Reduced services and supports for Ontario’s Children and Youth

TORONTO, March 24 – Children and youth in Ontario may be underserved and left vulnerable as Children’s Aid Societies struggle to provide mandatory child protection services and prevention supports to children and families. As of the new fiscal year on April 1, agencies mandated to protect children and provide for their well-being will face a projected budget shortfall in excess of $60 million, including the $23 million shortfall from 2007/08.

Children and youth served by Ontario’s child welfare agencies will be affected by the funding crisis as programs and initiatives to protect children and support their families are eliminated.

“Without adequate and equitable funding, children may be at risk,” says Dennis Nolan, Board President, Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies (OACAS). “Agencies that have the legislative and professional responsibility to protect children may not be able to do so for financial reasons.”

Programs and services supporting children, youth and families across Ontario may be reduced or eliminated altogether because there is not enough funding to support these necessary services. Some of the programs and supports are:

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Recent changes to services delivered by Ontario’s Children’s Aid Societies include more customized approaches to families and more stable, long-term, family-like settings for children and youth. These changes could result in fewer children coming into the care of agencies and fewer moves for children from foster and group homes. Budget constraints will force restrictions on these customized and innovative services.

The Government supported the development and implementation of these changes passing amendments to legislation in November 2006. To continue improving the lives of children and youth, new programs and supports will require a sustained funding commitment.

“The financial situation faced by many agencies will make it difficult to protect, care for and help Ontario’s children, youth and families,” says Jeanette Lewis, Executive Director, OACAS.

Programs for special needs youth, services for aboriginal children and youth in remote, northern communities and French-language services are traditionally under-funded by the Ontario Government. This under-funding limits the capacity of agencies to provide mandatory services.

Ontario’s Children’s Aid Societies are committed to fully-funded and sustainable child welfare services and supports to improve the well-being, health and safety of Ontario’s children, youth and families. Ontario’s Children’s Aid Societies protect children from abuse including neglect, promote their well-being within their families and communities, and provide a safe, nurturing place for children and youth to grow up.

For further information: Marcelo Gomez-Wiuckstern, Communications Director, Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies, (416) 987-9648, (416) 407-3046 (mobile), www.oacas.org