'Heartbreaking' number of Inuit children in care spurs village to build 'family house'

Mayor Hilda Snowball can't forget that day four years agowhen she found out Kangiqsualujjuaq, population 900, had more childrenin foster carethanany other community in Nunavik.

Twenty-seven babies, toddlers and older children had been taken from their parents under Quebec's Youth Protection Act.

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"It was heartbreaking," Snowball told CBC. "As Inuitwe share, we work togetherand when something happens, we try to fix it as families."

The 29-year-old mayor knew the solution had to come from within the community.

"The youth protection, being allwhite, trying to intervene with Inuit, there wasn't really any progress," said Snowball.

Children had to be safe, but taking them away from their parents was doing more harm than good.

Snowball and others in Kangiqsualujjuaqhatched a plan.

Earlier this year, they inauguratedQarmaapikFamily House.

The name comes from theInuktitutword for the large canvas tents Inuit used to set up in summertime, when they lived out on the landbefore they were forced into permanent settlements.

Families working together

About 900 people live inKangiqsualujjuaq. Almost half are children. People ride snowmobiles to get around, and colourful homes are nestled around a bay at the mouth of the George River.

The newQarmaapikFamily House is at the bottom of the village.

EllaAnnanack, who,at24, is the home's co-ordinator,said some people in Kangiqsualujjuaqbecome parents at a young ageand need to learn about "healthy parenting."

So there are cooking classes twice a week.

There will be counselling available for parents in crisis.

Some of the parents, mostly mothers, are taking part in baby-book workshops, makingscrapbooks to give to their children later in life. The books include genealogy, the origin of the baby's name and a description of the child'sphysical characteristics.

Annanacksays making the books gets parents thinking about their bond with their child no matter the age.

She remembers one woman struggling with her teenager's behaviour.

"She wanted the same feeling, thefeeling she had when the baby was born," said Annanack. "So it'sreally to connect with the kid again."

Safe place to stay

While parents learn new skills at the front of the house, there are four bedrooms atthe back. If children have to be taken out of a home because their parents are fighting, intoxicatedor in crisis, they'll stayat Qarmaapik.

Daycare workers, counsellors, even Annanack herself will step in, so those childrendon't have to be taken out of the community and put into foster care.

Snowball saidthe community wanted to prevent the youthprotection system from kicking in. At the same time, the parents in crisiswill get the help they need, to make sure they can properly respond to their children's needs.

Snowballsaid she has seen the devastating impact of separation on children in foster care. Whenchildrenare flown back to the community to visit with their parents, the families are reunitedatQarmaapik.

"They miss each other," Snowball said."They miss their presence, they miss their affection."

"Children are happy when they finally see their families, and [when] the time comes time to leave, it's heartbreaking to see them."

"The children are crying, wanting to stay with their parents," Snowball says."Butthey are forced to leave, because they are in the foster care system."

New vocation for building

Throughthe community's effort, and with $183,000from the NunavikBoard of Health and Social Services, a building which oncehoused a store, then a restaurant and, at one point,a bed-and-breakfastwas renovated to become Qarmaapik House.

There is a reinforced steel door between the front section and theback, where the bedrooms are located. There will be five security guards, once the house goes into full operation.

The municipality's lawyer is working with the director of youth protection to find out how children can stay in the communitywhile still respecting Quebec's Youth Protection Act.

2010 statistics

According to a 2010 report, itself a follow-up to anin-depth investigation byQuebec's Youth andHuman Rights Commission, "30per cent of children in Nunavik[were]the subject of a report to the director of Youth Protection."

Half of them were under the age of five.

A total of 189 children were in foster care, either in homes in Nunavikor in southern Quebec.

CBC made several requests to theNunavikBoard ofHealth and Social Services for the latest statistics about youth protection interventions and the number of children in foster care, however, the board refused to provide that data.