The Ministry of Children and Family Development is undertaking public engagement, reviewing research and evaluating a pilot model to design the future of services for children and youth with support needs (CYSN Services). This presentation will follow up on the previous presentation about existing CYSN Services and plans for public engagement. The focus of this session will be on sharing emerging themes from public engagement so far, and central concepts from research that are helping to shape the future of CYSN Services.
Thank you for your interest and participation!
This session’s video is now available for viewing.
Thank you to everyone for your continued interest in our events.
We would like to reiterate that everyone is welcome to our UBCLC sessions.
Time: 10 a.m. to 11:30 am
Where: Free online via Zoom
About the Presenters:
James Hutchison
Director | Early Years and Inclusion Policy, Communications and Engagement Branch
Strategic Integration, Policy and Legislation Division
Ministry of Children and Family Development
James is of Western European ancestry. He was raised on Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh territory where he still lives as a visitor. He has worked in the BC Public Service since 2018.
He started work at the Ministry of Children and Family Development in 2018 as part of its then child care stakeholder engagement team. From there he moved on to support Indigenous child care policy initiatives as a policy analyst with the Indigenous Child Care Policy team at both MCFD and the Ministry of Education and Child Care.
He has worked in several roles on MCFD’s Early Years and Inclusion Policy, Communications and Engagement branch since 2022, including as a policy analyst, senior policy analyst and now director. As an analyst and director on the team, James’s focus has been on facilitating public engagement and communicating information about the Province’s children and youth with support need services to the public.
Caitlin Alder (she/they pronouns) is a neurodivergent Anishinaabe-kwe from Naotkamegwanning First Nation in Treaty 3 Territory. Caitlin gratefully resides with her husband and their 5-year-old son (as well as two cats and a dog) in Hupač̓asatḥ, Huu-ay-aht, Tla-o-qui-aht, Tseshaht, and the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ territories, also known as Port Alberni. Caitlin has been with the BC Public Service since 2019 and for the past two years has been working as a Senior Policy Analyst with the Early Years and Inclusion Policy, Communications, and Engagement Branch at MCFD. Caitlin began her career as a frontline child protection social worker a decade ago, with a pause in 2017 to pursue an opportunity to work with the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Caitlin is currently completing her thesis for her Master of Social Work with the University of Victoria exploring the importance of identity and belonging for neurodivergent Indigenous peoples.luding as a policy analyst, senior policy analyst and now director. As an analyst and director on the team, James’s focus has been on facilitating public engagement and communicating information about the Province’s children and youth with support need services to the public.
Laura Pavezka
Senior Policy Analyst, Early Years and Inclusion Policy, Communications and Engagement
Strategic Integration, Policy and Legislation Division
Ministry of Children and Family Development
I am of mixed European ancestry with roots in Czechoslovakia, Ireland and the UK, and was born and raised on Algonquin territory. I have been a visitor on Lekwengen territory since 2012, where I now live with my partner and our 2-year-old daughter Charlie.
I have had various jobs prior to the BC Public Service, having been a research analyst, an inclusion facilitator, and years of work in the hospitality industry to support myself through university. In 2017 I completed a MA in Curriculum and Instruction at UVIC, during which I wrote a thesis analyzing how sex, sexuality and gender identities are maintained and reinforced by the sex education curriculum in BC.
I have been a Policy Analyst with the EYIPCE team since 2021. My experience with the BC Public Service includes administration of the Affordable Child Care Benefit and Child Care Operating Funding programs, time as a social worker assistant within a Child and Family Services office, and as a Grant Analyst for rural economic programs in BC.
Resources
- Children and youth with support needs – website
- May 4th, 2023 – The Past, Present and Co-Developed Future of Services for Children and Youth with Support Needs with Danielle Smith & Molly Fredeen | UBC Learning Circle
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Engagement capacity funding available
Provincial funding is available to B.C. First Nations communities to help support their capacity to engage with the ministry and others on their unique needs in the context of supports and services for children and youth with support needs. Grant funding of $25,000 is available to all 204 First Nations communities in BC. Funding requests are open until December 1st, 2024. To express interest in accessing this funding, please email MCF.CYSNengage@gov.bc.ca.
The topics we cover can often be sensitive or emotionally triggering. Please make sure that you are looking after yourself. If at any point you feel that you need to talk to a friend, Elder, counselor, or family member: don’t hesitate to do so. Check out our Counseling Support Page.
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