Social workers with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Social Services, Child and Family programs (SSCF), have been vaccinating children for COVID-19 without their parents or caregivers permission, according to multiple people familiar with the matter..There are two child social workers insisting children be vaccinated for COVID-19..Caregivers claim they receive constant harassment, which includes phone calls, emails, and knocks on their doors..Several of the caregivers who are in the adoption process do not want to vaccinate the child they are adopting because of lack of research showing the COVID-19 vaccines are safe for children..In Saskatchewan, mandatory COVID-19 vaccination is not required for children, nor is not an SSCF policy or directive..In an email given to the Western Standard, a social worker is asking the caregiver to vaccinate the child and send the date and location of each COVID-19 vaccination appointment..In another email, a social worker said the child is the “property of the government” and that they “have to” get the child vaccinated for COVID-19..The Saskatchewan government gave a statement to the Western Standard saying immunizations such as COVID-19 vaccination are delegated to the caregivers, not the social worker..“Consent for vaccination of children in care continues to follow the same process as for other immunizations. Caregivers are delegated by the ministry to provide consent for children in care by court order or apprehended status; caregivers include foster parents, extended family caregivers and staff caring for children in group home care,” reads the statement..The Saskatchewan government said the decision to vaccinate for COVID-19 is not with the social worker..“Parents are a part of the decision to vaccinate the child. Ministry staff such as social workers do not have the ability to make the decision alone; however, if vaccination is medically required — as deemed by a physician — vaccinations may occur,” said the statement..“For children in care by Residential Agreement (Section 9), the requirement continues to be parent or legal guardian consent for the child’s vaccination.”.Children do not have to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to go to school or participate in activities or be in the foster care system..SSCF denied it mandated any COVID-19 vaccine requirements for children in their care..The SSCF policy states “Caregivers are expected to ensure that children receive routine medical care, including arranging regular medical, optical, and dental check-ups, filling prescribed medications, and arranging appointments for immunizations as recommended by Public Health.”.There are some organizations that require individuals under the age of 18 to be vaccinated to participate, but they are privately run organizations, not connected to the provincial government..One foster parent saw an old foster kid they took care of and found out a social worker vaccinated the teenager when they did not ask or want to be vaccinated and had no caregiver permission..The social worker took the kid and vaccinated them anyways..Another caregiver in the adoption process had the same child social worker “harassing” them since December to vaccinate the child they are adopting as soon as the vaccine received approval for children..Most of the people want to stay anonymous because they are afraid of retaliation against them from SSCF or social workers for speaking out against vaccinating children for COVID-19 and the public pressure to do so..If you are a foster parent or know information about vaccinating foster children for COVID-19 without a caregiver constant, there are two organizations to contact..The Saskatchewan government asks “If anyone is aware of any violation of this policy, we would ask them to report it to the ministry of Social Services.”.Another option is to contact Unified Grassroots through Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/581824432859604), who have compiled a list of foster parents and started an invitation-only Facebook group.
Social workers with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Social Services, Child and Family programs (SSCF), have been vaccinating children for COVID-19 without their parents or caregivers permission, according to multiple people familiar with the matter..There are two child social workers insisting children be vaccinated for COVID-19..Caregivers claim they receive constant harassment, which includes phone calls, emails, and knocks on their doors..Several of the caregivers who are in the adoption process do not want to vaccinate the child they are adopting because of lack of research showing the COVID-19 vaccines are safe for children..In Saskatchewan, mandatory COVID-19 vaccination is not required for children, nor is not an SSCF policy or directive..In an email given to the Western Standard, a social worker is asking the caregiver to vaccinate the child and send the date and location of each COVID-19 vaccination appointment..In another email, a social worker said the child is the “property of the government” and that they “have to” get the child vaccinated for COVID-19..The Saskatchewan government gave a statement to the Western Standard saying immunizations such as COVID-19 vaccination are delegated to the caregivers, not the social worker..“Consent for vaccination of children in care continues to follow the same process as for other immunizations. Caregivers are delegated by the ministry to provide consent for children in care by court order or apprehended status; caregivers include foster parents, extended family caregivers and staff caring for children in group home care,” reads the statement..The Saskatchewan government said the decision to vaccinate for COVID-19 is not with the social worker..“Parents are a part of the decision to vaccinate the child. Ministry staff such as social workers do not have the ability to make the decision alone; however, if vaccination is medically required — as deemed by a physician — vaccinations may occur,” said the statement..“For children in care by Residential Agreement (Section 9), the requirement continues to be parent or legal guardian consent for the child’s vaccination.”.Children do not have to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to go to school or participate in activities or be in the foster care system..SSCF denied it mandated any COVID-19 vaccine requirements for children in their care..The SSCF policy states “Caregivers are expected to ensure that children receive routine medical care, including arranging regular medical, optical, and dental check-ups, filling prescribed medications, and arranging appointments for immunizations as recommended by Public Health.”.There are some organizations that require individuals under the age of 18 to be vaccinated to participate, but they are privately run organizations, not connected to the provincial government..One foster parent saw an old foster kid they took care of and found out a social worker vaccinated the teenager when they did not ask or want to be vaccinated and had no caregiver permission..The social worker took the kid and vaccinated them anyways..Another caregiver in the adoption process had the same child social worker “harassing” them since December to vaccinate the child they are adopting as soon as the vaccine received approval for children..Most of the people want to stay anonymous because they are afraid of retaliation against them from SSCF or social workers for speaking out against vaccinating children for COVID-19 and the public pressure to do so..If you are a foster parent or know information about vaccinating foster children for COVID-19 without a caregiver constant, there are two organizations to contact..The Saskatchewan government asks “If anyone is aware of any violation of this policy, we would ask them to report it to the ministry of Social Services.”.Another option is to contact Unified Grassroots through Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/581824432859604), who have compiled a list of foster parents and started an invitation-only Facebook group.
