Ministry Overview and Core Business Areas

The ministry's mandate is to advance the safety and well-being of vulnerable children and youth; advance early childhood development through strategic investments; and advance and support a community-based system of family services that is sustainable, stable and flexible and promotes innovation, equity, and accountability. The ministry relies on its four core business areas to implement its strategic direction and achieve its goals and objectives.

1. Child and Family Development

This core business area provides a range of services for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children, youth and their families. It includes child protection services; residential; guardianship; foster care; permanency and adoption planning for children permanently in care; and services to strengthen and preserve families. It also includes community child and youth mental health services; community youth justice supervision services; and services to assist youth who are at-risk or who are commercially sexually exploited.
[2005/06: Budget: $589,842,000 and 2,717 FTEs]

2. Early Childhood Development, Child Care and Supports to Children with Special Needs

This core business area provides early childhood development, child care services, and services for children and youth with special needs and their families. Early childhood development includes services and initiatives to meet the diverse needs of children from birth up to six years of age. This core business area includes a child care system in which families can choose from a range of available, affordable, safe, quality child care options that meet their diverse needs and support healthy child development. It also includes developmental and support services for children and youth with special needs, such as services and funding for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and early intervention services.
[2005/06: Budget: $450,788,000 and 329 FTEs]

3. Provincial Services

This core business area provides for the administration of specialized provincial services for children and youth, such as youth custody centres, treatment programs for psychiatrically ill or conduct-disordered adolescents, and services for the deaf and hard of hearing. These services complement the delivery of regionally-based community services. This area is also responsible for the Child and Youth Mental Health Plan.
[2005/06: Budget: $53,717,000 and 621 FTEs]

4. Executive and Support Services

This core business area provides overall advice, direction, leadership and support to ministry programs. This includes overarching policy and legislative support, intergovernmental relations, audit, staff development, performance management and related research functions, administrative and financial support and guidance.
[2005/06: Budget: $17,632,000 and 205 FTEs]

Adult Community Living Services: Between April 1, 2005 and June 30, 2005, the ministry was responsible for the delivery of services to adults with developmental disabilities. On July 1, 2005, this service delivery responsibility was transferred to CLBC.
[2005/06: Budget: $524,664,000 and 80 FTEs]

In addition to overall responsibility for the ministry, the Minister is responsible for supporting CLBC to achieve its mandate to provide and improve upon services to adults with developmental disabilities. The following provide for these services and related responsibilities:

Further Ministry Information

Further information regarding ministry services, locations and related legislation is available on the ministry website at: http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/about_us/index.htm.