The Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies (OACAS) and Children’s Aid Societies (CASs) welcome the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s report, Interrupted childhoods: Over-representation of Indigenous and Black children in Ontario child welfare. The report shines a light on the complex and multi-faceted issues that have contributed to
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A significant investment of $2.1 billion over four years to improve access to mental health care and addiction services in yesterday’s budget is good news for many families involved with child welfare in Ontario. Nearly half of families receive services from children’s aid because of adult mental
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There is reason for growing optimism now regarding mental health services for children, youth, and families in Ontario. Last week, the Ontario government announced $2.1 billion in additional mental health funding over the next four years. This adds to the $3.8 billion spent annually on mental health
Read more →The complex issue of immigration and citizenship facing some youth in care came into the public spotlight this month, when a former crown ward proposed a $200-million class-action lawsuit against the Ontario government by individuals who were taken into the care of a CAS and made Crown
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A Conversation with OACAS CEO, Mary Ballantyne, and Director of Indigenous Services, Karen Hill The federal minister of Indigenous Services, Jane Philpott, called for an emergency summit to be held last month to address the current situation in Indigenous child welfare, which she has likened the horrors
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When you have worked in child welfare there are some memories that stay with you. For me there is one that endures…an apprehension of two children that occurred suddenly and went late into the night. We called the foster parents, while the children clutched tightly to what
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“Until all of us have made it, none of us have made it.” – Rosemary Brown (First Black Woman in Canada to be a Member of a Provincial Legislature) Taïna Mayberry, OACAS Youth Programs Coordinator, offers some personal reflections on Black History Month. What Celebrating Black History
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This month, the pre-designated Waabnoong Bemjiwang Child Well-Being Agency held an official project launch. As one of four pre-designated Indigenous Child and Family Well-Being Agencies, Waabnoong Bemjiwang will eventually provide child protection services to seven communities in the Sudbury, Nipissing and Parry Sound areas: Wasauksing, Shawanaga, Magnetawan,
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After months of planning, Phase II of the One Vision One Voice project is officially underway. The goal of Phase II is to work with societies towards achieving child welfare service excellence and eliminate disproportionate and disparate outcomes of African Canadians involved in the child welfare
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By Taïna Mayberry, Youth Programs Coordinator, OACAS Imagine feelings of worthlessness and guilt that sit in your mind like an unwanted house guest. They linger listlessly, taking up space where self-confidence, interests, and social life used to be. You want help. But where to start and who
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