Heritage Family Services supports group, sibling & foster care services in Alberta
Heritage Family Services supports group, sibling & foster care services in Alberta
We acknowledge Treaty 6 territory—the traditional and ancestral territory of the Cree, Dene, Blackfoot, Saulteaux, Nakota Sioux and Métis Peoples. We acknowledge the many First Nations, Métis and Inuit who have lived in and cared for these lands since time immemorial. We respect their histories, languages, and cultures whose presence continues to enrich our community.
Heritage Family Services affirms the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. In particular, Heritage Family Services is committed to, ‘keep Aboriginal families together where it is safe to do so, and to keep children in culturally appropriate environments, regardless of where they. Reside’, as well as ensure that service providers and programs supporting Indigenous children, youth, and families are trained ‘about the history and impacts of residential schools,’ trained ‘about the potential for Aboriginal communities and families to provide more appropriate solutions to family healing’, and understand the impact ‘of residential school experience on children and their caregivers’. (Truth and Reconciliation Canada, 2015)
Heritage Family Services supports and affirms the statements made May 2016, by The Honourable Carolyn Bennet, Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs where she declared Canada’s commitment to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. “I’m here to announce, on behalf of Canada, that we are now a full supporter of the Declaration without qualification”.
Heritage Family Services affirms the rights of Indigenous peoples identified in the Declaration’s Articles; ‘recognizing in particular the right of Indigenous families and communities to retain shared responsibility for the upbringing, training, education, and well-being of their children, consistent with the rights of the child’ (United Nations, 2007)
Heritage Family Services is committed to ensuring that services and supports to Indigenous children, youth, and families espouse core declaration tenets which include (but are not limited to) Indigenous peoples have the right: ‘to belong to an Indigenous community’ (Article 9); ‘to practice and revitalize their cultural traditions and customs,’ (Article 11); ‘to the dignity and diversity of their cultures, traditions, histories and aspirations,’ (Article 15); ‘to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health,’ (Article 24); ‘to determine their own identity or membership in accordance with their customs and traditions,’ (Article 33); and ‘to promote, develop and maintain their institutional structures and their distinctive customs, spirituality, traditions, procedures, practices,’ (Article 34) (United Nations, 2007).
All Heritage Family Services employees work with HFS to transform these affirmations to action.