B.C. youth advocate refutes ministry's reassurances of help for at-risk youth

B.C.'s advocate for children and youthstandsby her accusation that some youth inPrince George, B.C., frequent drug housesbecause they don't have a safe place to live, despite the province's reassurancesto the contrary.

A week after CBC News reported that youth were"effectively living" in a Prince George drug house, Minister of Children and Family DevelopmentStephanie Cadieux said there was no shortage of group homesor foster beds forat-riskkids in the northern B.C. city.

• Minister Cadieux denies youths in 'drug house' because of bed shortage
• B.C. house with 10,000 dirty needles connected to youth in provincial care
• B.C. child protection service unsafe and in crisis: report

But Mary-Ellen Turpel-Lafond, B.C.'s Representative for Children and Youth,said staff on the ground know that's not true.

"We havebeen told explicitly they have a number of youth they're trying to place," she said.

"They have offered to assist the young people by placing them three to fourhours outside Prince Georgebecause of the absence of resources."

Turpel-Lafond said the lack of assistance from MCFDmeans young people are being found in places where there's active drug use or beingleft with parents who have addiction issues.

Documents Turpel-Lafond shared with CBC show ministry staff couldn't find a safe place in Prince George for five children, aged 11 to 17, as late as last week.

"Some of those young people are AWOL and street-involved, and getting them placed again is a big issue," she said. "Ibasicallystand on that. and I'm prepared to bring that out into the open."

When CBC asked MCFD about Turpel-Lafond'sallegations, a spokesperson said Cadieux'scomments still stand.

"If there is a child or youth in Prince George in need of a placement or ministry services, theMCFDresources in that region will work to provide them that support," said MCFD issues managerBill Anderson.