Blanketing Our Children
Data Standard

First Nations across Canada are engaged in a process of transformation in child and family services, including through the resumption of jurisdiction. Assuming jurisdiction requires new digital infrastructure solutions for case management, information-sharing between Nations and potentially other governments and organizations, and reporting on indicators of relevance.

From 2024 to 2026, SIIA piloted a project convening Indigenous Governing Bodies (IGBs) advancing jurisdiction in Child and Family Services from across the province to collectively develop a child and family data standard.

The project included co-developing shared definitions, classification tiers, governance principles, and an information-sharing framework — providing a common foundation for how child and family data are defined, shared, and used across participating Nations.

SIIA now participates in a Community of Practice group led by the BC First Nations' Data Governance Initiative (RIGC), alongside the other IGBs who originally came together on this project, to support ongoing dialogue around Nations' evolving data needs related to Child and Family Services jurisdiction.

To learn more about this project and read a case study, visit: bcfnrigc.ca/siia‍ ‍

If you have any questions about the application of this Data Standard, reach out to remipaul@siia.ca‍