N.B. child death review process isn't following the law, says watchdog
Auditor general flags failure to meet legislated requirements to review, report on child deaths
New Brunswick's auditor general says the province is failing to meet its legal obligations in reviewing and reporting on child deaths.
Auditor general Paul Martin found the child death review committee, whose job is to review and report on deaths of those 18 and under, is not always meeting that mandate.
The committee reviews all child deaths reported to the coroner's office in order to examine the circumstances of a child's death and "with the intent to prevent future deaths and improve the health, safety and well-being of all children in New Brunswick," says the report.
The committee is also tasked with reviewing deaths of children in the province's care, or who had received child welfare services in the year leading up to a death.
Martin said failing to follow the legislated process creates the potential for tragic consequences.
"The whole intention of these recommendations that come from the child-death review committee is to prevent another child's death," he said, speaking with reporters at the legislature.
"If those recommendations aren't getting to the people responsible, to the departments, to those that oversee these matters, there's potentially another child's death that could have been prevented that was not. That can't continue."
Martin's office found no evidence of any committee review for 32 child death cases recorded in 2022 and 2023, according to his newest report, which was released on Tuesday.
It also found the committee has failed to meet its obligation to submit reports to the chief coroner for every child death review. During the audit, the report says the committee held 39 child death reviews but only completed 26 reports.
"For child deaths reviewed by the CDRC where no report has been written, there are meeting minutes confirming a review took place but there is no documented rationale or explanation why recommendations were not required," the report says.
When the committee made recommendations based on a review, the report found those recommendations were not given to the departments with authority to act on them — a requirement under the Coroner's Act.
Martin also found that public reporting on results was "incomplete and not timely," with just two of 20 recommendations issued during the audit period made public.
"In recent years, the public reporting of the child death review committee has been limited," the report says. "Given its critical role, it is imperative to ensure that its processes and practices are robust, transparent and effective."
Martin said it's unclear from his investigation why the process isn't being followed. He added that it will be important for the department to speak to that question when it comes before a legislature committee at a later date.
Martin's report also flags issues with coroner investigations, coroner training and record-keeping after an inquest.
It says coroner investigations into child deaths took 2½ times longer than investigations into adult deaths — 249 days on average for children, compared to 100 days for adults, between April 2022 and June 2024.
Public Safety Minister Robert Gauvin says he accepts the 28 recommendations made by the auditor general. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)
Public Safety Minister Robert Gauvin didn't have an answer as to why the process is falling short but said he plans to act on all 28 recommendations issued by the auditor general.
"This is not a good day for the Department of Public Safety, but we have the team in place to fix it all," he said. "We need to have more transparency going forward and make sure we have the proper persons in place."
Gauvin said 15 of the 28 recommendations will be completed by the end of the year and all but one will be addressed before the end of March.
The final one, a recommendation to improve policies, training and equipment, will be completed by September 2025, he said.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
David Amos
Oh My My
David Amos
Reply to David Amos
"Former child and youth advocate Norm Bossé said the public has a right to know the committee's findings."
Allan Marven
I wonder how the governor of the state of Canada feels about this lol.
William Conway
Reply to Allan Marven
About a provincial government matter?
Don Corey
With turncoat Gauvin leading the way, all the recommendations should be completed by March of next year. A 9 month review of policies, training and equipment is nothing more than delay bureaucracy.
Don Corey
The first order of business here should be to fire everyone on this obviously incompetent "child death review committee".
Jimmy Vee
Watchdog is an outside party that claims a higher knowledge or authority without any responsibility. Should those in the position really care what the say is the right thing to be happening? I'm think maybe but really no
Allan Marven
I would say all deaths. My father died in 2019. Found dead on the kitchen floor. Coroner (unqualified) sumarily ruled it death by natural causes, no autopsy.
Jimmy Vee
Reply to Allan Marven
autopsy are rare in Canada, The order the business in other countries like the Uk but not in Canada. I'm sure much would be learned in Canada if they were common but the powers to be have decided that knowledge is of little value.
William Conway
Reply to Allan Marven
Cool story. I bet you "gotta million of 'em", right?
MR Cain
Reply to Allan Marven
Natural is defined as death caused solely by disease or natural process. If natural death is hastened by injury (such as a fall or drowning in a bathtub), the manner of death is not considered natural.
Jack Straw
At the end of the day no one really cares about a child dying and this story proves it. Sad but true. Child protection workers are even below the bottom of the barrel the way they are treated. An example if they have to provide their own car yet Extra Mural nurses are all given a car if they choose. They all choose the car provided. Child protection workers just wear their cars out.
MR Cain
Another example of the previous premier obscuring unpleasant data. He said a number of times he didn't like to tell us bad news.
Allan Marven
Reply to MR Cain
Money managers often do that. The bottom line is king.
Marcel Marcotte
There must be accountability, if these people are not doing their jobs, they must be replaced ASAP.
MR Cain
Reply to Marcel Marcotte
They have been; the PCs are gone
Marcel Marcotte
Reply to MR Cain
Good decision by the Citizens of New Brunswick.
Lou Bell
Reply to Marcel Marcotte
Sure it is ! Tell that to NBers come April when we see the true costs the Liberals have incurred to NB taxpayer wallets ! Pilfering 101 . Much like their counterparts in Ottawa !
Robert Fish
Fire them all. We all have jobs and we have to be accountable and for someone in a position to report on child issues and they cant even do that correctly???
John-Glen Sarchfield
No wonder, that same man has stayed quiet for months now about the disappearance of my daughter who went missing in 2021, in New Brunswick. Nobody wants to help one father locate his daughter even when both the federal and provincial government want child support payments sent. If the kid has been missing then where has my money been going? Does my daughter have valid citizenship at all?
Eugene Peabody
IT would seem like it is time for the government to replace the people on the committee .
Rosco holt
A committee being paid to not meet it's obligations of their positions. What a surprise!?
David Amos
Reply to Rosco holt
Par for the course
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