Claims Helpers

Part of the Administrator’s role is ensuring Claimants have trauma-informed and culturally safe supports throughout the Claims Process.

Information and resources are available on this website to help you understand eligibility and how to complete a Claim. The Administrator’s Contact Centre is also available to provide information and to help you understand the Claims Processes and complete your Claim Form. In many cases, the tools and resources available on this website, and the support available through the Administrator’s Contact Centre, will be enough to help you complete your Claim Form. For those who need additional assistance, the Administrator can refer you to a Claims Helper.

Claims Helpers can provide free one-on-one support to help Claimants fill out their Claim Form, understand how to access the identification and documentation they need, and connect them to local cultural and wellness services and supports.

Claims Helpers are located across Canada. Meetings can be scheduled with Claims Helpers by phone, video call or in person, where available by contacting the Administrator’s Contact Centre.

Claims Helpers are trained in providing culturally safe and trauma-informed services to Claimants. They are available to:

• Work directly with you in-person (where available), on the phone and over video, in English, French and some Indigenous languages
• Provide information about the Settlement and Claims Process
• Help you fill out Claim Forms and find supporting documentation
• Refer you to other resources and supports, if that may be helpful to you

The majority of Claims Helpers are First Nations People, and all Claims Helpers are given specialized training to ensure they understand the context and impact of the First Nations^[1] child welfare system in Canada.

Claims Helpers are located across Canada in some First Nations communities, rural and remote areas as well as urban centres to help Claimants. Claims Helpers can provide support to Class Members in English, French and some Indigenous languages. If needed, and where possible, we will work with communities to have interpreters available.

The Claims Helper Program is designed to be responsive to regional needs. The location of Claims Helpers may change over time—just because there are a certain number of Claims Helpers located in a specific region at one point in time, doesn’t mean that it will stay that way. The locations of the Claims Helpers or their focus areas will evolve to meet the needs of Class Members.