First Nations Child and Family Services and Jordan’s Principle Settlement
About the Settlement
In April 2023, the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) and Class Action plaintiffs Moushoom and Trout reached a landmark $23.34 billion settlement to compensate First Nations Children and families harmed by discriminatory funding practices in the federal child welfare system and Canada’s failure to uphold Jordan’s Principle.
The agreement recognizes both the systemic damage caused and the need for a healing-focused, culturally safe response.
Castlemain’s role
Working with the court-appointed administrator, Castlemain was engaged to design and deliver both the national notice campaign and the claimant support program, ensuring class members across Canada were informed, respected, and supported.
Communications and notice campaign
We developed and implemented the court-approved notice strategy for this complex, multi-year settlement with a focus on clarity, reach, and trauma-informed messaging.
Key activities included:
- National notice campaign delivered across print, radio, broadcast, social, digital, and community media
- Development of a bilingual website with plain-language documents and videos
- Culturally relevant visuals and language tailored for First Nations audiences
- Localized outreach and poster campaigns in remote and urban communities
- Social media and video content designed to build understanding and trust
Claimant support
To ensure class members could not only access, but complete, the claims process confidently, Castlemain recruited, trained, and coordinated a national team of 140+ Claims Helpers – most of whom are Indigenous and connected to the communities they serve.
Support includes:
- One-on-one assistance with eligibility, documentation, and form completion
- Navigation in English, French, and some Indigenous languages
- Referrals to cultural supports, ID services, and local wellness resources
- Flexible support in person, by email, phone, or video call
- Trauma-informed, culturally safe environment for every claimant interaction
Training and wellness
All claims helpers completed specialized training on:
The history and impact of the First Nations child welfare system
Trauma-informed care and vicarious trauma
Cultural safety and boundary setting
Systems navigation and claims process guidance
Peer support models and wellness protocols helped ensure that team members could safely carry out this emotionally demanding work.
Impact and measurement
Castlemain implemented a performance measurement framework to track:
Number of engagements and completed claims
Satisfaction with claims helper interactions
Response times and access to services
Reach and frequency of notice campaign materials
Community feedback and engagement rates
This project illustrates Castlemain’s integrated approach that combines national-scale communications with culturally grounded support, rigorous project management, and a deep commitment to claimant dignity and community wellness.