Pubdate: Sun, 17 Dec 2006 Source: Province, The (CN BC) Copyright: 2006 The Province Contact: http://www.canada.com/theprovince/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476 Author: Ian Bailey, The Province Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) ADD UP KIDS IN GROW-OPS, NDP URGES Victoria should conduct a survey to determine how many children are being found in raided grow-ops, say social workers and the NDP. The suggestion comes on the heels of a call by the B.C. Association of Social Workers for guidelines to help social workers determine how to deal with children taken into care after grow-ops are busted. The NDP's Maurine Karagianis, critic for the Children and Family Development Ministry, said a survey would help clear things up. "Because it is a new phenomenon, I don't think the government has a very clear picture of exactly what the whole circumstances are." Children and Family Development Minister Tom Christensen said he would be willing to talk to the association about a survey but that social workers now have the tools they need to deal with children found in grow-ops and that child-protection directors have told him the number of such children is not a significant problem. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek