Keeping Children Safe
It's a scary world. If you're scared for your kids it means that you are paying attention. There are many questions we can ask to address this fear, but the most important one I can think of is this:
What does it mean to truly keep kids safe in such a precarious & ever changing world?
There are a number of things I share with parents, educators and community members who help kids so they can answer this question. Of course this is not a legal list but something I've learned in my times as a helper to families in Winnipeg's North End. If you find it helpful, please share it with anyone who may benefit from the information.
These have been the steps that in my experience have helped to keep children safe:
If you see a child is in danger, immediately remove them from harm
The very next thing to do is seek out the adult responsible for them: do not leave that child alone in a dangerous situation, bring the little one with you and ask them if they know where they live or how to get back to a safe place.
We don't leave kids in unsafe situations. Ever. If you can't find the adult, see step 4 on this list.
If you find the parent/guardian: ask if the parent is comfortable and willing to care for the safety of the child.
Share: Communicate any details around how you got the child out of the unsafe situation you found them in and any injuries you witnessed.
Offer support: ask the parent if they are familiar with resources in the community. If they need assistance with any systems, you don’t want to call child welfare and you are in the North End of Winnipeg, you could refer them to Fearless R2W, if they are First Natons you can call First Nations Family Advocate & once again there is MACY.
If you cannot find an adult: remove the child from any immediate harm & call someone to help you. In the North End of Winnipeg we have groups like Mama Bear Clan, Ma Mawi Chi Itata Centre and the Bear Clan Patrol who we can call and often be connected right away to a community member who can help us. It is never ok to do nothing.
Report: we have an obligation to report children that are in unsafe situations to the appropriate authorities. Facebook is not the authorities.
First, read this information on the province of Manitoba’s website on child protection
Safer Communities is a provincial department that can help deal with problem neighbours, drug dealers and public health concerns. In Winnipeg, you call (204) 945-3475 & it’s toll free outside of Winnipeg by calling 1-800-954-9361
If you think a child is being harmed or neglected, contact Child & Family Services at 1-866-345-9241
If this is an emergency, call 911
A Note on Mental Health
It can be very traumatizing to discover a kid in a dangerous situation for all involved. It is important to share mental health resources that are accessible to the child, the parent and to yourself whenever you are able to and to the best of your abilities.
Resources for kids:
kids help phone (texting 686868 & resources around me)
Resources for adults can include
Resources for yourself can include any of the above
I believe that young people are going to do the best they can with the tools they have available. We know that Indigenous young people are systematically disadvantaged when it comes to the tools they even have within their reach. I don't judge young people when they use drugs or commit crimes, I do believe in harm reduction and restorative justice. There are too many of our relatives who are caught up in these colonial and violent “justice” systems and I have dedicated my life to lifting up our relatives who have made mistakes in the belief that they will make better choices. I will not apologize for believing in the good things our young people are capable of.
I have fought to change the narrative around young people who are “at risk” of these behaviours and remind people they are also at risk of succeeding if given an opportunity. I will continue to work at a system level to make sure there is room at the table for their experiences and ideas to be given the weight and influence they deserve. There is a lot of work to do so families have a circle of love, support and all the things they need to care for their children in a good way.
I believe part of being a helper is being accountable to the families we serve. That means if you are in a position to help kids and young people live a safer life, I fully expect you to take every available opportunity to make it so. If you find a child are in danger - please go through the above list. As always, my door is open to hear from those in my community who feel there are things we can do better and do together, to make sure our community is safe.
