In This Issue

October is Child Abuse Prevention Month, an opportunity to focus on keeping kids safe! The October edition of The Voice features articles on child abuse prevention, safe sleeping practices for babies, upcoming events, recognizing foster families, Halloween safety tips for kids and writing for the Journal.

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October is Child Abuse Prevention Month!

During October, local Children’s Aid Societies (CASs) educate the public about the prevention of child abuse and neglect through the Child Abuse Prevention Campaign in communities across Ontario. The campaign encourages everyone to learn about, and recognize, the signs of abuse because “Child abuse isn’t always obvious.”  Child abuse is a serious concern for all Ontarians because many children are at risk of abuse or suffering from lack of proper care.  Many families are coping with stress, poverty, addiction or mental health problems affecting their ability to provide a safe, secure home for their children. Families can get help through the child welfare services and parenting supports, provided by CASs. Throughout the month of October, CASs will continue to educate the public, and their communities, by running public awareness campaigns and holding events across Ontario.

Ontarians can learn more about child abuse and neglect, how to recognize it and what happens when you call your local child welfare agency at useyourvoice.ca.

Click here to read more.

According to Recent Coroner's Report, Babies are Safer Sleeping on Their Own

Last year, more than 33 infant deaths, reviewed by the Deaths Under Five Committee, were related to unsafe sleeping practices, including cluttered sleep surfaces. Of these infant deaths, 19 involved bed-sharing. Over the last five years, the Coroner’s Office has investigated infant deaths and found that bed-sharing was a significant contributor in Sudden Unexpected Deaths in Infancy (SUDI). During Child Abuse Prevention Month in October, the OACAS educates parents about the dangers of co-sleeping and bed-sharing with newborns and infants. Educating parents, especially new parents and parents of newborns, about the risks and dangers of unsafe sleeping, is critical to prevent the unnecessary deaths of their infants. Learn more about safe sleeping practices for babies.

Celebrating Foster Families During Foster Family Week

Children’s Aid Societies (CASs) across Ontario will be honouring foster parents, during Foster Family Week, from October 18 to 24, 2009. Foster parents play an essential and irreplaceable role in caring for children and this week is an opportunity to say thank you for all that they do for our children and youth. Foster parents work with CAS staff as part of a team to develop a plan for each child in care. Foster parents provide stability and a caring home that encourages a child's growth and development.

CASs are always in need of more foster homes, which is why there are many regional foster recruitment programs across the province.

• Homes for Kids (H4K) is a program enabling twelve Children’s Aid Societies to work together to recruit foster parents in communities around the Golden Horseshoe.
• Winning Kids is a collaborative recruitment and retention program, among twelve (12) child welfare agencies in Eastern Ontario, to encourage people in Eastern Ontario to foster.

Click here to read more about foster parenting.

Keeping Kids Safe on Halloween

Each year, more than 2,400 children in Canada are injured in pedestrian related incidents. Parents are encouraged to be mindful of their child’s safety, especially during Halloween, to ensure their children obey the rules of the road while trick-or-treating. In 2008, the Traffic Injury Research Foundation revealed that approximately 2.7 million Canadians admit to often driving well over the speed limit. This is alarming for children, and their parents, as they prepare for one of the most anticipated events of the year.

Keeping kids safe on Halloween, and throughout the year, is the responsibility of parents, children and drivers. Young children should be supervised at all times, but when children are out of sight, parents can teach them how to stay safe while remaining confident and cautious, but not fearful. Read tips on:

• Halloween safety tips for parents and children
• playground - check the playground equipment before children play
• road - teach children proper road safety rules
• school bus - remind children to look at the driver for crossing signal

Click here to read more about how to keep kids safe.

Save the Dates!

Professionals, practitioners, educators and researchers, in child welfare, are invited to save these dates for OACAS Events: 

• “Keys to Quality: Investing in Excellence” symposium will be held on December 1-2, 2009. More info at www.oacas.org/keystoquality
• “Critical Connections: Where Woman Abuse and Child Safety Intersect” symposium will be held on March 9-10, 2010. More info at www.oacas.org/criticalconnections
• “Putting Children First:  Making A Difference” conference will be held on June 6-9, 2010 and will celebrate excellence in child welfare, featuring renowned speakers, plenary sessions, and workshops in the following areas:
  • Child Sexual Abuse and Sexual Exploitation of Children and Youth
  • Chronic Child Neglect
  • How to engage Families in Child Welfare Practice
  • Foster Care Planning and Support
  • Balancing Strength and Risk in Practice
  Deadline for workshop submissions is November 16, 2009.

Articles wanted for the 2009 edition of the Journal

Articles from researchers, universities, institutes and child welfare agencies on programs, projects and initiatives to improve child well-being are welcomed for the next edition of the Journal. Published quarterly, the OACAS Journal is the best source of information on child welfare research and practice and is distributed to 4,300 readers. The next edition of the Journal will be published in fall of 2009. Deadline for articles is October 16, 2009. Subscribe to the e-Journal.

Click here to read the submission guidelines.