Accreditation

Children's aid societies (CASs) in Ontario have expressed their determination to hold themselves accountable for providing high quality services to children and families across the province. Using a peer review model, the Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies Accreditation Program evaluates all aspects of CAS service, governance and administrative responsibilities against common standards developed by the child welfare field. The standards for the OACAS Accreditation Program are designed to reflect the needs and expectations of the community, the requirements of provincial child welfare legislation, current best practices and emerging trends in the field of child welfare.

The objectives of the program are as follows
  • to provide a tool for ongoing quality assurance for CASs to be used in conjunction with other methods for improving the quality of services, programs and systems
  • to ensure that accountable child welfare services are being delivered across the province
  • to develop consistency in the delivery of key child welfare services across Ontario
  • to identify a set of core or foundational standards for the delivery of high quality child welfare services. The standards are based in best practice knowledge available at the time and are subject to review and revision to reflect changing knowledge about effective child welfare services
  • to provide opportunities for the sharing of expertise across all CASs through the identification of best practices in both the preparation and site review phases of accreditation
  • to promote integration of Ministry reviews and greater reliance on accreditation as a key accountability mechanism
  • to promote collaboration with other accrediting bodies
Standards have been developed in the following areas
  • adoption
  • agency governance and administration
  • agency in the community
  • children in care
  • family service
  • financial
  • foster care, institutional care and group care services
  • human resources
  • volunteer services
  • the accreditation process
The components to the accreditation process include
  • the standards
  • the self-study process
  • the site review process
  • the accreditation decision
  • the appeal process

Standards development is a continuous process. Increased knowledge, changes in practice, changes in legislation and government policy, and demands for greater accountability can bring about a need for the creation of new standards or the revision of existing ones. New standards are constantly being developed and tested and existing standards are reviewed and revised on a regular basis. A standards manual and support materials have been developed to help CASs evaluate their own services. The OACAS Accreditation Program operates on a four year accreditation cycle. Societies which meet all the requirements for accreditation will be re-reviewed every four years.

The Ministry of Children and Youth Services which monitors, regulates and funds Children's Aid Societies, has recently developed a performance management system which will begin more comprehensive monitoring of CAS service, governance and financial activities. In light of the direction, reform of the Accreditation Program has been undertaken with a focus on the evolution of accreditation towards a greater emphasis on outcomes.

For more information about this program, please call (416) 987-7725.