2015
TRC Calls to Action 1-5
Over a decade later, the calls on child welfare remain incomplete. National overrepresentation has not reversed.
KFT-Families Society
Is this place equipped
to raise an
Indigenous child?
No one has ever asked that question with a standard behind it. Until now. IFISC is the first Indigenous-led certification for child welfare providers in Canada.
53.8%
of children in foster care in Canada are Indigenous. Despite being 7.7% of the child population.
Statistics Canada, 2021 Census
0
Indigenous-led certification programs for child welfare providers exist anywhere in Canada.
KFT-Families Society, 2026
7
pillars define what certified family safety looks like when Indigenous knowledge leads.
The IFISC Standard
The gap
No standard. No rating. No requirement.
Before IFISC, there was no public standard telling families whether the provider caring for their child was actually equipped to care for an Indigenous child.
What families face now
A system not built for them.
- Children placed with providers who have no requirement to understand Indigenous culture, family, or identity.
- Families walk into proceedings without knowing their rights.
- Reunification takes years with little consistent support alongside families.
- No public rating. No accountability. No requirement.
What IFISC introduces
A measurable standard.
- Seven pillars across health, law, family, culture, and crisis.
- Certification granted to organizations, not assumed.
- Indigenous knowledge holders define alignment.
- Renewable standing. Community verification. Public ratings.
What changes
Families know who earned the right.
- Families and advocates can look up which providers are certified.
- Judges and MCFD workers can cite ratings in placement decisions.
- Government can require certification in procurement contracts.
- Children stay connected to language, ceremony, and kin.
Why now
The policy moment is open. The standard is missing.
Federal legislation is in force. Calls to action remain unmet. Indigenous families still have no way to know whether the provider caring for their child has earned the right to be there.
2019
MMIWG Final Report
231 Calls for Justice issued. Calls 12.1 to 12.16 on child welfare remain among the slowest to be addressed.
2020
Bill C-92 in force
An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Metis children, youth and families. Inherent jurisdiction is recognized. Implementation depends on usable standards.
2026
IFISC established
KFT-Families Society incorporates. The first Indigenous-led certification standard begins development. The gap starts to close.
The 7 Pillars
What the standard measures.
Each pillar is a measurable domain. Together they answer a single question: is this provider equipped to raise an Indigenous child?
01
Health and Wellness
Physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health of the child and family. The whole child, not just physical safety.
Read about Health and Wellness 02
Rights and Legal Accountability
Families must know their rights and have meaningful ways to enforce them. Due process before any removal decision.
Read about Rights and Legal Accountability 03
Indigenous Law and Tradition
Traditional law, ceremony, and Elder guidance are not optional. They are centred as primary authority.
Read about Indigenous Law and Tradition 04
Family and Reunification
Severance is the failure case, not the default. The goal of every placement is for it to be temporary.
Read about Family and Reunification 05
Culture and Identity
A child raised away from culture is not a safe child. Language, ceremony, kinship, and belonging are safety measures.
Read about Culture and Identity 06
Community and Accountability
Accountability runs to community, not only to province. Oversight with real authority. Outcomes that are public.
Read about Community and Accountability 07
Crisis Intervention
A removal decision made in thirty minutes can shape three generations. The standard sets its highest threshold here.
Read about Crisis InterventionFrequently asked
What people ask first.
What is IFISC?
The Indigenous Family Integrity Safety Certificate. The first Indigenous-led certification for child welfare providers in Canada. It evaluates foster care agencies, group homes, and residential care facilities against a cultural safety framework authored entirely by Indigenous practitioners.
Who can be certified?
Foster care agencies, group homes, residential care facilities, and child welfare providers. Certification is granted to the organization. It is not a one-time pass. It is an ongoing accountability relationship between the provider and the communities they serve.
How is IFISC different from existing child welfare frameworks?
Existing frameworks measure compliance with state-defined safety. IFISC measures alignment with Indigenous family integrity. Where current systems often sever family to protect children, IFISC sets a standard for protecting children within family.
Support the work
This work runs on people who believe in it.
KFT-Families Society is in its first year. Every dollar builds the foundation of a standard that will serve Indigenous families for generations. Donations processed through CanadaHelps.