Children's Aid budget crunch

In York region alone, there are 500 children under the care of the local children's aid society. But nearly 90 staffers could be let go to accommodate a budget cut of $5.5 million.

Queen's Park reporter Tanya Talaga's story today, Budget cuts put children at risk, Ontario warned, outlines the complex funding problems facing the province's 53 children's aid societies.

There is plenty of finger-pointing and a lot of different numbers being thrown around. But this is the crux of it for me:

Marcelo Gomez-Wiuckstern, director of communications at the Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies, says fewer case workers means agencies will not be able to respond to high-risk child abuse allegations or be able to meet minimum standards of seeing children every month to assess their "safety and well-being."

We only need to recall the report of Irwin Elman, the province's child advocate, to understand why this is not acceptable. In 2007, 90 children and teenagers died while under the care of the Ontario's child protection system. Some died in accidents. Others killed themselves. Some were murdered.

Katelynn Sampson's case should serve as a good reminder. She was found dead in the apartment of her legal guardian in 2008, while supposedly under the care of the Native Child and Family Services of Toronto.

Yes, these two stories speak to the failings of the child protection system as much as to the vulnerability of these children. But surely kneecapping the agencies by cutting case workers is not the answer.

Comments

[Aurelia]

The point is that no one needs to cut case workers. They never did. They could follow the direction of the Auditor-General's reports and get rid of the executive salaries and luxury SUVs. Or they could open their books to scrutiny, and start answering questions about why their budget has gone up 300 per cent in ten years. The rate of child abuse certainly hasn't gone up 300%. Nor has inflation. And foster parents don't get 300 per cent more money. Adoptions haven't gone up 300 per cent.

They could structure their boards of directors differently. Right now, not one CAS has one former adoptee or former foster kid or birth parent on their Board of Directors. They are the only government agency who gets money from the province, yet has no provincial appointees, or oversight on their boards from stakeholders, except for adoptive parents, and former executives employed by CAS.

They could open themselves up to scrutiny by them Ombudsman, or by the Courts. (No CAS decisions can ever be appealed to higher courts. They are the only entity in Canada who can't be. Even CSIS can't hold terrorists without appeal.)

They could also stop seizing kids when the only crime of the parent is poverty. When Mike Harris, got into office, he cut welfare rates so badly that thousands of parents lost their kids because they could not afford food and rent.

And it's still happening. They call it "neglect", but it's strictly poverty. If they gave these parents more money to eat and pay rent, they wouldn't have to seize any of them, and they could focus on the Randall Dooleys of the world. Instead they have created a crisis.

Feel free to check everything I've written.

[Pamela Achurch]

Family stress goes up in times of economic downturn. I am a bit surprised that I have not heard the increased number of child abuse calls mentioned in response to the budget cuts. Allegations of abuse are complex and difficult investigations which require time to do properly to ensure a child't safety. To be on the safe side, more children might be taken from their homes when a good intervention might keep the family intact. Keeping a family together, educating parents and monitoring takes adequate staffing. I find it very shortsighted of the provincial government to cut CAS budgets so drastically in a time like this. It is dangerous for our kids and leads to premature burn out of trained protection workers.

[unknown]

Ha I think CAS York Region has put their money where there mouth is! I know of a foster family out of York Region that has 4 kids and receives over $10,000 a month just to feed them. Plus clothing and other expenses on top of that. They have a 21 year old son that doesn't work, no schooling and he drives a new caddy around that is paid for from the money they receive from CAS. The money is suppose to help the foster children but instead it helps this young man live a life of luxury.
I just wonder if CAS realizes that the money is paying for his car and insurance, expensive clothes, cell phones, etc... Believe me if the taxpayers only knew what they are providing for this young man they would be fuming!
I though fostering was suppose to be volunteer I don't know how that can be justified when they hand out money that is way above what a person needs for everyday normal living expenses. It's no wonder they are in the position they are in today. I for one will never donate money to the CAS as I have seen first hand just where this money is spent. They should cut back on the amount that they give to foster families to a normal amount and keep track of what they foster parents actually use this money for. I'm not saying all foster families are the same it's just I have seen first hand what is really going on.