Upcoming Events

Times Colonist 10k Run Fundraiser

"Runnin’ Like the Wind-ed” TC 10K Run 
When: Sunday April 29, 2011
Time: 8:00am
Location: Government & Bellville St, Victoria BC

One of the main purposes of the Caring for First Nations Children society is to provide culturally competent training for the social workers employed by the Aboriginal Child and Family Service Agencies. The Society is a unique provincial organization in that we are the only organization in the country providing this type of service. The Society supports the capacity of Aboriginal agencies to assume local authority for the delivery of child welfare services. We do this through our culturally relevant child welfare training and through policy development.
This training is especially important as Aboriginal children continue to be over represented in the child welfare system in British Columbia. Currently, 55.6% of 8,371 children in care are of Aboriginal ancestry despite the fact they account for only 8% of the population. The benefits of this project will also be felt by Aboriginal Agencies in that there will be one consistent site for training. Further, the Aboriginal children in care will eventually be transferred back to the Aboriginal agency and will benefit from the Society’s impact on the cultural awareness and sensitivity of their social worker.
The importance of our training is reflected in our growth. Happily we are bursting at the seams in our current location. With added training programs, new staff, youth mentoring programs and social worker practicum students, we are looking to expand to a larger location that will facilitate our current and future growth. Your donation can go a long way towards helping us reach this goal of a bigger training facility.The staff at Caring for First Nations Children Society has registered in the Times Colonist 10K Run to raise funds for a new building. Our team is called "Runnin' Like the Wind-ed!" Come out to watch and support our team.

Donations can be made by clicking on any "Donate" button on this site. On the "Purpose" line type in 10K and the name of the staff member if you want to sponsor a specific person. Thank you
 

Kiskisik Awasisak: Remember the Children

Friday March 16, 2012
The University of Victoria Firs Peoples House Ceremonial Hall
Please send expressions of interest to Shawn Hoey, Manager Program and Policy Initiatives Caring for First Nations Children Society and make all inquiries to:
Shawn.Hoey@cfncs.com
A one day symposium on the first report of the First Nations Component of the Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect 2008 where several specialists will discuss the report and how it applies to their work.
The day will include presentations and discussions in regards to Kiskisik Awasisak: Remember the Children. Understanding the Overrepresentation of First Nations Children in the Child and Welfare System and how this research is being utilized for advocacy, policy development, education and training, and practice. This event is being hosted by Siem Smuun'eem Indigenous Child Research Network in partnership with Caring for First Nations Children Society, McGill Centre for Research on Children and Families, and the Ministry of Children and Family Development. (Seats are limited and availability is on a firs come first serve basis.
To ensure your seat please send us an expression of interest now. For expressions of interest, please click on this link Shawn.Hoey@cfncs.com and type "March 16th interest" in the subject lind of your email)

Bending But Not Breaking Conference 2012

May 1 & 2 2012
For more information see: www siticonference.ca

5th Annual Building SustainAble Communities Conference

The Fresh Outlook Foundation is hosting its 5th Building SustainAble Communities conference in Kelowna February 27th to March 1st. This year’s program includes sessions and entertainment specifically designed by and for First Nations elected officials, staff and interested band members.
For example, day two features a session on social and cultural sustainability. The afternoon ‘Ideas Exchange’ includes a station devoted to aboriginal issues. Delegates will circulate and chat with issue experts manning each station. Delegates will then participate in one of six focused problem-solving discussions, each of which will include at least one First Nation issue expert.
A forum on day four focuses on cross-cultural communication and collaboration. The participating panelists are either aboriginal or have had extensive dealings with aboriginal peoples and issues.
COLLABORATING ACROSS CULTURES TO ACCELERATE COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY: The First Nation Experience
KEYNOTE: Winona LaDuke, White Earth Land & Recovery Project
FACILITATOR: Nene Kraneveldt, Imagination FX
Garry Benson, Benson Law LLP
Geoff Greenwell, 2G Consulting
Gwen Bridge, Gwen Bridge Consulting Ltd.
Patrick Stewart, Patrick Stewart Architect
Mayor James Baker, District of Lake Country
For more information visit: www.freshoutlookfoundation.org
To register see: https://www.regonline.ca/register/checkin.aspx?MethodId=0&eventsessionId=7ed6ae35a19647c2be2c8545531816be&eventID=1004767.
 

Child and Youth Mental Health Matters

Three Conferences in One:
First National Family Mental Health Conference
First International Young Carers Congress
Third International World Congress on Children of Parents with Mental Illness
Conference Dates:
May 6-8, 2012
Description of the Concurrent Conferences:
This conference brings together an interdisciplinary group of professionals working in the field of mental health with young people and parents and other stakeholders to share knowledge and experiences related to child and youth mental health. There are three themes woven through the conferences: Family Mental Health, Children of Parents with Mental Illness and Young Carers.
This first ever gathering of this nature will provide a forum for focusing on the needs of young people and families as they struggle with issues related to mental health concerns across the generations. The overall goal of the concurrent conferences is to help us develop a common language and understanding of the needs of young people and families. By bringing together people from diverse backgrounds we hope to enrich our collective knowledge of mental health strategies, best practices and the latest research in order to improve outcomes for young people and families. Our goal is to create at the conference a community of practice that spans the three themes where we can each share our knowledge and support while we discuss areas of mutual interest and concern.
Conference Format:
This three day conference will begin with an afternoon of network meetings concerning each of the three theme areas. For the remainder of the conference, presentations and panels will be held both on specific themes and cross theme areas. We will be providing opportunities throughout the conference for people to formally and informally gather to discuss issues of common concern. In addition we will have the following keynote presentations on each of the theme areas:
Family Mental Health
Dr. Ian Manion is the Executive Director of the Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health and Clinical Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Ottawa
Children of Parents with Mental Illness
Dr. Stephen Hinshaw is Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychology at the University of California (Berkeley)
Young Carers
Professor Saul Becker is Head of the School of Sociology and Social Policy and Professor of Social Policy and Social Care at The University of Nottingha
The Coast Plaza Hotel & Suites
1763 Comox Street, Vancouver, BC Canada
Telephone: 604.688.7711 Fax: 604.688.5934
Toll free in North America: 1.800.716.6199

The Early Years Conference 2012
The Development of Children's Mental Health: How Do We Become Who We Are?

February 2-4, 2012
Hyatt Vancouver 655 Burrard St. 
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Conference Description.
Full conference brochure will be posted in the fall. If you would like to receive email updates about this conference as they become available, please contact Katia Selezeneva by mailto:ipad@interchange.ubc.ca or by phone (604-822-0054).
 Conference Description
Our early relationships and experiences shape all aspects of physical and mental health, and are pivotal to who we become and how we function throughout life. We naturally strive forward. The behaviour of young children is meaningful, and understanding this concept is vital for all involved with children. This conference will stimulate dialogue, reflection, a deeper understanding of a child’s total development as rooted in their earliest relationships, and may revolutionize our approaches and practices with young children, their families, and their communities. Conference Hotel
Hyatt Regency Vancouver

Fifth National Biennial Conference on Adolescents and Adults with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

 Conference Dates: April 18-21, 2012
 Location The Hyatt Regency
  655 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC
 
This conference will provide a forum to share research, experience and practice in order to discuss how we can effectively sustain and enhance the lives of adolescents and adults with FASD, their families, service providers, and communities. Are we adequately addressing and supporting the needs and rights of adolescents and adults with FASD within our society? Do individuals with FASD have timely and appropriate access to health care, housing, social services, legal and civil justice and employment? How can we build on the strengths of existing systems to identify and address barriers and move forward to provide effective ethical support? How do we provide focused and targeted approaches across services, and systems to create an integrated and collaborative approach to supporting individuals with FASD? These are the essential elements for social justice and we are just starting to explore and understand what will be required to put these into action. For Conference information click on the link:
http://www.interprofessional.ubc.ca/PastConferences/Adults2010.html