The Power of Unity, The Dignity of Difference

Jordan’s Principle is a legal requirement resulting from the Orders of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (CHRT) and is not a policy or program. Jordan’s Principle is a child-first principle that aims to eliminate service inequities and delays for First Nations children. Jordan’s Principle states that any public service ordinarily available to all other children must be made available to First Nations children without delay or denial. Jordan’s Principle is named in honour of Jordan River Anderson, a young First Nations boy from Norway House Cree Nation in northern Manitoba, who spent his entire life in hospital while caught in a jurisdictional dispute between the governments of Canada and Manitoba, which both refused to pay for the in-home medical care necessary for Jordan to live in his home and community.

Jordan’s Principle is a legal directive to ensure that never again will a child be forced to wait for care that is in their best interest to thrive in their home and community. It can be used to apply for mental, physical, and educational health support to ensure your child has the care they need and your family has the resources to provide for a loved one with complex or chronic health needs. Jordan’s Principle can be accessed to help families and communities provide child-first solutions and culturally appropriate supports and services.

Awashishewiigiihiwaywiin Jordan’s Principle can assist in navigating the process, applying for funding, providing letters of support, and submitting product and service requests.

What is covered?

Jordan’s Principle responds to unmet needs of First Nations children no matter where they live in Canada.

Different levels of government fund different services for First Nations children. As a result, it can be hard to figure out how to access necessary products, services and supports.

Under Jordan’s Principle, we can:

Inform families about the help available for their child and how to access it coordinate access to products, services and supports provide funding when it’s needed to make sure products, services and supports are accessed without delay.

What is funded?

Each child’s situation is unique. Please confirm coverage in advance with your regional focal point for Jordan’s Principle.

Funding can help with a wide range of health, social and educational needs, including the unique needs that First Nations Two-Spirit and LGBTQQIA children and youth and those with disabilities may have. Some examples of what has been funded under Jordan’s Principle include:

Health

• mobility aids
• wheelchair ramps
• addiction services
• services from Elders
• mental health services
• specialized hearing aids
• traditional healing services
• services for children in care
• assessments and screenings
• transportation to appointments
• medical supplies and equipment
• long-term care for children with specialized needs
• therapeutic services for individuals or groups (speech therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy)

Social

• social worker
• land-based activities
• personal support worker
• specialized summer camps
• respite care (individual or group)
• specialized programs based on cultural beliefs and practices

Education

• school supplies
• tutoring services
• teaching assistants
• specialized school transportation
• psycho-educational assessments
• assistive technologies and electronics

How can you reach us?

Awashishewiigiihiwaywiin Social Services Framework: (807) 698-7406.

Jordan’s Principle Call Centre: 1-855-JP-CHILD (1-855-572-4453) Available 24 hours, 7 days a week

Your local service coordinators for First Nations communities, or:

Jordan’s Principle Lead – Dionne Beardy
Jordan’s Principle Case Manager – Jaime Sugarhead
Jordan’s Principle Navigators – Amy Digby, Maria Taylor, Sylvia Metzner, Morgan Slipperjack, Suzanne Williamson

Date Modified: August 17, 2023

** New Program as of Apr 1, 2023 **

Our Awashishewiigiihiwaywiin Next Steps Program is a post-majority support services assist youth aging out of care and young adults formerly in care, from the age of majority up to and including the age of 25.

Post-majority support services aim to support the safety and well-being of First Nations youth and young adults in a way that is: culturally appropriate in their self-identified best interest provided on the basis of substantive equality.

The goal of post-majority support services is to provide wrap-around support that meets the distinct needs of First Nations youth and young adults and promotes and supports holistic positive outcomes for thriving youth and young adults.

Supports could include help with:

• housing
• food
• employment and financial security
• mental health, wellness, and addiction supports
• healthy relationships
• Principles
• the culturally-based safety and wellbeing of First Nations youth aging out of care and young adults formerly in care is paramount
• First Nations youth aging out of care and young adults formerly in care are to be holistically supported in (re)connecting meaningfully with their family, as well as, have access to supports that promote reunification and/or repatriation
• First Nations youth aging out of care and young adults formerly in care are to have:
• culturally appropriate services and supports that meet their needs and the standard of substantive equality
• stability and connection in areas of housing, employment, education, mental health, and wellbeing
• access to financial support
• the opportunity to remain connected and actively engaged in their communities, language, and culture
• holistic support with an approach that recognizes historical and contemporary disadvantage and contextual and cultural differences
• access to supports that promote safety, security, and stability to develop necessary life skills

Post-majority support services are youth-and-young-adult-centered and needs based:

to support thriving First Nations youth and young adults during their transition to independence, their self-identified best interests, including their physical, emotional, cultural, relational, and psychological safety, security, and wellbeing are paramount considerations

in supporting First Nations young adults formerly in care, unique supports may be required because of the time between when the young adult was in care and the point in time they are accessing post-majority support services

Youth and young adults accessing post-majority support services include:

• youth who are in FNCFS care approaching the age of majority
• A youth is in FNCFS care when the care costs for the child or youth are funded by the FNCFS Program
• youth who were in FNCFS care and who exercised a voluntary care provision to leave care prior to the age of majority)

individuals who: have reached the age of majority are under the age of 26 or the eligibility age for post-majority services, and were in FNCFS care on the day they reached the age of majority

The Next Steps program envisions a world where all youth regardless of past child welfare involvement are prioritized and provided with the same opportunities as other youth and young adults in Canada. The Next Steps program is focused on meeting each youths’ unique goals, strength-based, trauma informed support, distinct needs and self-identified goals, autonomy of service plan.  If you would like more information or to complete an intake please call (807) 698-7406.