BC Government to blame for tragic death of a young woman on the DTES: youth representative

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – The troubling death of a young woman on Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside has prompted BC’s children’s watchdog to release a scathing report on the treatment of at-risk Aboriginals.

Several recommendations are being made and they target those who deal with vulnerable people, specifically, social workers, health care workers and police.

The key recommendation is for the province to look into what’s being called “professional indifference” towards young Aboriginal people.

Children’s Advocate Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond doesn’t understand how, she says, the province allowed the teen to die. “Despite strong legislation and policy, too many young Aboriginal children continue to fall through the cracks in our system and there is too often a distinct lack of follow-up by professionals.”

The 19-year-old, named Paige, moved dozens of times from shelters and detox centres to SRO’s. “In total, Paige was the subject of 30 child protection reports during her entire lifetime and there could have, and should have been many more, if those on the frontlines of the system had fulfilled their duty to report a child in need of protection. Paige was never permanently removed from her mother’s care; despite the fact her mother lacked capacity because of her own addictions.”

Turpel-Lafond adds this case is one of the most troubling her office has ever investigated. “It’s a startling example of a collective failure to act by multiple organizations and individuals whose should have helped Paige and, in fact, had multiple opportunities to do so. For this girl, the system and those who work in it failed as a whole in their duty to care for and protect her.”

The minister responsible, Stephanie Cadieux, admits mistakes were made and adds she was horrified after reading the report.

She also explains the teen’s death wasn’t considered for a review because she was 19, and technically, an adult. “Because the current legislation only allows the Ministry of Children and Family Development to conduct such a review following the critical injury or death of a child or youth, defined by the Child, Family and Community Service Act as someone under the age of 19. This is a legislative deficiency that must be changed and it is one we will look to address.”

Turpel-Lafond disagrees. “Well, it’s wrong. You’re still a youth when you’re 19, until the end of your 19th year. At the time she died, it was 11 months after she had turned 19. And the ministry does review those cases; they’re supposed to review those cases. The health care system — why has there not been a review of the quality of care of she received or the lack thereof?”

Paige died of a drug overdose in April of 2013 while living on the Downtown Eastside.

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