What We Do

Metis Child and Family Services Authority and its Agencies

The Metis CFS Authority is a non-profit organization responsible for the administration and provision of child and family services by the agencies under its jurisdiction. We are also responsible to monitor and support our agencies in their compliance to Provincial service standards. Our work is guided by asking ourselves "Is it good for the children?" The Authority is a proud affiliate of the Manitoba Metis Federation (MMF), which is our governing body. The MMF appoints a Board of Directors who are responsible for overseeing the management of fiscal resources and approving the development of policies.

The services currently mandated by the Authority include the Metis Child, Family and Community Services Agency and the Michif Child and Family Services Agency, which includes the Parkland Region Designated Intake Agency (DIA). The Authority also hosts the Office of the CFS Standing Committee and, with the three other Authorities, jointly manages the Child and Family All Nations Coordinated Response Network (ANCR) in providing intake services for Winnipeg.

The Metis CFS Authority, whose principle office is located at the MMF Winnipeg home office, provides services in accordance with the Child and Family Services Authorities Act, The Child and Family Services Act and the Adoptions Act. The Metis Authority is responsible for:

• Administering and providing for the delivery of child and family services to all people requesting services whether they are Métis or Inuit or not;
• Monitoring the quality of services delivered by our mandated agencies and ensuring that these services follow practices and procedures in accordance with legislation and provincial standards;
• Reviewing concerns brought forward from the community and agency service recipients. The Metis CFS Authority investigates these matters and advises the Metis CFS Minister as well as Manitoba's Department of Families.

The role of the Authority is that of ensuring quality services by its agencies. The core functions of the Authority are to ensure our agencies are in compliance with legislation and providing quality services through the following:

• Conducting file and service audits
• Special service and investigative reports
• Program development
• Critical incident reviews
• Compliance with provincial standards
• Transfers of guardianship
• System-wide service training
• Requests for changes of authority
• Reviewing foster home appeals and variances
• Child Death Reviews
• Overseeing tuition waivers
• Interprovincial agreements
• Adoption approvals
• Overseeing special foster rates
• Birth Notifications for additional support
• Agreements with young adults (AYAs)

Our main goal is to support our agencies' practices in prevention work with parents and extended family members through preservation and reunification, while focusing on the safety and protection of children and youth.