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The Child and Family Services Division of the Department of Community Resources and Employment was established on April 1, 2003. It was responsible for the administration of The Child and Family Services Amendment Act, 2003. The division reported to one of the department's Assistant Deputy Ministers, Shelley Whitehead. Its programs and services supported child protection, foster care, adoption, teen and young parent welfare, and family violence intervention and counselling. The division also consulted with child and family services agencies from eighteen First Nations on the provision of child welfare services to families living on reserve.

The Child and Family Services Division was disestablished on February 3, 2006. Responsibilities of the division were transferred to the Child and Family Services Division of the Department of Community Resources

The Special Committee on the Crop Insurance Program and the Family Farm Protection Act was appointed on August 11, 1971 during First Session of the Seventeenth Legislature. It met seventeen times from September 28, 1971 through to January 14, 1972, including eight public hearings held throughout November, 1971. It presented its Final Report on January 14, 1972.

Members of the Special Committee on the Crop Insurance Program and the Family Farm Protection Act were: J.R. Kowalchuk, MLA (Melville) (Chairman); E.F. Gardner, MLA (Moosomin) (Vice-Chairman); A.W. Engel, MLA (Notukeu-Willowbunch); E. Kaeding, MLA (Saltcoats); D.H. Lange, MLA (Assiniboia-Bengough); H.W. Owens, MLA (Elrose); T.M. Weatherald, MLA (Cannington); and E. Whelan, MLA (Regina North West).

Staff members for the Committee were: G.L. Barnhart (Secretary); and N. Bray (Research Assistant).

The Child and Family Services Division of the Department of Community Resources was established on February 3, 2006. It was responsible for the administration of The Child and Family Services Amendment Act, 2003. The division reported to one of the department's Assistant Deputy Ministers, Shelley Whitehead. Its programs and services provided targeted support for at-risk children, youth and families. Program areas included: child protection and family support services; foster care provided by families throughout the province; adoption and the provision of post-adoption information; teen and young parent welfare; family violence intervention and counselling; and child nutrition education. The division also consulted with child and family services agencies from eighteen First Nations on the provision of child welfare services to families living on reserve.

The Child and Family Services Division was disestablished on November 21, 2007. Responsibilities of the division were transferred to the Child and Family Services Division of the Ministry of Social Services.

The Child and Family Services Division of the Ministry of Social Services was established on November 21, 2007. It is responsible for the administration of legislation including: The Child and Family Services Act; The Adoption Act, 1998; The Child Care Act; and The Emergency Protection for Victims of Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Act. The division reports to one of the ministry's Assistant Deputy Ministers. Its programs and services provide targeted support for at-risk children, youth and families. Program areas include: child protection and family support services; foster care provided by families throughout the province; adoption and the provision of post-adoption information; teen and young parent welfare; and family violence intervention and counselling. The division also collaborates with child and family services agencies from eighteen First Nations on the provision of child welfare services to families living on reserve.

The Child and Family Services Division was organized into three branches in 2009: Program and Service Design; Child and Family Service Delivery; and Child and Family Community Services. Responsibilities of the division continue (2014) within the ministry.

The Public Assistance Branch of the Department of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation was established in 1954 as a result of departmental reorganization. The branch was responsible for the administration of: The Social Aid Act; The Old Age Assistance Act; The Blind Persons' Allowances Act; The Disabled Persons' Allowances Act, 1954; The Deserted Wives' and Children's Maintenance Act, 1950; and The Mothers' Allowance Regulations. Programs provided by the division were: social aid; supplemental allowances to old age security pensioners and blind persons; mothers' allowances; old age assistance; disabled and blind persons' allowances; and deserted wives and children's support.

The social aid program was administered jointly by the branch and by municipalities throughout Saskatchewan. Assistance was offered to clients based on a "needs test" evaluation system which ensured that clients were receiving assistance appropriate to their needs. In addition to the program's long-term financial assistance, short-term housing and access to health services were offered to transients. In Regina, Saskatoon and Prince Albert, the Salvation Army collaborated with the branch and the respective municipalities in the provision of these services. Supplemental allowances were offered through the branch to old age security pensioners and to blind persons who required additional financial assistance. Allowance programs were administered by the branch to mothers, blind and disabled persons and to residents 65 years or older. The allowances were typically a fixed amount offered to qualifying residents on a monthly basis. By 1962, the mothers' allowance program was changed to focus on dependent families. The branch also provided services to deserted wives and children by administrating maintenance orders for support of children where support or payments were not granted to the wives.

The Department of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation was discontinued on April 30, 1965 with the establishment of the Department of Welfare. Responsibility for public assistance programs and services was assumed by the Public Assistance Branch of the new department.

The Public Assistance Branch of the Department of Welfare was established in 1965. The branch was responsible for the administration of: The Social Aid Act (replaced by The Saskatchewan Assistance Act, 1966); The Old Age Assistance Act; The Blind Persons' Allowances Act; The Disabled Persons' Allowances Act; and The Deserted Wives' and Children's Maintenance Act. At its establishment, programs provided by the division were: social aid; supplemental allowances to old age security pensioners and blind persons; dependent families allowances; old age assistance; disabled and blind persons' allowances; and deserted wives and children's support.

On April 1, 1966, the Saskatchewan Assistance Plan (SAP) was introduced under authority of the new Saskatchewan Assistance Act, 1966 and the Saskatchewan Assistance Regulations. The SAP replaced the former social aid program and assumed responsibility for the former allowance programs. This, coupled with changes to federal public assistance programs, allowed the branch to streamline public assistance into a single program for the provision of assistance for all persons in need. Funding for the SAP continued to be provided by the federal, provincial and municipal governments, with the SAP assuming responsibility for the administration of public assistance from municipalities in the province. Legislation, however, allowed for qualified municipalities to continue the administration of the assistance programs. The Cities of Moose Jaw and Prince Albert (and their related Rural Municipalities) chose to administer their own programs. In locations where municipalities did not participate, the program was administered from regional offices throughout the province. The SAP aimed at providing a more holistic approach to assisting residents in need by providing medical, psychological and vocational assessments and counselling to recipients and members of their families in addition to financial assistance.

In accordance with Section 17 of The Saskatchewan Assistance Act, the Provincial-Municipal Advisory Board was appointed in the 1966-1967 fiscal year. It was comprised of the deputy minister of the Department of Welfare, the director of the Public Assistance Branch, three representatives each of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities and the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association, one representative each from the Departments of Public Health and Municipal Affairs and a community representative. The Board advised on issues related to the Saskatchewan Assistance Plan, including the distribution of public assistance funds to the Plan's recipients. Local appeal committees were also established to adjudicate appeals of dissatisfied SAP recipients.

As a result of departmental reorganization in 1968, the planning and administration of public assistance programs became the responsibility of the department's Programs Division, while the delivery of the Saskatchewan Assistance Plan became the responsibility of the Operations Division.

Established in 1978, the Income Security Branch of the Department of Social Services was responsible for the delivery of programs under authority of The Saskatchewan Assistance Act. Income support was administered through the Saskatchewan Assistance Plan (SAP), the province's basic income support program. Funding for the program was shared with the federal government under its Canada Assistance Plan. In addition to income support, the SAP offered welfare services such as counselling, rehabilitation and preventative services to clients in need. The branch also administered two supplemental programs: the Family Income Plan for low-income families with children under the age of 18; and the Saskatchewan Income Plan for residents 65 and older whose incomes were limited to the federal Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplement. As well, local appeal boards comprised of departmental staff and local citizens addressed grievances raised by clients about their applications for assistance under the SAP. Decisions of a local appeal board could be further appealed to the Provincial Social Services Appeal Board.

As a result of departmental re-organization in 1979, the Income Security Branch became the responsibility of the department's Income Support and Employment Services Division.

Established in 1979, the Income Support and Employment Services Division of the Department of Social Services was responsible for the delivery of income security and employment programs under authority of The Saskatchewan Assistance Act and The Rehabilitation Act. The division was organized into two branches: Income Security; and Employment Programs.

Income support was administered by the Income Security Branch through the Saskatchewan Assistance Plan (SAP), the province's basic income support program. Funding for the program was shared with the federal government under its Canada Assistance Plan. In addition to income support, the SAP offered welfare services such as counselling, rehabilitation and preventative services to clients in need. The branch also administered two supplemental programs: the Family Income Plan for low-income families with children under the age of 18; and the Saskatchewan Income Plan for residents 65 and older whose incomes were limited to the federal Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplement. Service delivery for the Income Family Plan and the Saskatchewan Income Plan was done centrally, while the Saskatchewan Assistance Plan was administered through a network of regional offices throughout the province. A verification section within the branch ensured that funds from the Saskatchewan Assistance Plan and the Family Income Plan were administered in accordance with the legislation, regulations and policies of the department.

Programs and services administered by the Employment Programs Branch included: the Employment Support Program; the Special Agricultural and Rural Development Agreement; the Vocational Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons' Agreement; as well as funding assistance to work preparation centres at Regina and Prince Albert. The Employment Centre Program provided grants to groups sponsoring employment opportunities to individuals receiving income support. The Special Agricultural and Rural Development Agreement provided funding for First Nations individuals to develop, finance and operate projects aimed at creating employment opportunities in rural Saskatchewan. The Vocational Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons' Agreement, co-funded by the federal and provincial governments, offered assessment, counselling, vocational training and employment placement for eligible individuals. Two work preparation centres assisted residents in finding and maintaining employment as an alternative to receiving income support.

As a result of re-organization in 1980, delivery of the Saskatchewan Assistance Plan became the responsibility of the department's Regional Services Division while program administration remained the responsibility of the Income Support Division.

The School Lands Branch was established in 1879 to administer lands that were reserved for education purposes under the Dominion Lands Act, 1872. The Act stated that sections 11 and 29 of every surveyed township were designated as school lands. Any revenue generated from the sale of these lands was to finance school construction and the purchase of school supplies.

The rapidly increasing population of the western Canadian territories and the need for federal assistance to help build educational facilities necessitated special legislation by the Canadian government. This law also resulted in the creation of a separate School Lands Branch within the Department of the Interior to administer the terms of the act. The Branch was responsible for arranging public auctions for the sale of school lands, inspecting property, and setting the price for land. The lands could not be sold until a fair market value could be attained; in the interim, the land was often leased for grazing, timber, and/or haying purposes. Monies collected for these purposes were added to the territorial/provincial education endowment.

The School Lands Branch was placed under the direction of Frank Checkley from 1879 to 1918. Initially, the Branch reported to the Minister of the Department of the Interior through the Commissioner of Dominion Lands. In 1909, the Branch reported directly to the Minister. In 1918, the status of the Branch was downgraded to a Division, and it was placed back under the authority of the Dominion Lands Branch, and was renamed the Dominion Lands Bureau. The unit was disbanded in 1930 when the management of natural resources and dedicated Crown Lands in the western provinces was transferred to the provinces. In Saskatchewan, this authority transferred to the Department of Natural Resources, Lands Branch which operated from 1930 to 1944.

The Investment and Corporate Services Division of the Saskatchewan Department of Economic and Co-operative Development was established in the 1997-1998 fiscal year as a result of a departmental reorganization. The Division was organized into: Investment and Industry Development Programs; Administrative Services; Human Resources; and Systems Services. Additional responsibilities administered by the Division for the Department were: the coordination of legislative and regulatory amendments; processing of Orders-in-Council; and the handling of Freedom of Information requests.

The mandate of Investment and Industry Development Programs was to promote the growth and diversification of Saskatchewan businesses and to increase competition and employment in the business sector. It was responsible for the Small Business Loans Association Program; the Canada-Saskatchewan Partnership Agreement on Rural Development; and it provided administrative support to the Strategic Initiatives Fund and the Regional Economic Development Authority. Investment Services promoted the development and growth of Saskatchewan businesses through the administration of the Labour-sponsored Venture Capital Program and Business Immigration Programs. The Labour-sponsored Venture Capital Program contributed funds for investment in small and medium-sized Saskatchewan-based businesses. Business Immigration Programs were responsible for coordinating the federal-provincial administration of the Immigrant Investor Program and the Immigrant Entrepreneur Program.

The Investment and Corporate Services Division was disestablished in July, 1998 as a result of another departmental reorganization. Responsibility for the Investment and Industry Development Programs was assumed by the Operations Division, while those of Administrative Services, Human Resources and Systems Services were assumed by the Corporate Management Division.