QBOW Child and Family Services, Inc. is a non-profit organization which provides child welfare services to four First Nations within Saskatchewan: Saskatchewan: Beardy’s & Okemasis Cree Nation, Standing Buffalo Dakota Nation, Wahpeton Dakota Nation, and Wood Mountain Lakota Nation.
Vision
Strong Cree, Dakota and Lakota Nations who are empowered by their culture to live a healthy life together.
Mission
To work with our Nations to offer prevention, family services, and family supports that enhance the safety and well-being of our children and families.
Values
- Our Culture: Our beliefs, traditions, teachings, ceremony, language, natural law
- Our People: Our children, families, elders
- Respect
- Equality
- Compassion
- Openness
- Transparency
Goals
- To prevent children from coming into care.
- Promote and encourage a nurturing environment within families in our Nations.
- Culture is embedded in every program and service that we offer (cultural, spiritual, and religious practices and beliefs.
- Families are reunited.
- We are providing a temporary loving environment for children in our care.
- We have achieved stable funding for operations.
- Our relationships with our stakeholders (those we work with) is stronger and we accomplish more together.
- We are demonstrating our accountability to our Board, Nations, and funders.
- We have better information and data with which to plan our programs and services.
Principles
- Culture is embedded in all that we do.
- We will always do what is in the best interests of the child.
- The rights of our community members are protected.
- We focus on early intervention to prevent children from coming into care.
- We will be fiscally responsible in planning and delivering our programs and services.
- We continuously strive for excellence in our program and service delivery.
- Our focus is on early intervention, with the objective of creating a safe environment for children. We strive to create and promote healthy communities where families are supported.
- We believe that keeping our children and families strong and united is the most important thing we can do to benefit our communities.
- By enriching elements of individual culture and traditions, we aim to enhance the healing process in many of our communities in need. Wellness goes beyond addressing surface level concerns and a difference is only made when the emotional, mental, spiritual aspects of life are unified in the healing process.
- With a healthy balance of both traditional and contemporary approaches, we provide programs and services intended to improve the lives of individuals while respecting First Nations values and beliefs. The children are our future and we must protect them and the families and communities who raise them at all costs. Our programs and services address a wide range of complex social problems and are provided as per the ‘Family Centered Approach Manual’ offered by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Social Services.
QBOW is a unique partnership brought about by the desire to uphold important principles related to “Indian Control” and “Standards” as described in the FSIN’s ‘Indian Child Welfare & Family Support Act’:
- Under Treaty, Indian Nations have the right to exercise Indian Government jurisdiction in all matters pertaining to their citizens.
- Indian Nations have the right to determine the level of services they wish to deliver, delegate to Tribal Council or Commissions, purchase or joint-venture.
- Indian Nations (or delegated authorities) have the right to establish standards for their citizens based on identified community needs and aspirations.
- Indian Nations (or delegated authorities) will be accountable to their citizens on all matters related to the delivery of goods and services.
- Indian Nations (or delegated authorities) will ensure that the transition from federal administrative control to Indian Government control is based on Indian Government principles.
- The Federal Trust Responsibility will be maintained and strengthened by Indian Nations and their delegated authorities.
- The fiscal obligation of the Federal Government includes the provision of resources for the payment of services related to development, executive management, program delivery, professional services, contractual arrangements with other governments, administration, and capital.