter quarterly highlighting key activities of the FNCFCS.
   5. Conduct independent evaluations of the FNCFCS projects and operations at regular intervals.
   6. Ensure the highest level of financial and administrative integrity in the board and organization in keeping with FNCFCS policies and organizational values.
   7. FNCFCS board and staff to be actively engaged in membership recruitment and retention.
   8. Develop and implement a sustainability plan for FNCFCS which includes strategic staff recruitment and retention.

    

7. The FNCFCS must be sustainable benefiting from a diversified resource portfolio that includes finances, human resources, volunteers and partners.
   
   1. Develop and implement a comprehensive resource development strategy for FNCFCS that builds on principles of financial accountability and sustainability.
   2. Develop and implement an ethical screen for FNCFCS engagement in partnerships, endorsements, projects and funding arrangements.
   3. Develop and implement a volunteer recruitment, retention and appreciation program.
   4. Develop and implement a plan for strategic recruitment, retention and assessing adequacy of staffing levels.