Advocate calls for greater transparency after five child deaths in New Brunswick

FREDERICTON — At least five New Brunswick children whose families were known to protective workers have died, but little is publicly known about their deaths — and the province’s child and youth advocate says that has to change.

The provincial government accepted most recommendations stemming from an investigation of the cases on Monday, but authorities released no information that could identify the children or the circumstances of their deaths.

Advocate Norm Bosse says the public needs to know more about the children to have a better understanding of the problems that exist — including the age, gender and area of the province where the death occurred.

“I think it’s important, if we are going to ask people in the community to make sure that they report neglect or child abuse, that they know about it. If they don’t know that it’s happening in their own backyard, then how’s that supposed to change?” Bosse said Tuesday. 

“For small children it’s so important that we be a lot more transparent because I think there’s a lot more the community can do to make sure that these children are not hurt further.”

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The Child Death Review Committee released its recommendations on the five deaths in June, and Bosse said he’s pleased the government moved quickly to respond.

One of the recommendations says that “when a child has been a victim of a non-accidental injury and the perpetrator has not been identified from the household in which the injury occurred, the child should not be reunified until the perpetrator has been identified.”

Families and Children Minister Stephen Horsman said he accepts the intent of the recommendation. In a statement, he said a plan for the child will be developed through the family’s collaboration, child protection mediation or a permanency planning conference.

“If the child’s parents are not in agreement with the plan, the minister will consult with family Crown counsel to determine if a court order is warranted,” the statement reads.

Another recommendation is that the Department of Social Development review its policy on the followup with babies born to mothers who consumed drugs during the pregnancy.

The minister says he accepts the intent of the recommendation and recognizes that infants born to mothers who used methadone during their pregnancy may require special care.

Bosse said that in all cases, social workers should be making unannounced visits to check on children and their families.

“You want to see the normal day-to-day interaction with that child in the family unit after he or she is returned to the family,” Bosse said.

Horsman said greater public reporting of the circumstances surrounding children’s deaths is under discussion.

“Discussions have been held with the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate and the access to information and privacy commissioner, and the government has committed to providing an update later this year,” Horsman said in the statement.

Bosse notes that in some situations names have been released, such as the case of Ashley Smith, a New Brunswick teen who was able to strangle herself while under a suicide watch in a women’s prison in Ontario.

He says it’s important for the public to report cases of neglect or child abuse.

The Child Death Review Committee reviews the deaths of children under the age of 19, including those who were in legal care of the minister of social development, or whose families were in contact with the child protection system within 12 months before the child’s death.

Kevin Bissett, The Canadian Press