Ktunaxa Kinbasket CFSS, British Columbia, Canada

Ktunaxa Kinbasket Child and Family Services, Canada

Ktunaxa Kinbasket Child & Family Services Society (KKCFSS) operates in the Rocky Mountain area of Eastern British Columbia, Canada, providing child welfare and child protection services to all Aboriginal Peoples (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit) On and Off Reserve in the Ktunaxa Traditional Territory. KKCFSS is what is described in Canada as a ‘delegated child protection agency’, which means that KKCFSS has full statutory child protection responsibility for the people it serves. (For more information see attached pdf)
KKCFSS Staff September 2009

From top left to right: Bart Knudsgaard, Carmen Gassner, Bob Benvie
June Forsyth, Charlene Sperling, Shane Taylor, Rachael Butz, Heidi Hebditch, Eva Coles, Andrew Turnell, Jen Sebastian, Jackie Brown, Dan Politi, Julie Birstone, Pearci Walkley
Oscar Mejia, Lacey Jay Fiedler, Amber Louie, Elaine Leggat, Jolene Mellor, Dusty Dehart, Herman Alpine, Angelle Colli, Donna Bone
Randy Sam, Angie Louie, Cathy Chlopecki, Caara Goddard, Pat Cardinal Joyce Beattie, Harry McKenzie.

A number of senior KKCFSS staff had attended Signs of Safety trainings offered by Andrew in British Columbia during the mid 2000’s and were seeking to make use of the approach within the agency. Beginning in 2008 KKCFSS made a commitment to implement the Signs of Safety approach through all of its child welfare and child protection services. KKCFSS have contracted Andrew as an ongoing consultant in their implementation of the approach and have developed a strong sister relationship with Carver County in Minnesota in helping each other grow their use of the approach.

In September 2009 Andrew undertook an appreciative inquiry video interview of a group of senior practitioners about how the Signs of Safety approach is being used in KKCFSS. This video gives a fantastic insight into the successes and struggles of the first year of an implementation.

For more information about the KKCFSS experience with the Signs of Safety contact Heidi Hebditch, HHebditch@ktunaxa.org or Bart Knudsgaard bknudsgaard@ktunaxa.org