Message from the Minister and
Accountability Statement

It is my privilege to present the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) 2005/06 – 2007/08 Service Plan Update September 2005. This plan outlines how the ministry will support government's Five Great Goals through providing services to the people of British Columbia.

Our highest priority is the health, safety and well-being of the thousands of vulnerable children, youth, and their families who depend on the ministry to provide quality services. We will continue to focus our ministry's efforts to plan and implement services that meet the needs of children, youth and their families that produce the most beneficial outcomes.

I have set challenging performance targets in our service plan to guide the ministry's efforts to move toward these desired results. For all of the ministry's services, ongoing monitoring assists with determining that needs are being met in the most effective and efficient manner and that the service delivery system is sustainable.

The Ministry of Children and Family Development, working together with other ministry partners including the Ministries of Health and Education, is committed to building an integrated system of programs and services to increase the capacity of families and communities to provide the optimal context in which to raise a child. The ministry will continue to foster and make improvements to services for young children and their families that support early childhood development, with a focus on prevention, early intervention and child care. By linking child care with early childhood development initiatives, the ministry will work to improve school readiness and school performance, helping to make B.C. the best-educated, most literate jurisdiction on the continent. Our ministry will take a cross-government leadership role for early childhood development, child care services and services for children with special needs, ensuring that critical links and partnerships are forged and maintained. Coordinated efforts with other ministry and community partners will assist in building the best system of support in Canada for children with special needs and children at risk.

We will continue the implementation of the multi-year Child and Youth Mental Health Plan across the province. The first two years focussed on making the existing services as effective and efficient as possible. In 2005/06, resource enhancements to children's mental health services are underway to reduce the gap between need and capacity. The ministry will continue to improve B.C.'s mental health service system in collaboration with the Ministry of Health.

It is critical to our success that the ministry has effective and responsive approaches to build and support the capacity of families. The use of best practices by staff and service providers will help to improve the effectiveness, efficiency and quality of services. Strong partnerships and collaborative relationships with other ministries, stakeholders and community partners are also critical components. The ministry's service delivery partners include contracted community service providers, family foster homes, Aboriginal communities, delegated Aboriginal child welfare agencies, school districts and health authorities.

Reflecting the Province's new relationship with Aboriginal people, the ministry has partnered with Aboriginal leaders to address issues relating to the safety and well-being of Aboriginal children and families. The ministry is committed to improving services to better meet the needs of Aboriginal people. We are working with the Aboriginal community to enhance the capacity for service delivery and develop Aboriginal regional authorities to manage Aboriginal child and family services.

As Minister, I am responsible for supporting British Columbia's newest Crown agency, Community Living British Columbia (CLBC), to achieve its mandate to provide and improve upon services to individuals with developmental disabilities. The ministry worked in collaboration with the Interim Authority for Community Living British Columbia (IA/CLBC) on the transfer of services from the ministry to the new permanent authority, CLBC. On July 1, 2005, CLBC was established. The province continues to be a leader in developing community-based services for adults with developmental disabilities.The next phase for CLBC will be to review, carefully plan and implement service improvements. This will enable individuals with developmental disabilities to more fully participate in and contribute to their communities. As Minister Responsible, I will ensure that CLBC's activities are monitored and that its obligations and reporting requirements are met.

The Ministry of Children and Family Development 2005/06 – 2007/08 Service Plan Update September 2005 was prepared under my direction in accordance with the Budget Transparency and Accountability Act. I am accountable for the basis on which the plan has been prepared. All material fiscal assumptions and policy decisions as of August 31, 2005 have been considered in preparing the plan and I am accountable for achieving the specific objectives in the plan.

Honourable Stanley B. Hagen
Minister of Children and Family Development

August 31, 2005