Our main responsibility is Court support and advocacy. We will work to protect Member First Nations children’s and families’ rights, freedoms and interests according to the will and purpose of the community. We will research and establish advocacy plans that support Member First Nation individuals in court during the child protection court process.
We will provide court navigation services to Member First Nations clientele by providing support and guidance that is family focused, child centered and community driven.
We will build supportive social networks that will empower participants by enhancing and strengthening self reliance and protective factors so that dependency on programs is reduced.
Our roles are:
- Work in partnership with Member First Nation First Nations’ Communities
- Advocating for our children, families and communities in court that fall under our jurisdiction
- Navigating systems, while standing side by side with the families
- Establish advocacy plans and assisting families with such plans
- Contacting organizations and gathering Child and Family information
- Assisting our families as a support, navigating them through this process
- Information sharing with our families on their situation
- Attending meetings, appointments and talking circles/case conferences at the request of the child, family or communities we represent
- Planning and attending various Family Needs Meetings (formal and informal), involving other supports, organizations and other MNS family support streams
- Coordinating and Linking families with Member Nations Services – Family Support Streams and other service providers as required