If you live in New Brunswick, you need to know the province is regularly breaking its own child welfare laws. Vulnerable children are paying the ultimate price for this failure.

Witnesses recently testified before a legislature committee investigating the child welfare system. The hearings began after a teenager known as Bobby died from a fentanyl overdose. The Department of Social Development received at least 15 warnings about his safety before his death.

According to a report by CBC News, John Sharpe of Partners for Youth delivered a clear message to the government.

“Listen to kids. Follow the act,” Sharpe said.

Sharpe noted that Bobby made his voice heard, but nobody listened. He pointed out that the government broke the law, and Bobby was the only one to suffer the consequences.

A System Without a Heart

New Brunswick introduced new child welfare laws in 2022. These laws prioritize the rights of the child and expand intervention options when a home is unsafe. However, frontline workers say the government ignores these rules.

“There is a massive gulf between the law that protects kids in this province, and the department and regions tasked with following it,” Sharpe said. “The system, as we know it, is not human. It has no emotion, no feeling, no conscience, and no heart.”

Misty Schofield works with Fresh Start Services in Saint John. Her nonprofit helps people find housing. She told the committee that reports of youth dying no longer shock her team.

“Bobby’s death was not an isolated tragedy. It was one of three young lives New Brunswick lost last year under circumstances that should have demanded more from all of us,” Schofield testified.

A Disconnected Bureaucracy

The Department of Social Development struggles with internal division. Deputy Minister Daniel Mills admitted the department failed to bring staff up to speed on the new laws.

Mills expressed frustration with the disconnect between central and regional offices. He described the current setup as functioning like five separate departments instead of one unified body.

To fix this, Sharpe recommends eliminating regional directors and certain middle management roles. He states this change leads to faster responses for youth in crisis.

The Housing Crisis for Youth

In Saint John, Schofield sees the direct impact of these systemic failures. She works with homeless youth who need housing but fail to meet strict government criteria. Without enough youth shelter beds, frontline workers face impossible choices.

They decide whether to place a vulnerable teenager in an adult shelter, exposing them to violence and substance use, or turn them away entirely.

Schofield demands better housing and income support the moment Social Development learns a teenager is homeless. She also wants the government to publicly report the number of homeless youth to ensure accountability.

“The question is not why Bobby died, the question is why we keep creating the same circumstances that make another Bobby possible,” Schofield said.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Bobby?

Bobby was a 16 year old youth formerly in government care. He died from a fentanyl overdose after community members made at least 15 calls to Social Development warning them about his unsafe living conditions.

What are the new child welfare laws in New Brunswick?

Introduced in 2022, the laws aim to prioritize the rights and interests of children. They expand the options for intervention when a child is not safe at home. Witnesses testify the government currently fails to follow these laws.

What solutions do frontline workers propose?

Advocates suggest eliminating middle management in Social Development to speed up crisis response. They also call for immediate housing and income support for homeless youth and demand the government track and report youth homelessness numbers.