COMMUNICATIONS  TO ALIGN FROM Crista Carmichael Executive Director, Disability Policy Alberta Community and Social Services Feb 2, 2022

On September 7, 2021, the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate (OCYA) released their Strengthening Foundations: Assessment, Information-Sharing and Collaboration report following their investigative review of the deaths of nine young people who died over a 14-month period in 2018-2019.  Honourable Minister Luan, Minister of Community and Social Services (CSS), accepted in principle the two recommendations directed to CSS.  One of the recommendations focuses on the importance of information sharing and collaboration when providing services to children to safeguard and promote young people’s well-being. 

I would like to share with you information on training and resources to support information sharing under the Children First Act. This legislation guides information sharing between individuals and organizations that plan or provide critical programs and services for children, including services provided through the Family Support for Children with Disabilities (FSCD) program. I ask that you to share this information with your membership and encourage them to sign up for “Information Sharing under the Children First Act,” a free online course offered by the Government of Alberta. The course will help them understand how the Children First Act works with privacy and health legislation and apply the information sharing rules found in the Act. To sign up for the course, please visit https://www.alberta.ca/information-sharing.aspx  (explorer required) This page also contains guides and tool kits on information sharing under the Children First Act that they may find valuable. These materials can guide improved collaboration among frontline service providers and support better outcomes for the children and families that rely upon FSCD services.

I encourage you to read the OCYA Strengthening Foundations-Assessment, Information-Sharing and Collaboration Report.  Please feel free to share this information and links with anyone who may be interested.

Thank you for supporting children with disabilities and their families.