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Correctional Service of Canada

 

Number - Numéro:
768

Date:
2003-02-27

COMMISSIONER'S DIRECTIVE

INSTITUTIONAL MOTHER-CHILD PROGRAM

 

Issued under the authority of the Commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada

PDFPDF


Policy Bulletin 145


Policy Objectives  | Pre-Eminent Consideration  | Authority  | Cross-References  | Definitions  | Accommodation  | Responsibilities - Institution  | Duty to Report to the Child Welfare Authorities  | Equipment and Materials  | Program Eligibility  | Assessment Process for Program Participation  | Child Welfare Authorities  | Notification to the Inmate  | Parenting Agreement  | Forms  | Correctional Plans  | Case Reviews  | Inmate Babysitters  | Health Care for Children in the Program  | Formal Counts  | Identification Cards  | Children's Personal Effects  | Child Monetary Assistance  | Searches of Children Participating in the Program  | Termination of the Program  | Management of Emergencies  | Continuity  | Passage of the Child from the Institution to the Community  | Responsibilities - Community  | Death of a Child in the Program  | Program Evaluation  | Financial Considerations  | Annex A Child Product Safety Reviews  | Annex B Non-Intrusive Searches  | Annex C Assessment Report for Participation in the Mother-Child Program  | Annex D Forms (list) ]

POLICY OBJECTIVES

1. To provide a supportive environment that fosters and promotes stability and continuity for the mother-child relationship.

2. To detail operational practices required to implement, maintain and monitor the Mother-Child Program.

PRE-EMINENT CONSIDERATION

3. The best interests of the child shall be the pre-eminent consideration in all decisions relating to participation in the Mother-Child Program. The best interests of the child include ensuring the safety and security as well as the physical, emotional and spiritual well-being of the child.

AUTHORITY

4. Corrections and Conditional Release Act, sections 76 and 77.

CROSS-REFERENCES

5. Cross-references include:

Commissioner's Directive and Guidelines 335 - Fleet Vehicles;;

Commissioner's Directive 566-7 - Searching of Inmates;

Commissioner's Directive 566-9 - Searching of Cells, Vehicles and Other Areas of the Institution;

Commissioner's Directive 730 - Inmate Program Assignment and Payments.

DEFINITIONS

6. "Mother" means biological or adoptive mother, legal guardian or step-mother.

7. The Mother-Child Program has two levels of participation.

  1. Full-time residency means the child lives with the mother in the institution on a full-time basis.
  2. Part-time residency means the child does not live with the mother on a full-time basis. This can include, but is not limited to, weekends, holidays, school vacations.

ACCOMMODATION

8. Inmate accommodation (single occupancy) shall have priority over the Mother-Child Program in both the long and short term.

RESPONSIBILITIES - INSTITUTION

Institutional Head

9. The Institutional Head shall:

  1. be the decision-maker with respect to program participation and program termination. This shall also include an assessment of the accommodation needs of the population;
  2. develop partnerships with community services or agencies that can provide opportunities for the children to participate in age-appropriate activities and programs on or off-site;
  3. establish an internal mechanism for staff to inform the Institutional Head should child abuse or neglect be suspected;
  4. on a regular basis, invite representatives from recognized community services or agencies (and/or the institutional Program Coordinator), to provide assistance and information to inmates and staff and provide continuity into the community for the mother when she is released. These representatives may include but are not limited to public health care nurses, pre- and post-natal counselling, breast-feeding, nutrition specialists and mother-to-mother mentoring programs; and
  5. report to the Deputy Commissioner for Women any other situations that involve the well-being of the child or impact on the program.

10. The Institutional Head shall ensure:

  1. that the child welfare authorities are informed in writing of the application for each child to reside in the institution and that their written assessment of whether program participation is in the best interests of the child is requested and documented;
  2. that if the child welfare authorities are unable to provide such an assessment, this will be provided by a child care specialist or a child psychologist;
  3. the child's safety and security by ensuring:
    1. the physical environment and equipment is adequate and safe (this includes conducting searches of supplies before they are distributed),
    2. that safety reviews of equipment and materials are conducted prior to their distribution as per the Health Canada Guidelines (see Annex A of this CD for the addresses of the regional Health Canada offices),
    3. that procedures for inmate movement are developed,
    4. that house rules for the units housing mothers and their children are established and posted (this shall be done in consultation with the mothers and the other inmates in the units);
  4. that staff receive training from representatives of community services or agencies or the institutional Program Coordinator on:
    1. parenting and child safety issues,
    2. appropriate intervention techniques when child abuse or neglect is suspected;
  5. that all program volunteers who assist the mothers and their children have been screened to ensure they would not pose a danger to the children;
  6. that staff and/or volunteers who transport children in either a CSC or private vehicle are authorized to do so;
  7. that appropriate child seats are in any vehicle used to transport children (if operated by employees, contractors or volunteers), that the seats are properly secured and are in compliance with provincial highway traffic legislation;
  8. that any incident outlined in the Standard Operating Practices on Reporting and Recording of Security Information, when the child's safety or health may be compromised, is reported as per the appropriate timeframes and to the appropriate individuals; and
  9. that application forms for health care cards, child tax credits, etc. are available.

Staff

11. Except in situations where the child may be at risk of abuse or neglect, staff shall encourage and support the inmate in her parenting role in a non-intrusive/non-interventionist manner.

12. Under the guidance of the Team Leader or Program Director, the Primary Worker shall:

  1. initiate the assessment process when the mother applies to participate in the Mother-Child Program;
  2. assist the mother to develop the plans required for the Annexes to the Parenting Agreement;
  3. monitor the mother's adherence to her Parenting Agreement (should any serious breach of the Parenting Agreement occur, staff shall immediately advise the chair of the Program Board or the Institutional Head); and
  4. monitor the ongoing relationship between the mother and her child, the adjustment and well-being of the child and the dynamics within the units housing the mothers and their children.

13. At no time shall staff take a child home with them. In emergency situations only, staff may look after a child within the institution until the alternate caregiver, volunteer or inmate babysitter is available.

Program Board

14. The Program Board shall:

  1. coordinate the assessment process and determine whether participation is in the best interests of the child;
  2. make recommendations to the Institutional Head on program participation;
  3. conduct case reviews to ensure program participation is still in the best interests of the child (see paragraphs 38-39); and
  4. re-evaluate the mother's participation in the program if she fails to abide by the terms and conditions of the Parenting Agreement.

DUTY TO REPORT TO THE CHILD WELFARE AUTHORITIES

15. Staff members shall immediately report any suspected child abuse and/or neglect to the Institutional Head who shall normally inform the local child welfare and police authorities.

EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS

16. Essential and age-appropriate equipment and materials required for the safety, health and development of the child shall be provided by the institution. Provision of additional equipment and materials is the mother's responsibility.

PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY

17. Only women inmates classified as minimum or medium security and who are housed in institutions that offer the program are eligible to participate.

18. Women convicted of a crime involving a child are not eligible to participate in the program unless a psychiatric assessment, completed by a psychiatrist selected by the Institutional Head (after consultation with the child welfare authorities), determines that the inmate does not represent a danger to her child.

Children Eligibility

19. The upper age limit of the child for full-time residency is four years (at the fourth birthday).

20. The upper age limit of the child for part-time residency is twelve years of age (at the thirteenth birthday).

21. Alternate age limits may be considered; however, the request and rationale must be presented in writing and must be approved by the Deputy Commissioner for Women and the Regional Deputy Commissioner.

ASSESSMENT PROCESS FOR PROGRAM PARTICIPATION

22. Inmates must meet all eligibility requirements to be considered for acceptance into the Mother-Child Program.

23. Inmates wishing to participate in the Mother-Child Program shall complete an application form. This includes women giving birth while incarcerated.

24. Following receipt of the mother's application, the Program Board (and the Elder where appropriate), shall complete an assessment report for participation in the Mother-Child Program. It shall include the information outlined in Annex C of this CD as well as the following:

  1. age of the child (unless the mother is currently pregnant);
  2. verification of custody status. When there is ongoing custody litigation, decisions regarding program admission shall be deferred until there is a final resolution to the litigation. If litigation is initiated after program participation begins, the child may remain with the mother unless the child is legally required to reside with someone else or if the Institutional Head decides that continued participation is not in the best interests of the child;
  3. the written assessment completed by the child welfare authorities or child care specialist, which shall address at a minimum:
    1. the degree of disruption to the child should she/he be removed from her/his present environment,
    2. the mother's ability to parent (if she is a new mother, the assessment should take this into consideration),
    3. her relationship with this child and her other children, if applicable,
    4. the child's behavioural, medical, and mental health history (following receipt of the consent of the legal guardian or parent),
    5. where feasible, the wishes of the child; and
  4. a community assessment with the child's current caregiver completed by CSC staff (if required).

25. Based on this assessment, the Program Board (and the Elder where appropriate) shall recommend to the Institutional Head whether it is in the best interests of the child to participate in the program.

CHILD WELFARE AUTHORITIES

26. Child welfare authorities shall be consulted to assist in the assessment of the best interests of the child. Authorities shall be asked for a written assessment and all correspondence shall be documented.

27. In the event the child welfare authorities do not provide a written assessment, CSC shall contract with a child care specialist or a child psychologist to complete the assessment.

28. Written assessments shall address the information specified in paragraph 24.

NOTIFICATION TO THE INMATE

29. The mother shall be provided with written notification of the Institutional Head's decision to accept, refuse or terminate program participation. The notification shall include detailed reasons for the decision, which is grievable.

30. When the decision is made to refuse admission to the program or terminate participation, the mother shall be provided with the reasons for the decision, in writing, within three (3) working days. Where applicable, the date when the mother may re-apply to participate in the program shall be provided.

PARENTING AGREEMENT

31. The Parenting Agreement and its Annexes set out the terms and conditions of the program. The mother must abide by these terms and conditions.

32. Women must sign the Parenting Agreement and its Annexes to be accepted into the program. The mother shall be provided with a signed copy of the Parenting Agreement.

33. The mother shall be given the opportunity to consult with legal counsel at her own expense prior to signing this agreement.

34. Based on the assessment process, the Program Board may recommend additional conditions to the Parenting Agreement. These conditions shall be approved by the Institutional Head.

FORMS

35. All forms shall be signed by the mother and witnessed. Any modifications shall also be signed by the mother and witnessed.

36. The forms required for the program are listed in Annex D of this CD and can be found on the Infonet.

CORRECTIONAL PLANS

37. The Mother-Child Program, while not directly addressing an inmate's criminogenic factors, does help to prepare the inmate for community reintegration on release. As such, the program shall be included in the Correctional Plan.

CASE REVIEWS

38. In addition to ongoing monitoring, the case of each mother and child participating in the program shall be reviewed by the Program Board after one month and then every six months to ensure that program participation continues to be in the best interests of the child. Reviews can also take place at other intervals should staff believe it necessary. Any changes to program participation shall be reflected in the Parenting Agreement. The review criteria include:

  1. how the mother responds to the child's needs;
  2. whether the mother attends to the child's needs in a timely manner (e.g. diaper changes, feeding, clothing changes, bathing, comforting, general hygiene);
  3. whether the mother spends quality time with the child (playing, reading, physical contact, talking); and
  4. whether the mother responds to the child's behaviour appropriately.

39. The mother shall ensure that her Parenting Agreement is kept up to date. Amendments to this agreement shall be made in a timely manner.

INMATE BABYSITTERS

40. The inmate babysitters proposed by the mother must be approved by the Program Board and shall meet the following criteria:

  1. inmate babysitters must participate in or have completed the Parenting Skills Program and a first aid course;
  2. women who have been convicted of crimes against children (under the age of 18 years) shall not be eligible to be babysitters; and
  3. inmate babysitters shall sign the appropriate forms.

HEALTH CARE FOR CHILDREN IN THE PROGRAM

41. All routine health care for the child shall normally be provided by community health care agencies outside of the institution, unless alternate arrangements are made (see Annex B of the Parenting Agreement). Day-to-day assistance may be provided by the institutional Health Care Services if the resources are available.

42. Staff shall provide assistance to the child in medical emergencies.

43. Whenever more frequent check-ups are necessary, the mother shall have every opportunity to arrange for these visits.

44. The mother's consent is required for health care intervention for her child (see Annex B of the Parenting Agreement).

45. Staff shall provide mothers who are unable to leave the institution with the opportunity to discuss their child's health with the health care professional by telephone and to sign a consent form for treatment for their child, if it is required.

46. If the mother's condition renders her incapable of making a decision, the alternate caregiver named in Annex B of the Parenting Agreement shall be contacted to intervene. If staff are unable to communicate with the alternate caregiver, the child welfare authorities shall be contacted. CSC staff cannot provide authorization.

FORMAL COUNTS

47. The children's presence in the institution shall be verified at each of the four formal visual counts of inmates.

48. During security rounds (as part of their ongoing monitoring) staff shall verify the child's status if they have reasonable grounds to believe the child's health or well-being is compromised.

IDENTIFICATION CARDS

49. The Service shall provide a photo identity card for the child. Cards shall be replaced annually. For infants under 2 years of age, the cards shall be replaced every six months. A copy of the child's picture shall be kept on the mother's institutional file.

50. The card shall include a physical description and the date of birth of the child, the name and telephone number of the institution, as well as an emergency telephone number if different from above.

CHILDREN'S PERSONAL EFFECTS

51. Children's personal effects shall be considered separate from the mother's in terms of institutional limits and dollar value. The dollar value of a child's personal effects (not including furniture) shall not exceed $500.

CHILD MONETARY ASSISTANCE

52. All monies received for child care expenses shall be deposited into the inmate savings account.

53. Expenditures that the mother makes directly for her child shall not be included in the calculation of the annual permitted expenditures of the inmate mother for herself.

54. Goods and equipment received for the child shall not be considered as gifts or parcels for the mother; however, they shall be subject to both a safety review and search.

SEARCHES OF CHILDREN PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM

55. Frisk searches and strip searches of children in the program are not permitted under any circumstances. Only non-intrusive searches (i.e., no physical contact - see Annex B of this CD) and searches of areas/rooms are permitted. A "non-intrusive search" means:

  1. a search of a non-intrusive nature of the clothed body by technical means, in the prescribed manner (see paragraph 56); and
  2. a search of personal possessions, including clothing, that the person may be carrying, and any coat or jacket that the person has been requested to remove.

56. A non-intrusive search shall be carried out by means of a hand-held scanner, a walk-through scanner whereby the person being searched is required to walk through a metal detector scanner, or any similar non-intrusive device.

57. Staff shall carry out searches with the utmost discretion and consideration for the impact on the child, and with sensitivity to the child's gender and age.

Consent

58. To participate in the Mother-Child Program, the mother must sign Annex F of the Parenting Agreement, whereby she acknowledges that her child and her child's room and contents may be subject to searches as described in paragraphs 62-66.

59. The mother shall normally be present when her child is searched. If the mother cannot be present, the reason for her absence shall be documented.

60. At the time of the search, mothers must consent to their child being searched. Consent shall normally be in writing; however, if the mother cannot be present for the search, her consent may be verbal (see form entitled "Consent to the Search of a Child Participating in the Mother-Child Program").

61. If the mother refuses to permit a search, her participation in the program shall be immediately re-evaluated as per paragraph 68.

Conducting Searches

62. A staff member may conduct a routine non-intrusive search of a child in the program when the child is entering or leaving the institution.

63. A staff member may conduct a non-intrusive search of a child in the program when the staff member suspects on reasonable grounds that the child is carrying contraband or other evidence of an offence under section 45 of the CCRA.

64. The person who conducts a search shall prepare and submit a post-search report to the Institutional Head, or a staff member designated by the Institutional Head, as soon as practicable where:

  1. the search is a non-routine search; or
  2. the staff member or other authorized person seizes an item in the course of the search.

Room Searches

65. A staff member may conduct routine, non-routine and emergency searches of a child's room and its contents in accordance with the CCRR and Standard Operating Practices on Searches of Cells, Vehicles and Other Areas.

66. The mother shall be present when her child's possessions or room are searched. If the mother is not able to be present, a member of the Inmate Committee shall witness the search.

Contraband

67. If drugs or contraband are found on a child participating in the program, or in the child's room or its contents, the Program Board shall re-evaluate the participation of that child's mother in the program and make recommendations to the Institutional Head. The re-evaluation may result in the decision by the Institutional Head to terminate the program for the individual mother and her child.

TERMINATION OF THE PROGRAM

68. The Program Board shall immediately re-evaluate the mother's participation in the program whenever there is a serious breach of the terms of the Parenting Agreement or whenever it is clear that the mother is unable to cope with having her child in the institution. The Program Board will immediately notify the Institutional Head of the re-evaluation and recommendations. The Institutional Head may decide to:

  1. allow program participation to continue; or
  2. accommodate the child outside the institution on a temporary basis, in accordance with the arrangements in the Contingency Plan (Annex D of the Parenting Agreement), with participation resuming when the situation has stabilized; or
  3. terminate program participation and remove the child from the institution.

69. The Institutional Head may also terminate the program at the request of the child, or when the child has failed to adjust to the program and/or where it is deemed in the best interests of the child. This decision shall be made based on the recommendation of the Program Board and following consultation with local child welfare authorities.

Institutional Program Termination

70. If drugs or contraband are found in the institution or if any situation arises which the Institutional Head believes may jeopardize the safety of the child or children, she/he may terminate the program for an individual participant, for certain participants or for all participants. Written notification of the decision shall be provided to all affected participants.

  1. The Contingency Plans (Annex D of the Parenting Agreement) for placement of the child or children outside the institution shall be implemented immediately.
  2. In the event that the program is terminated for all participants, reinstatement of the program shall be at the discretion of the Institutional Head.

71. Notwithstanding paragraphs 68-70, the Institutional Head may exercise discretion in removing the child from the institution when circumstances warrant a re-evaluation of the case and until a final decision is made.

72. When the Institutional Head decides to terminate program participation and remove the child from the institution, staff shall immediately reassess the risk posed by the inmate to herself and to others in order to determine specific interventions that may be required to manage the situation.

Re-Application Following Termination

73. A mother whose participation in the program has been terminated may re-apply for admission into the program. The timeframe to re-apply shall be decided at the time of termination and shall not normally exceed six months.

74. For women in the part-time program, re-evaluation of participation shall be completed prior to the next scheduled visit.

75. If termination was the result of an infraction or incident on the part of the inmate, these issues shall be resolved before the mother may re-apply.

76. The full assessment process will be required for re-admission to the program.

MANAGEMENT OF EMERGENCIES

77. The institutional Contingency Plans shall include options to address the presence of children in an institutional emergency. In any emergency, the safety of the child is paramount.

78. If children are present in the unit where pre-planned force is to be used, every effort shall be made to remove the children from the area or to isolate them prior to the start of the intervention.

79. In the event that a child is in an area with an inmate who is unwilling to let the child leave the area, the situation shall be treated as a hostage taking. As long as the child is unharmed, conflict resolution and negotiation are to be used for as long as is necessary before any physical intervention is considered.

CONTINUITY

80. Community support networks shall be established at the beginning of the mother's participation in the institutional program to ensure that support (including financial considerations) continues throughout her incarceration and when she is on conditional release.

81. Release planning shall include a review of the financial, social, residential and other supports required for the mother and child to continue to live together.

PASSAGE OF THE CHILD FROM THE INSTITUTION TO THE COMMUNITY

82. Prior to a full-time resident child's fourth birthday, the Transition Plan (Annex E of the Parenting Agreement) shall be implemented. This shall be done in collaboration with the mother, the child's new caregiver, the Institutional Head and the child welfare authorities, if appropriate.

83. The transition of the child from the institution to a new home shall be as gradual as possible in order to minimize the disruption of an abrupt separation.

84. The new caregiver shall confirm in writing that she/he agrees to care for the child under the circumstances outlined in the Transition Plan (Annex E of the Parenting Agreement).

85. In emergency situations, where the Contingency Plan (Annex D of the Parenting Agreement) has been activated, or where the program participation has been terminated, every effort shall be made to facilitate the child's transition to the community.

Full-Time Residency Participants
Leaving the Institution

86. For mothers moving from the institution to a community-based residential facility, CSC staff shall make every effort to ensure that social and financial supports are in place prior to departure.

87. Prior to the arrival of the mother, the community-based residential facility shall be fully informed of the participant's progress in the Mother-Child Program and the assistance she requires.

RESPONSIBILITIES - COMMUNITY

88. The District Director shall ensure that standards and accountability mechanisms are in place to:

  1. allow women on conditional release to have their children with them in appropriate community-based residential facilities; and
  2. ensure the safety and security of children housed with their mother.

89. The community Parole Officer shall assist the mother to develop and maintain links to the appropriate social service networks in the community.

DEATH OF A CHILD IN THE PROGRAM

90. The Commissioner may appoint a board of inquiry to investigate the death of any child participating in the program, as per section 20 of the CCRA.

91. Wherever possible, the Service shall respect the wishes of the mother regarding religious services and removal of the child's personal effects from the institution.

92. Where required, the Service may advance to the mother, funds for reasonable funeral costs including burial and the installation of a grave marker. However, the mother shall reimburse the costs for the funeral assumed by the Service at a frequency agreed to by the mother and the Institutional Head.

PROGRAM EVALUATION

93. On the last day of each month, the Institutional Head shall provide the Deputy Commissioner for Women with the information requested on the Mother-Child Program - Monthly Report.

94. The Deputy Commissioner for Women, in consultation with the Assistant Commissioner of Performance Assurance and with the Institutional Heads and/or District Directors shall be responsible for conducting periodic program evaluations.

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS

95. All operational and capital costs incurred for the program shall be documented by the institution.


Original signed by
Lucie McClung, Commissioner


 

Annex A - CHILD PRODUCT SAFETY REVIEWS

HEALTH CANADA: NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS AND REGIONAL OFFICES

Health Canada provides information and guidelines regarding child product safety reviews. It is the institution's responsibility to contact Health Canada on a regular basis to ensure that they have the most up-to-date information. Below are the national and regional addresses of Health Canada.

National Headquarters

Health Canada
A.L. 0913A
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0K9
Web site: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca
Fax (general enquiries): (613) 941-5366
Telephone: (613) 957-2991

Regional Offices

Atlantic

Suite 702, Ralston Building
1557 Hollis Street
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3J 3V4
Telephone: (902) 426-2038
Fax: (902) 426-3768

Quebec

Room 218, Complexe Guy-Favreau
East Tower
200 René Lévesque Blvd. West
Montreal, Quebec
H2Z 1X4
Telephone: (514) 283-2306
Fax: (514) 283-6739

Ontario

25 St. Clair Avenue East, 4th Floor
Toronto, Ontario
M4T 1M2
Telephone: (416) 973-4389
Fax: (416) 973-1423

Prairies

391 York Avenue, Suite 425
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3C 0P4
Telephone: (204) 983-2508
Fax: (204) 983-3972

Suite 710, Canada Place
9700 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta
T5J 4C3
Telephone: (403) 495-2651
Fax: (403) 495-3285

Pacific

Suite 405, Winch Building
757 West Hastings Street
Vancouver, British Columbia
V6C 1A1
Telephone: (604) 666-2083
Fax: (604) 666-2258

 

Annex B NON-INTRUSIVE SEARCHES

CCRA, s. 46

"non-intrusive search" means:

(a) a search of a non-intrusive nature of the clothed body by technical means, in the prescribed manner, and

(b) a search of

(i) personal possessions, including clothing, that the person may be carrying, and

(ii) any coat or jacket that the person has been requested to remove,

in accordance with any applicable regulations made under paragraph 96(l);

CCRR, s. 43

Manner of Carrying out Searches

43. A non-intrusive search shall be carried out by means of a hand-held scanner, a walk-through scanner whereby the person being searched is required to walk through a metal detector scanner, or any similar non-intrusive device.

 

Annex C - ASSESSMENT REPORT FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE MOTHER-CHILD PROGRAM

Inmate's name, FPS, date of birth

Part 1: Case Status

A. Introduction including:

  • Age
  • Offence, sentence length, criminal history
  • Past parole experience
  • Institutional adjustment history

B. Eligibility dates

C. Security level

Part 2: Evaluation Elements Specific to the Mother-Child Program

A. Current crime

B. Institutional adjustment (current)

C. Correctional programs and reintegration

D. Preventive security information

E. A review of the occupants of the house be done to ensure the child is not at risk from the other inmates

F. Position and assessment of the child welfare authorities (or the child care specialist or child psychologist). The child welfare authorities should address issues including but not limited to:

  • the degree of disruption to the child should she/he be removed from her/his present environment;
  • the mother's ability to parent (if she is a new mother, the assessment should take this into consideration);
  • her relationship with this child and her other children, if applicable;
  • the child's behavioural, medical, and mental health history (following receipt of the consent of the legal guardian or parent);
  • where feasible, the wishes of the child.

G. Mother's link to the child including:

  • Age of child
  • Verification of custody status
  • Community assessment by CSC (if required)

H. Past crimes against children (attach psychiatric report as required)

I. Community support and history with her children

J. Physical and psychological evaluation including:

  • Collaboration during pregnancy, as appropriate (nutrition, self-care, health of fetus)
  • Psychological evaluation (and/or summary of most recent psychological evaluation and how it pertains to program participation)

K. Parenting skills including:

  • Evaluation of parenting abilities, for example using the scales developed by Magura, Moses and Jones (1981), Foucault (1992) and Steinhauer (1997)
  • Review of past parental responsibilities

Part 3: Eligibility of the Babysitters

  • Status of participation/completion of Parenting Skills Program and first aid course

    Part 4: Case Discussion

  • List of major elements considered in the decision-making

    Part 5: Actions

    • Present case to the Institutional Head through the Program Board
    • Information sharing with the inmate

    Part 6: Members of the Case Management Team

    Part 7: Signatures

    • Mother-Child Program Coordinator
    • Primary Worker
    • Parole Officer
    • Team Leader

  • Include signed copies of the Parenting Agreement, Annexes and other required forms (application, alternate caregiver) on the inmate's file.

     

    Annex D - FORMS

    Parenting Agreement (CSC/SCC 1159)

    Annex A - Waiver, Indemnification and Assumption of Risk Agreement (CSC/SCC 1159-01)

    Annex B - Health Care Plan (CSC/SCC 1159-02)

    Annex C - Discipline Protocol (CSC/SCC 1159-03)

    Annex D - Contingency Plan (CSC/SCC 1159-04)

    Annex E - Transition Plan (CSC/SCC 1159-05)

    Annex F - Searches of Children Participating in the Program (CSC/SCC 1159-06)

    Alternate Caregiver in the Institution - Request (CSC/SCC 1159-07)

    Mother-Child Program Application (CSC/SCC 1159-08)

    Health Checklist (CSC/SCC 1159-09)

    Mother-Child Program - Monthly Report (CSC/SCC 1159-10)

    Consent to the Search of a Child Participating in the Mother-Child Program (CSC/SCC 1159-11)


    Table of Contents

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