Confidential hotline a step toward regaining public trust, says Nunavut Family Services official

Officials with Nunavut's Family Services department say its new confidential hotline is a first step toward regaining public trust.

Launched in April, the hotline with the department's client relations office is an avenue for people to confidentially raise concerns about the department.

Bernadine Rogers, the assistant deputy minister of family wellness, acknowledges the department has a troubled history. 

"I wanted to ensure that we had that same voice for clients and community members, and it also serves as a mechanism for us to identify gaps that we know exist within the department," she said, about the hotline.

"We wanted to also gain trust back from community members based on previous and historical things that have happened and some of the not-so-great work that we had been doing."

As of last week, the office had received 48 complaints, with most about standards not being met. The aim is to resolve complaints within 14 days – but Rogers said some cases are complex and will take longer.

"A case is considered resolved when all relevant facts have been reviewed and investigated, appropriate actions have been taken to address the concerns, and the client has been informed of the outcome," she said.

Jane Bates, the territory's representative for children and youth, said the creation of the hotline is a positive step. However, she stresses there must be clear processes with how cases are reviewed, which include expectations about how frequently a complainant receives updates.

"I think some complaints can't be resolved. So I think language is really important … do they continue to be tracked, and what happens to that information," she said. 

The idea of a hotline is not new. There was one launched in October 2019, which was discontinued due to low uptake. But Rogers is confident things will be different this time around, as they now have a dedicated social worker tasked with reviewing those complaints. 

Last month, Nunavut's information and privacy commissioner released a report detailing concerns with staff getting unauthorized access to child protection files. Under the Child and Family Services Act, there are few people who are allowed to disclose and communicate information about children in care.

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However, Rogers said the Family Services director has the authority to delegate duties to other individuals, and is also working to amend legislation around access to confidential information. 

For Bates, the key then is to ensure the delegated individual is properly trained, and they're not supervising frontline staff, and their managers, to maintain objectivity. 

Information from the client relations office will be part of the department's progress reports on its strategic plan that it's tabling in the legislative assembly. 

People can confidentially reach out to the client relations team at 1-844-392-4453.