Child Abuse Prevention Campaign

What happens when you call

Everyone has an ongoing duty to report actual or suspected child abuse and neglect. Even if you have previously reported, if you see or hear of abuse happening you must report again. When you call your local Children’s Aid Society (CAS), a clinically-trained child protection worker will speak to you about your concerns and ask questions to assess the situation. Your local CAS will investigate the allegation of abuse and determines what action is necessary. Child protection workers use provincial standards and guidelines, Child Protection Standards and Tools in Ontario and the Ontario Child Welfare Eligibility Spectrum, to determine the type of support and service necessary to keep children safe. Your local CAS is available 24-hours a day to talk about your concerns, and the information you give, including your identity, will remain confidential where possible. Read more...

Foster Family Week

Foster families give of their time and themselves by nurturing and fostering vulnerable children and youth. OACAS and local Children’s Aid Societies recognize the gifts that foster families give to children in care: love, home and family. Last year, 57% of children in the care of Ontario’s Children’s Aid Societies were placed with a foster family, while 6% lived with kin or kith, 14% were placed in group homes, 4% with adoptive families, 15% were living on their own and 4% of children and youth living in other arrangements. There are more than 7,000 foster and kinship families in Ontario, but only half the children and youth coming into care are placed in a family setting. Ontario’s Children’s Aid Societies work very hard to help children remain with their families, but when that is not possible, they work to ensure children have a permanent, loving, and safe home. All children need to belong to a committed, safe, nurturing family. Read more about fostering in Ontario...

Excellence in Youth Advocacy

OACAS proudly acknowledges the passion and dedication of two unique individuals who were recently rewarded for their work in advancing the needs of youth in care across Ontario. YouthCAN Coordinator Adam Diamond and former YouthCAN Coordinator Amanda Rose were honoured by the Child Welfare League of Canada with the Youth Leadership Award. As Program Coordinators for YouthCAN, Adam and Amanda were instrumental in providing support to Ontario youth in care through communications, advocacy and networking services. Together, they edited a quarterly youth newsletter, NOTICE; coordinated four major conferences and a youth delegation to the World Youth Forum; and supported youth to advocate for themselves. OACAS is extremely proud of Adam and Amanda and their accomplishments. Read more...

Child Welfare Leadership - The Story of Tikinagan

An OACAS member agency serving more than 30 northern, remote communities has been recognized for its work to improve the lives of First Nations children and youth. Tikinagan Child and Family Services earned the 2008 prestigious Ruth Atkinson Hindmarsh Award given by the Atkinson Charitable Foundation for their successes in improving the well being of Aboriginal children in remote communities. Tikinagan Child and Family Services is a mandated Children's Aid Society providing child welfare, child protection and child and family services to 30 First Nation communities in the western portion of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation. Executive Director Michael Hardy has also been recognized for his leadership in providing quality child welfare services that meet the needs of Aboriginal children and their families. In March 2008, Hardy was recognized by the Ontario Association of Social Workers as a “Leader in the Social Work Community” in celebration of Social Work Week, March 3-9 and received “The Sparrow” award from the Sparrow Lake Alliance in 2007. Established in 1998 to improve the lives of disadvantaged children, the Ruth Atkinson Hindmarsh Award is the largest of its kind in Canada. Read more...