The Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies (OACAS) shared its annual pre-budget submission detailing five priority areas for action and recommendations with the Ontario government on January 24, 2025.

Children’s aid societies and Indigenous Child and Family Well-Being Agencies (child welfare agencies) are part of the network of community-based organizations and service providers that promote the health, well-being and safety of children, youth, and families across the province. Child welfare agencies do not just provide protection services; they also work closely with organizations and service providers in their communities, as well as kin and alternate caregivers, to facilitate crisis intervention, early intervention, prevention-focused and out-of-home care.

In short, child welfare agencies do not work alone; agencies rely on local partners to ensure children, youth, and families have access to the right care, at the right time, close to home. Agencies require communities with robust resources and integrated systems of care that are ready to wraparound children, youth, and families facing challenges. There are persisting systemic gaps and barriers to care that are frustrating timely, equitable access to community-based care across the province. Child welfare agencies are facing significant economic and human resource challenges as they strive to fill gaps and remove barriers.

The Ontario government can help through Budget 2025 by:

• Strengthening social infrastructure in communities across the province so children, youth, and families have timely, equitable access to integrated, wraparound supports, services, and treatment.
• Ensuring children, youth, and families presenting with complex needs (i.e., social, emotional, developmental, mental health and addictions, etc.) have access to highly specialized, intensive services, supports, treatment and/or out-of-home care and live-in treatment.
• Bringing greater financial stability and sustainability to the Ontario child welfare sector by modernizing the funding formula.
• Prioritizing family- and community-based placements by ensuring kin and alternate caregivers have access to adequate resources when supporting a young person.
• Supporting youth receiving supports and services from a child welfare agency as they transition to independence.

OACAS and our members remain committed to working in partnership with the Ontario government alongside provincial partners, community-based organizations, and service providers to bring positive change to systems of care supporting children, youth, and families. Together, we can identify actionable solutions to ensure children, youth, and families have timely, equitable access to supports, services, and treatment, regardless of where they live or how complex their needs may be.

To read our submission in full, click here.