Alternative Care

The Alternative Care Unit provides on- and off-reserve services relating to the recruitment, licensing, and supporting the caregivers to our children in care. SECFS is also the licensing agency for the Shawenim Abinoojii Inc. placement homes.

Recruitment:

While the Agency prioritizes family-based placements, there continues to be the need to seek community and culturally appropriate emergency, temporary, short and long term, and specialized placements to meet the needs of children and youth in care.

The Alternative Care Unit staff have gone to the Berens River, Bloodvein, Brokenhead, and Black River communities during their treaty days, to Hollow Water during their pig roast, and set up a booth at the Manito Ahbee Festival to host recruitment booths. Additionally, radio advertisements on NCI have also been a mechanism to reach out to potential Indigenous caregivers.

The Alternative Care Unit staff will continue to work with the front-line staff and communities to have our children placed with family and community caregivers. Our increased number of family placements reflects the Agency's commitment to placing children with family and community caregivers. We are currently working on redesigning the recruitment material to be geared toward increasing the number of family and community caregivers rather than general placements. With the new Alt. Care Worker hired for the Pauingassi, Poplar River, and Little Grand Rapids communities, we will increase recruitment efforts in these communities.