Below find a sample email to MLA’s that Fairness for Children Raised by Relatives (FCRR) is encouraging grandparents and other kinship caregivers to consider mailing It refers to a submission that Fairness for Children Raised by Relatives wrote about a few of the challenges faced by Kinship Care families in BC.
This submission focuses on issues faced by those with Section 54 agreements and those on Child in the Home of a Relative. FCRR will eventually be raising issues faced by all kinship caregivers.
It is important that this letter come from as many individuals as possible. There is power in numbers.
If you would like to participate:
- Cut and paste email below into your own email
- Attach the submission (which is attached to this email)
- Send it to your local MLA. You can find your MLA here Member (leg.bc.ca).
- If you are comfortable please cc fairness4crr@gmail.com.
Or if you prefer could write your letter, print out the letter and submission, and hand deliver them to your MLA’s office.
It would be great if you can send this out before December 10th – so it is not lost in the holiday mail.
If you receive a response – please forward it to Fairness4crr@gmail.com, and/or if you need any other support don’t hesitate to contact us.
Sample email – cut and paste and email to your MLA. Include in whatever personal information you are comfortable including.
Dear __Name of MLA________,
I am raising (a senior) my _ yr old ___grandson (or whatever)__ who would otherwise be in foster care (if this is the case for you).
I am a member of a new non-profit Society, Fairness for Children Raised by Relatives. Our group is made up of grandparents and others (aunts, uncles, etc) who are raising a relative’s (or close friend’s) child. In BC, it is estimated, there are more than 13,000 children raised in kinship care. Research indicates that a disproportionate number of these children are Indigenous.
Recent research by the University of Northern BC and Parent Support Services Society of BC found that
nearly 77% of kinship caregivers had at least one kinship child with physical, emotional, or behavioural challenges. 76% of the kinship children were reported to have experienced four or more adverse childhood experiences such as physical and sexual abuse, homelessness, and other trauma.
There are gross inequities in the level of financial support various kinship caregivers receive. Some of us receive the same basic rates as foster parents, but others much less, and others receive nothing. It is all dependent on the legal status of our children.
Attached please find a copy of our group’s short Submission to the Government’s Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services. It focuses on two examples of these inequities.
We are reaching out to all MLA’s. You will be hearing from Fairness for Children Raised by Relatives in the coming months.
Thank you for taking the time to read our submission, attached.
Yours sincerely,
Your name__
Your contact info
