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November 30, 2006

McGuinty Government Reforms Further Protect Vulnerable Children 

New Legislation In Effect Provides Better Supports, Makes CASs More Accountable

The McGuinty government is committed to helping more vulnerable children grow up in safe, caring, permanent homes and to strengthening the accountability of Ontario’s children’s aid societies (CASs).

Bill 210, the Child and Family Services Statute Law Amendment Act, passed earlier this year and in effect as of today, will help make CASs more accountable to the communities they serve and increase the number of permanency options for children and youth in the care of CASs.

More permanency options

Permanency options for children in the care of children’s aid societies include placement with grandparents, extended family members or a member of the community to whom a child is close, such as a caring teacher.

As part of the new reforms, everyone will be required to undergo the same mandatory, rigorous safety assessments before a children’s aid society (CAS) approves the placement of a child. This includes a home inspection and background checks of every adult who lives in the home, even close family members.

Consistent, easier complaints process

The reforms will also make it faster and easier for people to make complaints about certain services or decisions they have received from a children’s aid society. The new complaints process, to be used consistently across the province, includes third party oversight by an independent body, the Child and Family Services Review Board (CFSRB), over which the Ombudsman will have jurisdiction. The board’s decisions will be binding. This process builds on existing provincial safeguards, including the auditor general and the coroner's office. Suzanne Gilbert, a lawyer with many years’ experience representing children and families, was recently appointed the new chair of the CFSRB.

Child and Family Services Statute Law Amendment Act

In response to the 2004 report of the Child Welfare Program Evaluation, the Ministry of Children and Youth Services launched a broad package of reforms to strengthen the province’s child well-being and protection system, and make it more accountable both to the people it serves and to government.

The Child and Family Services Statute Law Amendment Act was introduced on June 6, 2005, received Royal Assent on March 28, 2006 and proclamation on November 30, 2006.

The Act, now in effect:

• Provides more options for children who can't be adopted so they can grow up in caring, permanent homes
  
  
• Increases the accountability of children's aid societies through an independent and timely complaints process
  
  
• Allows openness arrangements that will make it possible for more children to be adopted while keeping important ties to their birth families and communities
  
  
• Emphasizes customary care arrangements that allow Aboriginal children and youth to maintain important cultural and family ties
  
  
• Helps to resolve child protection cases outside of the courtroom more quickly through collaborative solutions such as mediation.

In addition, complementary policy and program changes underway will:

• Bring consistency to the adoption application process to make it simpler for prospective parents
  
•  Create a provincewide registry to help match available children with prospective parents
  
  
• Provide support to parents after an adoption is completed, if needed
  
  
• Provide children's aid societies with the tools to support and strengthen families facing challenges, so they can take better care of their children
  
  
• Support sustainability and strengthen accountability of children’s aid societies through an amended funding approach.

Ontario’s children’s aid societies (CASs)

Ontario's 53 CASs receive approximately 160,000 new referrals each year reporting child abuse and neglect. CASs currently have about 9,000 children in their permanent care (Crown wards.) Only about 10 per cent of these children are adopted each year. On average, young people in foster and group homes move every 22 months. Having a secure, loving, permanent home will help these children to succeed in school, grow up healthy and become contributing members of their communities.

For more information:

Backgrounder: An Independent Voice for Ontario Children and Youth

News Release: McGuinty Government Better Protecting Vulnerable Children and Youth

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