2002/03 Annual Service Plan Report Ministry of Children and Family Development

It is my pleasure to present the 2002/03 Annual Service Plan Report for the Ministry of Children and Family Development.

In 2002/03, all ministry activities continued to promote achievement of the ministry's six strategic shifts, to enhance services in communities for better outcomes for those we serve. Activities included shifts in professional practice, such as use of kin and other agreements, to enable a child needing protection to live with an adult close to them when possible, to provide the least disruptive option available. As well, work continued to increase family development services and community-based supports to achieve better outcomes for children and families.

Fiscal 2002/03 was a year filled with achievements and challenges. I remain very encouraged by progress made in the transition of most ministry services to community-based approaches. This progress has been greatly bolstered by the positive input from thousands of staff, clients, families, service providers and community representatives, all dedicated to ensuring high-quality, community-based services to vulnerable children, adults with developmental disabilities and families province-wide.

Each of the ministry's achievements in 2002/03 contributed to realizing our vision of healthy children and families in safe, caring and inclusive communities, such as:

• Cabinet approval of Canada's first comprehensive child and youth mental health plan, to boost community services over the next five years to serve thousands more children and youth with mental disorders in their communities, to help them live healthier, fuller lives.
• signing of a memorandum of understanding between government and the province's Aboriginal leaders which led to the creation of the Joint Aboriginal Management Committee and establishment of five regional Aboriginal transition committees, to plan for five regional Aboriginal child and family development authorities to serve their communities within their own cultural context and achieve better outcomes.
• passing of legislation to enable establishment of interim authorities, to plan for the creation of 11 permanent authorities to deliver services, with work on legislation to introduce permanent authorities underway. Work towards creating this legislation marked one of the most inclusive processes ever in the development of social policy in Canadian history, with extensive input from individuals and groups across the province.
• creation of an interim provincial authority for community living services, Community Living BC, shaped by the community living transition steering committee's work with staff, parents, clients and advocates.

While 2002/03 brought about the challenges of preparing for upcoming budget targets, I have confidence in the ability of the sector to take on these challenges as they prepare to assume service delivery. The transition to community-based approaches will continue to be a collaborative effort to preserve high-quality services for those in greatest need. We are on a path to ensure more responsive, local and efficient service delivery that meets the needs of those vulnerable citizens who require our services to help them achieve health and well-being so that they can attain better outcomes in their lives.

The Honourable Gordon Hogg
Minister of Children and Family Development