More than eight years after she was murdered, ending a short life that had too much neglect and suffering, Commissioner Ted Hughes issued his long-awaited inquiry report into the life and death of five year old Phoenix Sinclair.
By now the tragic story of Phoenix is all too familiar to Manitobans. Few who have heard the story of the neglect and abuse she suffered at the hands of her mother and her mother’s boyfriend (both now serving sentences for murder) will ever forget it. The questions as to how Phoenix, who was supposed to be under the watch and protection of Child and Family Services, could have fallen though the cracks so badly as to have been sent to a home with a dangerous individual and to have her death go undiscovered for months, now have some answers.
Some of those answers, and the more than 60 recommendations that came with them, were finally revealed last Friday when, in a committee room at the Manitoba Legislature, the inquiry report was released. Among the many recommendations were suggestions for greater training for CFS workers, lower case loads per worker, a new advocate for Children and Youth established under legislation and greater rental allowances for those on social assistance.
Not surprisingly, considering the time and money spent on the inquiry, there is much to be learned from its findings. And yet, only a day before the release of the report, word came that Child and Family Services was being retroactively cut funding by the NDP government without any prior discussion or consultation. Within hours I was hearing from foster parents about the impact this would have on the child welfare system and the kids in their care. That hardly seems like a government ready to work to make improvements to CFS.
But after more than eight long years and a great deal of heartache, we are left to hope that the report will result in change. That there will be something that will come from the report that ultimately saves the life of another child or young person is as much as can be hoped for. It’s the best legacy that can be given to Phoenix.
