Shaneen Robinson-Desjarlais
APTN National News
You may have seen his face all over the local news in Winnipeg.
The 10-year-old Indigenous boy has become known as the city’s “problem child.”
His unfortunate story has child advocates worried for his future.
Acting on behalf of the child will require that more be done to understand that his behavioral tendencies are not only due to the impacts of trauma in the home, but the transition to care and the lack of understanding for how to improve the situation of poor health overall. The present framework in mental illness will offer a substantial amount of labeling and quite possibly, doctor administered force along with drugs to manage in the present but in the long-term nothing truly advantageous. I pray that whom ever it is in authority will provide critical interventions over punishment for someone who is in definite need of compassionate care. Given that he is a child in care, it is likely no one will act in his best interest but their own and to mitigate the risks associated with such scenarios, he may need a lawyer to represent his best interests, since there is even mention of the derogatory comment that he cannot be criminalized (legally) because he is far too young.