Services delivered: Sapujjijuit program — Inuit-specific integrated caregiver assessment and pre-service training model

Component: Child welfare - community and prevention supports

Legislation: Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017 (CYFSA)

Service objective

The key objective of this time-limited project is the development, pilot-testing and validation of an Inuit-specific caregiver assessment and training model for use when approving Inuit caregivers for Inuit children and youth determined to be in need of protection.

Service description

The Transfer Payment Recipient will use funds to:

• Develop a Program Curriculum, Resource Guides, and Inuit Family Wellbeing Assessment Tools
  • Develop a program curriculum in collaboration with the Project Steering Committee
  • Develop a train-the-trainer component, including training materials
  • Develop a Participants Guide and Facilitators Guide
  • Develop an Inuit-specific assessment process and tool(s) for prospective Inuit foster and kin caregivers that meets provincial licensing requirements
  • Establish Elder Advisory Group to advise on the work, as proposed by Tungasuvvingat Inuit (TI)
  • Hire an independent evaluator to provide guidance on necessary requirements for the development of the curriculum and pilot program
• Pilot Program Recruitment and Execution
  • Recruit prospective foster and kinship caregivers to participate in the pilot program
  • Deliver a pilot program to prospective foster and kinship caregivers drawn from the Ottawa Inuit community
  • Deliver a pilot train-the-trainer program with staff identified by TI and Inuuqatigiit Centre for Inuit Children, Youth and Families (Inuuqatigiit Centre)
  • Hire an Inuk Resource Family Case Manager, to perform the following activities:
    • Support the organization with the implementation of the pilot-testing
    • Work in collaboration with a Children’s Aid Society of Ottawa (CASO) social worker to complete the home study and subsequent assessments
    • Provide detailed feedback on the assessment process
• Evaluation and Program Revisions
  • Conduct evaluation of the pilot program and train-the-trainer component to identify any revisions required for the curriculum and associated tools and materials, including the assessment process
  • Make final revisions to curriculum, assessment tools, Participants’ Guide, Facilitators’ Guide, and training materials following the pilot project and informed by the evaluation findings from the independent evaluator

Program/service features

This project is intended to increase culturally appropriate service delivery for Inuit children, youth and families involved with the child welfare system. The development of Inuit-specific culturally appropriate child protection tools will play an important role in increasing the likelihood that Inuit children and youth remain connected to their community, culture and heritage leading to more positive outcomes in the longer term.

Program goals

The development of a clinically validated Inuit-specific caregiver assessment and training model for use when approving Inuit caregivers for Inuit children and youth determined to be in need of protection to support an increase in the number of Inuit caregivers that qualify to care for Inuit children and youth in need of protection.

Ministry expectations

The Transfer Payment Recipient will:

• Develop an Inuit-specific caregiver assessment and training model for use when approving Inuit caregivers for Inuit children and youth determined to be in need of protection, including the following activities:
  • Collaborate with Project Steering Committee, comprised of Inuit community members, child welfare subject matter experts, Elders, youth, and Children’s Aid Society of Ottawa (CASO), at all stages of the development of the caregiver assessment and training model
  • Develop all guides, materials and tools (including but not limited to curriculum, assessment tools, Participants’ Guide, Facilitators’ Guide, and train-the-trainer materials) that comprise the Inuit-specific caregiver assessment and training model
    • Present all guides, materials and tools to the Project Steering Committee
    • Incorporate feedback from Project Steering Committee members into all guides, materials and tools
• Conduct pilot-testing and evaluation of the Inuit-specific caregiver assessment and training model through activities that include:
  • Deliver a pilot program to 10 prospective foster and kinship caregivers drawn from the Ottawa Inuit community
  • Deliver a pilot of the train-the-trainer program with 5 staff identified by TI and Inuuqatigiit Centre
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot program and train-the-trainer component in meeting desired competencies, including all legislative requirements for the assessment and training of alternative caregivers for children determined to be in need of protection, and that the program is culturally appropriate
    • External evaluator to develop a validation report of the pilot program and train-the-trainer component to identify any revisions required to the curriculum and associated tools and materials, including the assessment process
  • Revise all program material (including but not limited to curriculum, assessment tools, Participants’ Guide, Facilitators’ Guide, and training materials) based on evaluation findings
• Provide final version of the clinically validated Inuit-specific caregiver assessment and training model and independent evaluation report at the conclusion of the project

Reporting requirements

The Transfer Payment Recipient is expected to monitor and evaluate project performance and to confirm that project objectives and deliverables are being met.

At each reporting period, on a quarterly basis (end of June, September, December, March), the Transfer Payment Recipient must complete:

• An Executive Summary of project progress
• A completed Project Report, including detailed identification of variances from project activities, milestones and timelines for the reporting period and mitigation strategies
• Confirm completion of the project activities and timelines including submitting relevant supplementary materials as requested by the ministry

Upon satisfactory review of quarterly reports the ministry will release payment to the Transfer Payment Recipient.

Project Activities and Timelines:

The below listed project activities will be reported on to the ministry in the associated quarterly report.