The Honourable Joedy Wall, Minister of Social Supports and Well-Being, issued the following statement regarding the release of the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate’s report, Off the Radar, which examines the placement of two children from another province in Newfoundland and Labrador.

“First and foremost, my thoughts are with the children at the centre of this report. The circumstances outlined are concerning, and every child deserves to be safe, supported, and protected. We recognize the impact this experience has had on the children involved and the importance of learning from these circumstances. The department acknowledges the areas noted in the advocate’s report and is reviewing the findings and recommendations to identify opportunities to strengthen supports and improve outcomes for children and youth. We appreciate the Child and Youth Advocate’s recognition of improvements already made to strengthen information sharing, documentation practices, and processes related to interprovincial requests. We are committed to working with partners within Newfoundland and Labrador and across jurisdictions to reinforce the importance of the provincial/territorial protocol and strengthen practice together.

“I thank the Child and Youth Advocate for her dedication and advocacy on behalf of children and youth. Our government remains committed to supporting programs and services that help children, youth, and families thrive.”

-30-