WINNIPEG — The Manitoba government says the number of kids in the child welfare system has dropped for the first time in 15 years.
Figures from an upcoming Families department annual report show 10,328 kids were in care as of March 31, a 3.6 per cent drop from the same time last year.
Families Minister Heather Stefanson says the government has tried to focus more effort on preventative measures by helping families before they reach a crisis point.
She says that has resulted in fewer kids being apprehended, and the government hopes the number will continue to drop with initiatives such as customary care.
Customary care gives children more opportunities to stay in their home communities under the care of extended family members.
Manitoba has the highest per-capita rate of children in care, and almost 90 per cent of them are Indigenous.