FREDERICTON — New Brunswick’s child, youth and seniors advocate says social services in the province are on the brink of failing.

Kelly Lamrock’s 49-page report, titled “How It All Broke,” says the government is having trouble delivering basic services such as emergency care or reading and writing instruction to young students.

He says the failings can be attributed to staffing shortages, budgets without measurable goals, a lack of accountability for public servants and poor crisis planning.

The advocate says he began writing the report after he examined the failings in the long-term care system and realized that some of those problems could not be separated from a general breakdown in governance across multiple departments.

He says this is the first time his office has issued a report on the central workings of the government, including at the Finance Department and Treasury Board.

Lamrock offers 10 recommendations on how to fix the problems, including setting clear targets for government departments, and requiring that spending be tied to measurable outcomes.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 11, 2024.

The Canadian Press