First Call’s Early Childhood Development Roundtable has written to the Minister of Children and Family Development to request the ministry consider restoring the positions of Provincial Advisor for Infant Development Programs (IDP) and Supported Child Development Programs (SCDP), which were cut many years ago. As we have learned from both MORE
In October 2021, First Call signed on to a letter from Dr. Jennifer Charlesworth, Representative for Children and Youth, to the Minister of Children and Family Development, Mitzi Dean. The letter highlighted the urgent that many BC families of children and youth with support needs continue to experience, as a MORE
In October 2021, we received a response from Ministers Dean and Chen to our letter on behalf of First Call’s Early Childhood Development Roundtable sharing perspectives and concerns raised at our April meeting about the 2021 BC Budget in relation to young children and their families. Specifically, we expressed concern MORE
On Monday October 25, Fostering Change Community Organizers held eight meetings with provincial government ministers and their senior staff to brief them on issues facing youth who turn 19 and age out of government care. Over the course of the day, 20+ youth participated, meeting with ministers including Minister Dean, MORE
First Call responded to the draft recommendations in the BC Law Institute’s consultation paper reviewing parts of the Child, Family and Community Service Act (CFCSA). The BCLI paper proposed recommendations regarding changes to the definition of key terms in the Act, children and families’ rights to independent legal advice, incorporating MORE
First call have responded to the federal government’s pre-budget consultation. Their submission contains several recommendations to address the existing inequities affecting children and youth that have been amplified and laid bare by the COVID-19 pandemic. A key recommendation calls for increased investment in a national child care strategy that is MORE
In December, we sent a copy of our 2020 BC Child Poverty Report Card to the Premier, several cabinet ministers and all BC MLAs and MPs. In the letters we drew their attention to the continuing high levels of child and family poverty in our province. Especially among children in MORE
On September 15, 2020, as a member of the BC Coalition to End Youth Homelessness, First Call forwarded a letter to Premier Horgan to all BC MLAs. The letter to the Premier calls on the provincial government to address the urgent concern about the risk of homelessness for a larger cohort MORE
On July 29 2020, Honourable Katrine Conroy, Minister of Children and Family Development responded to Fostering Change’s call for enhancing the support available for youth leaving care. In her response she acknowledges that more work needs to be done to support youth leaving care, and lays out the work that MORE
On June 26th 2020, Fostering Change organizers Susan and Anita wrote to the office of Premier John Horgan. The intent of the letter is to remind him of his previous commitments in supporting youth transitions. The letter proposes: Remove barriers including the age cap and minimum in-care time period for MORE
At the end of June, First Call submitted our recommendations to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services as they consider spending priorities in the next provincial budget. This year, in the midst of uncertainty about how COVID-19 has (and will continue to) affect BC’s children, youth and MORE
Today, First Call and Basics for Health Society sent a letter to the BC government urging a coordinated response to children’s health during this COVID-19 pandemic. Advocates, physicians, researchers and health care professionals have come together to voice their alarm about the harmful impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on children, MORE
In early May, First Call added our voice to the call for the federal government to work closely with provincial and territorial governments, health institutions, and public health leaders to ensure and support access to healthcare for all people living in Canada, including those currently living in detention, regardless of MORE
Today, First Call’s Early Childhood Development Roundtable (ECDRT) wrote to Ministers Chen and Conroy to share concerns expressed by the forty-three people from around the province who participated in our March 25th meeting. Many issues raised were related to the fragility of providers of early child development services and the MORE
On April 12, Minister Conroy responded to Fostering Change Community Organizers and announced a number of measures to support and protect youth who would have aged out of care during the COVID19 pandemic. In addition, the Minister announced other measures to support youth who had already aged out of government MORE