Agencies will meet with all children in foster homes managed by Winnipeg company after abuse allegations

The Manitoba government is promising to speak with every foster child in the care of afor-profit agency under fire for allegations of sexual abuse at a foster home it was responsible for.

The provinceordered a review of B & L Resources for Children and Youth last weekend, following a CBC investigationin whicha secret recording revealed a manager from B & L admittedthe companydid not act quickly enoughafter sex abuse allegations involving a minor arose in afoster home overseen by B & L.

Heritage Minister Cathy Cox, speaking on behalf of Families Minister Heather Stephensonduring question period at the legislature, announced Wednesday that the province has further instructedagencies to meet with every child in a foster home overseen by theservice provider, to be assured oftheir safety.

"They will meet in an area outside of the foster home to ensure that the child can speak freely," Cox said.

Child safety foremost concern

She added thegovernment istaking steps to address the allegations by launching the review, overseen by deputy minister of FamiliesJay Rodgers, and prohibitingany new child placements in homes run by B & L.

"Our government will always put the safety andwell-being of children first," Cox said.

Since the initial allegations arose last week, CBCNews reported on Tuesday another allegation of sexual abuse by a man hired by the company.

Through his lawyer, the 66-year-old foster father has denied the charges, which reportedly involvedtwo boys he was fostering with his wife between 2009 and 2015.

The Opposition NDPrenewed a callon the government Thursday to go a step further and remove all children currently in B & L foster homes from those placements.

"What about the kids that are still in this agency, that this governmentis still failing to protect?"NDPMLA Bernadette Smith asked.

BarbTemmerman, executive director of the Manitoba College of Social Workers, saidshe wants the province's review to include theperspectives of registered social workers, who are governed by a code of ethics and standards of practice.

"We're hopeful that [the government]will follow suit with other professions like doctors andlawyers andnurses, that are also employed with government andare licensed andregulated andaccountable to the public," she said. "The public receiving service from social workers deserve the same quality of service throughaccreditation."

Sexually abused by a minor

CBCinitially reported on an allegation thatchildren were being sexually abused by a minor in a foster home overseen by B & L that surfaced in 2016.

A director with thefoster care company said he failed to act quickly enough after the allegations came forward, according to a 2017 secret recording obtained by CBC News.

"We dragged our heels big time," he is heard saying in the recording.

In 2016,there were 275 children in B & L foster homes, according to information obtained byCBCNews. More than a dozen agencies sent children in care to B & L foster homes at that time, including WinnipegChild and Family Services, West RegionCFS,MetisCFSand DakotaOjibwayCFS.

In an statement emailed to CBC News last week,Bruce Bertrand-Meadows, managing director of B & L, said "the safety and well-being of children entrusted to our care has always been and remains B & L's primary focus."