Should Saskatchewan foster homes be licensed?

A recent report from Saskatchewan's Advocate for Children and Youth is raising the issue of licensing foster homes.

The report investigated the death of Evander Daniels, a 22-month old toddler who drowned in a bathtub in 2010.

The report found Daniels' foster home was overcrowded, and foster homes in general were not being monitored closely enough.

"(Licensing) does provide a mechanism for accountability, in our view," said Bob Pringle, Saskatchewan's Children's Advocate. "There's a threshold for qualifications there, and you demonstrate that you're taking this seriously."

Pringle believes introducing a licensing system will provide more concrete rules for foster homes to follow, and a better framework to make sure those rules are followed.

"Everybody in this room has to have a driver's licence," he said. "That doesn't mean we're all good drivers. It just means at some point, we qualify, at a certain level, to pass the test."

However, the provincial government remains unconvinced. The Ministry of Social Services has studied how licensing has worked in other provinces, and is not interested.

"The evidence isn't there in the three provinces that do licence," said Donna Harpauer, Minister of Social Services. "The evidence isn't there for improved outcomes for children ... I don't think the Ontario system is stronger than ours, and I certainly do not want to have a replication of Manitoba's system."

The Saskatchewan Foster Families Association (SFFA) said it's willing to sit down with the provincial government and the Children's Advocate office to talk about the issue.

The association said a 24-hour in-house support program is helping foster families who are overwhelmed with their work.

"It gives them an extra set of hands," said SFFA Executive Director Deb Davies. "We've taken it one step forward to ensure the safety and well-being of children."

There is a concern that licensing would mean even fewer foster families in the province. Between 2009-14, the number of foster homes in the province has dropped by almost 200, creating further strain on an already crowded system.

However, Pringle believes licensing would be welcomed.

"Many foster parents tell us that they would have more rights, more assurances to say no, and would see licensing as a protection for them," he said.