Preventing infants from coming into care and reducing time spent in care by early reunification, Restoring the Sacred Bond supports 200 expectant mothers.

The Government of Manitoba, Southern First Nations Network of Care (SFNNC) and Wiijii’idiwag Ikwewag , and investors partnered to create Restoring the Sacred Bond, a service that matches Indigenous Birth Helpers with Indigenous mothers, with a key goal of reducing the number of First Nations infants apprehended into the child welfare system.

The program is being funded by a social impact bond and is the first of its kind in Manitoba.

How the bond works.

Southern First Nations Network of Care (SFNNC) signed a performance-based contract with the Government of Manitoba for delivering the Restoring the Sacred Bond initiative. The amount the Government of Manitoba will pay is linked to how well the program delivers on targets for family participation and apprehensions, with better results triggering higher payouts for investors. Importantly, the Government of Manitoba will only pay out once it has proof from an independent evaluator that the program has delivered.

With that agreement in place, SFNNC was then able to secure private sector investment to fund the $ program upfront. If the program performs well, SFNNC will use the funds it receives from the Government of Manitoba to repay the investors with a reasonable rate of return. However, if it doesn’t meet expectations, investors stand to lose most of their capital.

Why use a social impact bond?

The focus of the program is to reduce the number of children who enter into the care of child and family services. Preventative programs are often the hardest to secure funding for because often governments often have to prioritize acute short term needs.

Using a social impact bond has allowed SFNNC to attract funding from government and private investors to support this prevention initiative. It provides a stable source of funding for the life of the project, enabling SFNNC to concentrate on delivering the best possible outcomes for the families enrolled. It also enables them to adapt the program in real time to meet its targets.

Outcomes are proven and savings are realized before government pays.

Restoring the Sacred Bond (RSB) in Numbers

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