The Ministry of Social Supports and Well-Being (commonly abbreviated SSWB) is a provincial government department in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The department is headed by a member of the provincial cabinet, typically a Member of the House of Assembly, who is chosen by the premier and formally appointed by the Lieutenant-Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador.
The department's creation was announced in April 2009, by the government of Danny Williams. Before becoming a stand-alone department many aspects of the department were a branch within the Department of Health and Community Services.
Child and Youth Services is responsible for: child protection services, foster care, adoption, kinship, youth services, and youth corrections programs. The department is also responsible for the disability policy office, adult protection, and seniors advocacy.
The department was reconfigured as the Department of Children, Seniors and Social Development in 2016.
In a report released in November 2016, NL Auditor General Terry Paddon said 6,252 children — eight percent of the children in Newfoundland and Labrador — were being served by CSSD (Child and Youth Services) programs.
In 2021, the income support division of Immigration, Skills and Labour was relocated into CSSD.
On May 9, 2025, Jamie Korab was appointed Minister of Families and Affordability. On October 29, 2025, Joedy Wall was appointed Minister. On August 20, 2026, Chris Tibbs was appointed Minister.
Background Up until 1997, the responsibility for child protection services in Newfoundland and Labrador was under the purview of the Department of Social Services (DSS). In 1997, DSS was renamed the Department of Human Resources and Employment (DHRE). On April 1, 1998, the Department of Health and Community Services (DHCS) assumed responsibility for child protection services. The responsibility for child protection services was therefore devolved from the DHRE to a number of Health and Community Services (HCS) Boards. In 2009, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador established the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services (CYFS). In May 2025, the department was renamed the Department of Families and Affordability. On October 29, 2025, the department was renamed the Department of Social Supports and Well-Being.
Ministers Key:
No.PortraitNameTerm of officePolitical partyPremier 1Joan BurkeApril 9, 2009 January 13, 2011Progressive ConservativeDanny WilliamsKathy Dunderdale 2Charlene JohnsonJanuary 13, 2011 October 9, 2013Progressive ConservativeKathy Dunderdale 3Paul Davis October 9, 2013 May 1, 2014Progressive ConservativeKathy DunderdaleTom Marshall 4Clyde Jackman May 1, 2014 July 27, 2014Progressive ConservativeTom Marshall 5Sandy Collins July 17, 2014 December 14, 2015Progressive ConservativeTom MarshallPaul Davis 6Sherry Gambin-Walsh December 14, 2015 July 31, 2017LiberalDwight Ball 7 Lisa Dempster July 31, 2017 August 19, 2020LiberalDwight Ball 8Brian Warr August 19, 2020 April 8, 2021LiberalAndrew Furey 9 John Abbott April 8, 2021 June 14, 2023LiberalAndrew Furey 10Paul Pike June 14, 2023 May 9, 2025LiberalAndrew Furey 11Jamie Korab May 9, 2025 August 15, 2025LiberalJohn Hogan 12Bernard Davis August 15, 2025October 14, 2025LiberalJohn Hogan 13 Joedy WallOctober 29, 2025August 20, 2026Progressive ConservativeTony Wakeham 14 Chris TibbsAugust 20, 2026IncumbentProgressive ConservativeTony Wakeham
See also Executive Council of Newfoundland and Labrador Mount Cashel Orphanage Murder of Zachary Turner
References
External links Department of Social Supports and Well-Being website