Jean Lafrance

Degrees: PhD in Social Work (University of Southern California), MSW (Carleton University), BA (University of Ottawa)

Interests: Child welfare, advocacy, Aboriginal community capacity building, social development in Latin America.

Dr. Jean Lafrance worked for over 33 years as a frontline social worker, casework supervisor, regional administrator, staff developer, program director, assistant deputy minister and finally as Children’s Advocate with Alberta Children’s Services. He joined the Faculty in 1997 as an assistant professor. He served as division head for the Edmonton Division and the Access program for five years.

Lafrance has taught clinical social work, community work, social policy, child welfare, child and family services and Aboriginal issues courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Both his teaching and research interests focus on child and family services and community processes that contribute to strengths-based practices and build upon Aboriginal world views. His research was profiled in the Faculty’s 2006 publication, Connecting The Dots [http://fsw.ucalgary.ca/docs/CDmag.Nov.06.WEB.pdf].

Lafrance’s current research projects include the “Making our Hearts Sing” initiative, which has created a partnership with the Blood Tribe, the Sturgeon Lake First Nation and the Métis community to develop more culturally appropriate modes of service delivery in child welfare programs. His funders include Health Canada, the Centre of Excellence for Child Welfare, and the Alberta Centre for Child, Family and Community Research.

Recent publications include:

• Putting a Human Face on Child Welfare: Voices from the Prairies. (Eds. Brown, I, Chaze, F., Fuchs, D., Lafrance, J,, McKay, S., & Prokop-Thomas, S.) Prairie Child Welfare Consortium [www.uregina.ca/prairiechild/index.html/] Centre of Excellence for Child Welfare [www.cecw-cepb.ca]
• Lafrance, J., Bastien, B., Bodor, R., Ayala, J. (2007) Leadership Development Forums in Aboriginal Child Welfare: Making our Hearts Sing. Self Published.
• Lafrance, J. & Bastien, B. (2007) Here be Dragons. Breaking down the iron cage for Aboriginal children.. In Putting a Human Face on Child Welfare: Voices from the Prairies. (Eds. Brown, I, Chaze, F., Fuchs, D., Lafrance, J,, McKay, S., & Prokop-Thomas, S.) Prairie Child Welfare Consortium www.uregina.ca/prairiechild/index.html/ Centre of Excellence for Child Welfare http://www.cecw-cepb.ca/

Lafrance serves on the boards of the Alberta Centre for Child, Family and Community Research, the Creating Hope Society, the Institut Guy Lacombe de la Famille, and the Prairie Child Welfare Consortium.

Lafrance received a symbolic sash from the Métis Nation of Alberta in recognition of his ongoing contributions to the Métis community. In 2000, he received a leadership award from Family Services Canada for exceptional contributions to the wellbeing of families in Canada. In 2002, he was awarded a certificate of excellence for inspiration, innovation and outstanding contributions in teaching and research at the University of Calgary.

Research Projects:

• Lafrance, J. (PI). Making our Hearts Sing: Leadership Forums in Alberta. (Health Canada, CECW and CWLC;; 2004-2006).