This release was issued under a previous government.

Australia has been leading the implementation of the Signs of Safety model. It focuses on tools to help workers determine a family’s strengths and resources to reduce the risk to the child and to create a safer healthier environment.

The approach, used in over 200 jurisdictions in 13 countries, empowers families and holds them accountable for identifying approaches that will keep children safe. Alberta is currently implementing the Signs of Safety approach across the province.

“My goal is to find ways to keep children with family, loved ones and community.  Signs of Safety is changing our child intervention practice. It  gives our workers tools to help determine what is good and safe in a family instead of what it is wrong and taking a child into care as a result.  Western Australia is the birthplace of this revolutionary practice and Alberta will benefit from their expertise as we implement this approach province-wide.” 

Manmeet S. Bhullar, Minister of Human Services

The Signs of Safety MOU, that was signed with Helen Morton, Minister of Child Protection for Western Australia, will formalize a partnership to exchange knowledge, research collaboration and a potential caseworker job exchange.

Currently, all Child and Family Services regions and five Delegated First Nations Agencies are using Signs of Safety. Feedback from both staff and families has indicated that Signs of Safety has a positive impact on children, youth, families and social workers themselves.

Improving the child intervention practice is a key component of the Minister’s five-point plan, announced in January, to address the root causes that bring children into care, take action to support vulnerable Albertans, and keep children healthy and safe.

Under the Building Alberta Plan, our government is investing in families and communities, living within our means, and opening new markets for Alberta's resources to ensure we're able to fund the services Albertans told us matter most to them. We will continue to deliver the responsible change Albertans voted for.