A couple is walking across the province to raise awareness about the large number of children placed in care of the Ministry, and the effects that come from that.

Supporters gathered outside Terrace's Ministry of Children and Family Development offices, to support Kimberly and Jordan Joseph, a couple who are fighting for access to their children. 

Kimberly Joseph remembers when she was taken from her mother. She says her mom went to Social Services with her three children to ask for help, as she had no longer had a place to live. She says that the social worker then took Kimberly and her siblings, the youngest only a two month old baby, away from their mother, and put them in foster care. 

Kimberly was 5, and remained in care until she aged out. She says that when she first went into care, she could speak Carrier. 

"I was speaking our language when I went to them. I was speaking Carrier, and they tore it away from me, saying they couldn't understand me. So they told me I had to speak English, and they were Welsh people, so I really had to speak proper English." 

Kimberly says she sees the problem with taking children from their parents - and unfortunately, her own children have now been taken from her as well. 

"As kids, we don't understand supervised visitation. You really don't. You know, we don't understand why we can only see our mom for a few hours and walk away. Because my children are doing it right now. They're crying for us. They want to come home.

 And I remember how that was. I remember looking at my mom and she would bawling her eyes, out and sitting there while they're talking to us, telling us they're gonna bring us to McDonald's. That's how they got us. They said they're going to bring us to McDonald's as a family. We're going to go eat because it was their treat. So us kids, we jumped in. My mom's sitting there, they jumped in and drove away without her.

 How does that affect a child when you do that to them? We were screaming for our mom. We were like, why is she staying? And the worker just said we're going to McDonald's. And we didn't even to to McDonald's, which is a horrible part too. "

Kimberly and Jordan have walked from Prince Rupert to Terrace to raise awareness about the high number of children in care, especially Indigenous children. 

According to the Ministry of Family and Child Development, the most recent statistics show that in 2022/2023, there were a total of 4,875 children in care, with 3,294 of those children being Indigenous. According to the Federal Government, just 5% of BC's population is Indigenous. 

The Ministry has been working to reduce the number of children in care. In March, 2024, a new position was announed in the province - Indigenous Child Welfare Director. One of the aspects of the role will include an intense focus on prevention services aimed to keep young Indigenous people in their home and connected to their communities, cultures and languages.

“We know Indigenous children are best cared for by Indigenous communities and when connected to community, family and culture,” said Grace Lore, Minister of Children and Family Development. 

“This position has been long advocated for by First Nations leadership and Indigenous partners, and continues our work to reform the child welfare system and reduce the over-representation of Indigenous children and youth in care.” 

There has been a 19% reduction of Indigenous children and youth in care between March 2019 and Jan. 31, 2024, and a 23% reduction of all children and youth in care in B.C during that time. The Ministry says there has been a 74% increase in the number of children and youth in care who are living in alternate-care arrangements, close to family, extended family, living within their communities, and exposed to their cultural traditions and languages. 

But these changes haven't affected the Joseph family, yet. 

"I don't understand how people take away kids and not feel that. How can you not hear? They're screaming and they're crying for their families. How? I understand that some families really do need more support than others. But shouldn't you be helping that instead of taking the children, shouldn't people be going to the families that need the support? Because you shouldn't be taking kids away. It really, really does affect them mentally ", said Kimberly.

Today they headed out of Terrace and are bound for Prince George. Their journey can be followed on their Facebook group - titled "Walking for All Children in Ministry Care". 

Kimberly says that once they make it to Prince George, as long as wildfires allow it, they will continue the awareness walk all the way to Vancouver. They are accepting donations, and financial donations can be sent to yekoochenatives99@gmail.com. 

"Or just come up and see us!" Jordan says.