PRINCE ALBERT — The new QBOW Child and Family Services emergency home in Prince Albert had its official grand opening on Friday.
The five-space home, which began operations on March 10, provides temporary care for children under age 12 who are in the care of the Ministry of Social Services.
Carmen Fourstar, the executive director of QBOW Child and Family Services, said that seeing the home open was a big step for QBOW.
"It's just that continued partnership with the Ministry of Social Services and being able to continue and building that working relationship with them,” she said. “But not only that, most importantly now we have another home for children to be able to go to that will be safe.”
QBOW currently has three homes, one Short Term Community Home in Fort Qu'Appelle, one Short Term Community Home in Prince Albert and the new Emergency Home in Prince Albert. Fourstar explained that the other two homes are reunification homes.
“The only children going to those two homes are the ones that are close to being re-unified with their parents,” she explained. “We have an outreach worker who works within those two homes, so they can work with the parents and make sure that we're able to reunify.
“This home that we opened today is an emergency placement home. It's just for the Ministry to be able to place children there or up to seven days, but we all know that sometimes that isn't the case because they just can't find placement.”
Community-based homes offer immediate placement options for children who cannot safely remain at home while the ministry works with their parents to address safety concerns or until a family-based care option is identified, such as an extended family member.
When children enter into care, the Ministry's primary goal is family reunification, working with parents to provide access to services such as parenting programs, addiction counselling and domestic violence prevention. The ministry also looks to extended family, with nearly 60 per cent of children in out-of-home care is placed with extended family members.
The home is a five-bedroom home, and all of the spots are currently occupied. It is currently occupied by members of the same families. QBOW serves Wahpeton Dakota Nation and Beardy’s and Okemasis Cree Nation, Standing Buffalo Dakota Nation and Wood Mountain Dakota Nation.
“Standing Buffalo and Wood Mountain are in the south, and then up here, Beardy’s and Wahpeton. Those are our nations for the agency, and we have that partnership with the Ministry of Social Services,” Fourstar explained.
Fourstar has been around from the beginning of negotiations as the board chair when the Fort Qu’Appelle home opened in 2017.
The emcee for the speeches was Remi Mike, who was also part of the negotiations.
"When we went into the one here in PA, everything was kind of just already established,” she said. “We were able to maintain the agreements to open this new one here in PA and then this one that we now have, it kind of just filtered through.”
The day opened with a Pipe Ceremony led by Elder Louis Gardypie in the home, followed by the Honour Song performed by the Beardy’s Okemasis Drum Group, and a brief opportunity to tour the home.
Fourstar said that connecting culture is an important part of the home’s mission.
"That's one thing that's different with our homes is the culture, the language and the ceremonies. They're always a part of our homes day-to-day,’ she said.
"We're able to reach out, so even though … right now the children that are in the homes are from the ministry, they're not from our agency, but because we know where they're from, we can maintain that,” Fourstar said.
The home is currently fully staffed with full-time workers, and also hires casual workers.
“We are always filling casuals,” she explained.
After the tours, the event moved to the Best Western Premier for speeches and lunch.
Speakers included Chief Edwin Ananas of Beardy’s, Chief John Waditaka of Wahpeton, board member Jean Redman representing Sanding Buffalo Dakota Nation, board member Lakota Wapegan-Lecaine representing Wood Mountain Lakota Nation, Audrey Eyahpaise representing the QBOW board of directors, Frank Royal from Whitecap Dakota Nation, Jamie Hearn from the Ministry of Social Services, Jordan Wolfe the manager of the new Prince Albert Emergency Home and Fourstar.
Fourstar was thankful for the day and the people who came to celebrate the opening.
"I'm just thankful for everything that took place today,” Fourstar said.
