{"id":1708,"date":"2024-10-16T17:30:48","date_gmt":"2024-10-16T22:30:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/theelman.com\/index.php\/2024\/10\/16\/ending-the-dance-understanding-the-crisis-in-child-protection-in-ontario\/"},"modified":"2024-10-16T17:31:20","modified_gmt":"2024-10-16T22:31:20","slug":"ending-the-dance-understanding-the-crisis-in-child-protection-in-ontario","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theelman.com\/index.php\/2024\/10\/16\/ending-the-dance-understanding-the-crisis-in-child-protection-in-ontario\/","title":{"rendered":"Ending The Dance \u2013 Understanding  The Crisis In Child Protection In Ontario"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
This is a slide from the technical briefing by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services on the audit of CASs in Ontario. It was given to journalists. When the CASs asked for the deck or politicians were briefed the magical slide disappeared. All part of the dance.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Maybe this piece is a little inside baseball but I think it\u2019s important at this moment in Ontario that it be said. Plain and simple. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 First let me write that my observations are in no way a comment on any individual. I have yet to meet anyone in \u201cthe field\u201d or the Ministry who does not want the best for children. Maybe I think some have been and are lost but I\u2019m sure those folks felt and feel the same about me. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For over 40 years I have watched the dance between the Government, the Ministry in charge and what we call the \u201cchild welfare\u201d system ( from this stage on I will refer to it as the \u201cchild protection system\u201d because that is what it is, we have no \u201cchild welfare\u201d system) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the last week or two the government , (the elected representatives through the Premier of Ontario), the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS) ( through  the Assistant Deputy Minister responsible for the child protection system \u2013 there is no Deputy Minister in place) and the child protection system ( through the Ontario Association of Children\u2019s Aid Societies (OACAS) \u2013 more on them later)  have very publicly responded to the crisis facing the child protection system and subsequently vulnerable children and families in Ontario.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is so much to unpack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some things to know in considering what is taking place;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

–              Ontario is the only Province or Territory in Canada where the child protection system is operated by independent child protection agencies ( 50 in total , 36 non-Indigenous and 14 Indigenous agencies). The other child protection systems in the country are directly operated by Provincial and Territorial governments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

–              Last year Ontario spent over $1.7 billion dollars in funding the child protection system<\/p>\n\n\n\n

–              The OACAS last year received almost $7 million in funding from the MCCSS and $4 million from its members who are the 39 non-Indigenous Children\u2019s Aid Societies (CASs) of the Province. Funds from the MCCSS came to the OACAS in various ways to\u201cmanage the sector\u201d and funds from its members  came to lobby the government. The OACAS is a registered lobby group. Hmmmm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2008 when our current government first came to power after years in opposition it really began its \u201cchild welfare redesign\u201d. The government in naming its cabinet decided to not install a Minister of Children and Youth Services (MCYS) and moved any of the duties of that Ministry to the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. They added \u201cthe word \u201cchildren\u201d to the name of the already massive Ministry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the time the Minister of MCCSS told me \u201c We are interested in three things.  Cutting red tape. Open for business.  Finding the gravy in the public sector.  Irwin we may do some things about children but that is not our interest\u201d.  Yes Minister.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 MCYS had been created to be responsible for the well-being of Ontario\u2019s children and youth.  It was mandated to work across government, bringing together other Ministries,  with itself , in common project. To be sure it was never able to fulfill this duty.  It was not given the power at the Cabinet table nor in the Ontario Public Service to do so.  It really did become the tail wagging the dog . It should not have been abandoned.  It should have been supported and empowered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For decades OACAS represented the child protection system. It was an organization like many of its members that was haughty, full of itself.  When criticized it recoiled in anger and self-righteousness. It lashed out.   It was feared, (privately resented) in the community that is social services.  Community agencies not having a legal mandate and the largesse of funding that comes with it.  Community agencies not having a bat phone to the Minister and Ministry that funds them.  The OACAS in its hubris held itself as the voice for children in Ontario.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was the Youth Leaving Care Hearings that can be pointed to as a turning point for the OACAS.  The Hearings in 2011 held at the Ontario Legislature by youth in and from care  exploded through the narrative that the child protection system was doing just fine.  \u201cNothing to see here.  We\u2019ve got this\u201d the OACAS would say.  The Hearings and the report \u201cMy Real Lifebook\u201d written by young people exposed the unforgiving system that is child protection.   It was when the OACAS began to change its tune  saying \u201cLife in care was no place for a child\u201d ostensibly giving up on the lives of  8,000 – 10,000 children on any one night living under the roof of a child protection agency in Ontario. The OACAS was no longer the frightening bully it used to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet the dance between the Ministry and the OACAS continued. It continues to this day.  The Ministry funding the OACAS to manage the system. When issues arise the Ministry will point to the individual Children Aid Societies and say \u201cnot us , blame them\u201d.  Then they ask and fund the OACAS to do something to make the issues go away.  The OACAS accepts the funds, ineffectually addresses the issue, then blames the Ministry saying \u201cdo not blame us and the Children\u2019s Aid Societies, It is the government to blame\u201d.  And so they dance.  Stepping on each other\u2019s toes unaware that they are dancing on the Titanic.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then there is the government.  Our government today intentionally or not has waged a war on the vulnerable children and families of Ontario.  Destabilizing the child protection system with a ham handed \u201csystem redesign\u201d which they now say has no end, all the while hollowing out every system and service meant to support vulnerable children and families. \u201cFacts\u201d as my teen son would say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So when the Premier is confronted with the crisis he has created – 136 deaths of children connected to the child protection system in some way  in 2022-23.  Parents feeling so desperate they feel compelled to try to give up custody of their children simply to get their child the support they need.  Children in care being \u201cplaced\u201d in office space, trailers in parking lots, air bnb\u2019s , hotel rooms. \u2013 he says \u201cI will do an audit of the Children\u2019s Aid Societies and find the mismanagement of public funds\u201d.   Really?  That\u2019s going to fix things?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You could not make this stuff up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What a bloody mess!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Within the mess, however, I see opportunity.  I do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It cannot be any more clear that the dance needs to end.  I have yet to meet a service provider, a front line worker,  a Union, an association, an advocate, a lawyer, a psychologist, psychiatrist or other child serving professional, a young person, a parent who would not agree that what we have as a system to support our vulnerable children and families, including child protection, simply is in free fall and doesn\u2019t work. Everyone is tired, frustrated, worn out, even traumatized and no one  wants to talk anymore about what is wrong.  Whatever needs to be said has been said.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We can move beyond asking, \u201cwhat is the problem?\u201d  We can move to asking \u201cwhat would good look like?\u201d  Once we know what good would look like we will have our \u201cNorth Star\u201d as Jennifer Charlesworth, the Representative for Children and Youth of British Columbia, calls it,  in her seminal systemic investigation into child protection released in July, \u201cDon\u2019t Look Away\u201d. Once we have our \u201cNorth Star\u201d we can decide how we will build it.  How much more investment we will need to make? What structures and institutions will need to change and how, including change in  the way the  Ontario Public Service works. What ways of knowing and thinking we will need to learn, adopt and work with?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is also clear that the MCCSS can not undertake the process of answering \u201cwhat good would look like\u201d.  They are too busy dancing,  As is the system itself.  They should participate but they can not lead. They have too much skin in the game at this point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What we have  is our Legislature.  A  non-partisan, all Party, Select Committee, could be tasked to set a North Star for Ontario – A system that would ensure every child and family  has what they need when they need it in order to thrive, including safety.  The Committee would hold hearings.  It would engage parents, children and youth.  It would compel information and testimony. It would receive the Premier\u2019s audit of Children\u2019s Aid Societies. You do you Premier.  It would accept the Ombudsman\u2019s investigation into unlicensed placements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The process of the Committees work would be designed in a manner to make change as it goes, to save time, to heal, using the Restorative Inquiry process pioneered out of Dalhousie University.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t roll your eyes.  \u201cAnother report \u201c, you say , \u201cthat will go nowhere\u201d.  But what did my Mom tell me?  \u201cIt is not your responsibility to change the world\u201d , she said, \u201cbut you are not exempt from trying\u201d. And what did Joan Baez  say? \u201cAction is the antidote to despair\u201d. Lets try.   Its enough. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Maybe this piece is a little inside baseball but I think it\u2019s important at this moment in Ontario that it be said. Plain and simple.   First let me write that my observations are in no way a comment on any individual. I have yet to meet anyone in \u201cthe field\u201d […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1708","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/theelman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1708","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/theelman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/theelman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theelman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theelman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1708"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/theelman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1708\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1709,"href":"https:\/\/theelman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1708\/revisions\/1709"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/theelman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1708"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theelman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1708"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theelman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1708"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}