Please support the Minister of Children and Youth Services. See the following link, copy the support letter but be sure to customize it in your own words if you will.
Also, be sure at the end of your letter to state that you give her permission to read from your letters publicly in the Legislature and any where else she wants to, and that she can identify you by name.
Please visit this link and support the cuts to CAS as a way to ensure they only deal with cases they really need to and do not waste resources on cases that do not require it.
Click this link Click Here
Monday, November 09, 2009
Council Receives Return Airline Ticket as Prize for RACAS Event
The Foster Care Council of Canada has received a free, round-trip airline ticket as a prize for a paper airplane throwing contest we are planning which will raise funds to support the Ride for Accountability of Children's Aid Societies (RACAS) which will begin in Ottawa and end in Windsor in July of 2010.
We are always eager to obtain further donated prizes for contest winners at this event. Donating companies will be able to have their logos printed on promotional materials (unless otherwise requested) and on the papers used to construct the paper airplanes.
If you or your company are interested in donating a prize or sponsoring this event, please contact assistant@afterfostercare.ca or phone 613-220-1039.
Updates will be posted as they arrive.
We are always eager to obtain further donated prizes for contest winners at this event. Donating companies will be able to have their logos printed on promotional materials (unless otherwise requested) and on the papers used to construct the paper airplanes.
If you or your company are interested in donating a prize or sponsoring this event, please contact assistant@afterfostercare.ca or phone 613-220-1039.
Updates will be posted as they arrive.
BC Children and Family Development Being Exposed
The British Columbia Ministry of Children and Family Development has evidence in their files that they had been advised by their lawyer to return two of this family's children and that there are doubts as to whether the child of concern to them has a rare disease as opposed to having had been abused.
Watch the CBC News story here
See a dedicated Youtube Channel at this link
Watch the CBC News story here
See a dedicated Youtube Channel at this link
Friday, November 06, 2009
Peel CAS - Press Release
John Dunn
Executive Director
Foster Care Council of Canada
613-220-1039
johndunn@afterfostercare.ca
Tasha
Ward of the Peel Children's Aid Society
(contact through John Dunn)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Toronto (ON): Tasha, a seventeen year old youth in foster care under the authority of the Peel Children's Aid Society has been so-far, unsuccessfully attempting to request from her child protection worker, Angela Rafique, that her concerns regarding abuse and neglect in her foster home are dealt with.
When asked how she feels about the Society's treatment of her after expressing her concerns, she said "I have raised severe issues and concerns more then once, expected something to be done about them, my cries for help were ignored". Also in her reply, Tasha stated "Seeing as how I am personally having to take these concerns and issues into my own hands to have them dealt with, shows that the society has no interest in wanting to help and provide me safety while I am in their care".
Tasha claims she was unsuccessful in the past in asking her worker Rafique to deal with these issues subsequently prompting her to ensure that this time around she obtain an accurate record of the Society's resolution efforts by dealing with each issue in writing, or in the alternative by audio recording any meetings with the Society.
Rafique responded by e-mail to Tasha's most recent request for assistance by using confusing, age-inappropriate terminology and redirecting blame to the victim when she wrote "our records indicate that every effort has been made to reinforce the fact that we have tried to resolve the issues raised but there has been tremendous challenges in trying to satisfy your requests within the frame work of legislative compliance and your cooperation".
Frank Kennedy, a Peel Children's Aid Society Supervisor who is responsible for Tasha's worker, and a Society staff member who holds both a Bachelor and a Masters Degrees in Social Work, has refused to accommodate Tasha's request for accurate records in relation to this matter.
Placement of Mental Roadblocks
Kennedy confirmed the Society is aware of the youth's concerns writing "We have been in receipt of your emails as you have been in receipt of our responses". A professional with years of experience in dealing with children and youth in child welfare who is undoubtedly aware of the extreme imbalance of power between himself and the youth, Kennedy begins placing a series of mental roadblocks in what appears to be an attempt to prevent Tasha from obtaining an accurate record of how the Society is dealing with her allegations of abuse and neglect when he writes, that "Emails are not the standard means of communication to engage our children and youth in care".
Kennedy continues to place mental roadblocks in front of Tasha when he writes "This will be the final email on this subject as all subsequent communication will have to be done by telephone or face to face with Angela".
In what appears to be his final attempt to prevent Tasha from obtaining an accurate record of the Society's dealings with her and without acknowledging her request to record the Society's meetings, Kennedy states "As a youth in care we do not intend to create a new mode of communication at this time because we do not feel this is the way to manage your case".
Insisting that she meet with staff at the Society's offices -- where youth's actual records can not be removed from the premises -- Kennedy tells her "you can write your own notes of the process and we will also have minutes taken and you will be able to get a copy"
Throughout the process, Tasha has been very clear in stating that she wants an accurate record of dealings with the Society not just summarizing notes or minutes.
John Dunn, a former foster child, and volunteer executive director of the Foster Care Council of Canada, an organization dedicated to increasing transparency and accountability in child welfare services says "This apparent attempt by the Peel Children's Aid Society to prevent a youth in care from obtaining an accurate record of her dealings with the Society when she is obviously crying out for help is extremely disturbing".
Dunn explains "A directive issued from Chief Justice Howland under section 136 of the Courts of Justice Act even permits self-represented parties to a court hearing to audio record their hearings without the need to obtain permission from the presiding judge to ensure they have an accurate record of the proceedings. This is permitted because it is difficult for someone who is directly involved in a matter to keep accurate notes.
He continues "Just try to imagine how completely unacceptable it would be to have a court transcript made up of nothing more than 'notes' or 'minutes' as an 'accurate' record of a hearing. The Peel Children's Aid Society's support of such unfair treatment of a vulnerable youth in care who is merely trying to assert her rights to be protected and to ensure she has an accurate record of the Society's attempts to deal with her allegations of abuse and neglect in care is shocking. We support Tasha's efforts to obtain an accurate record of the Society's dealings with her and ask the Peel Children's Aid Society to accommodate Tasha's needs in an anti-oppressive manner as opposed to only acting in a way which accommodates the needs of the Society".
When the Foster Care Council of Canada asked the Society if they have any objections or feedback regarding this press release they did not have any.
Full e-mails at http://fosterchildspeaksout.wetpaint.com/page/1LettertoCAS
Executive Director
Foster Care Council of Canada
613-220-1039
johndunn@afterfostercare.ca
Tasha
Ward of the Peel Children's Aid Society
(contact through John Dunn)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Toronto (ON): Tasha, a seventeen year old youth in foster care under the authority of the Peel Children's Aid Society has been so-far, unsuccessfully attempting to request from her child protection worker, Angela Rafique, that her concerns regarding abuse and neglect in her foster home are dealt with.
When asked how she feels about the Society's treatment of her after expressing her concerns, she said "I have raised severe issues and concerns more then once, expected something to be done about them, my cries for help were ignored". Also in her reply, Tasha stated "Seeing as how I am personally having to take these concerns and issues into my own hands to have them dealt with, shows that the society has no interest in wanting to help and provide me safety while I am in their care".
Tasha claims she was unsuccessful in the past in asking her worker Rafique to deal with these issues subsequently prompting her to ensure that this time around she obtain an accurate record of the Society's resolution efforts by dealing with each issue in writing, or in the alternative by audio recording any meetings with the Society.
Rafique responded by e-mail to Tasha's most recent request for assistance by using confusing, age-inappropriate terminology and redirecting blame to the victim when she wrote "our records indicate that every effort has been made to reinforce the fact that we have tried to resolve the issues raised but there has been tremendous challenges in trying to satisfy your requests within the frame work of legislative compliance and your cooperation".
Frank Kennedy, a Peel Children's Aid Society Supervisor who is responsible for Tasha's worker, and a Society staff member who holds both a Bachelor and a Masters Degrees in Social Work, has refused to accommodate Tasha's request for accurate records in relation to this matter.
Placement of Mental Roadblocks
Kennedy confirmed the Society is aware of the youth's concerns writing "We have been in receipt of your emails as you have been in receipt of our responses". A professional with years of experience in dealing with children and youth in child welfare who is undoubtedly aware of the extreme imbalance of power between himself and the youth, Kennedy begins placing a series of mental roadblocks in what appears to be an attempt to prevent Tasha from obtaining an accurate record of how the Society is dealing with her allegations of abuse and neglect when he writes, that "Emails are not the standard means of communication to engage our children and youth in care".
Kennedy continues to place mental roadblocks in front of Tasha when he writes "This will be the final email on this subject as all subsequent communication will have to be done by telephone or face to face with Angela".
In what appears to be his final attempt to prevent Tasha from obtaining an accurate record of the Society's dealings with her and without acknowledging her request to record the Society's meetings, Kennedy states "As a youth in care we do not intend to create a new mode of communication at this time because we do not feel this is the way to manage your case".
Insisting that she meet with staff at the Society's offices -- where youth's actual records can not be removed from the premises -- Kennedy tells her "you can write your own notes of the process and we will also have minutes taken and you will be able to get a copy"
Throughout the process, Tasha has been very clear in stating that she wants an accurate record of dealings with the Society not just summarizing notes or minutes.
John Dunn, a former foster child, and volunteer executive director of the Foster Care Council of Canada, an organization dedicated to increasing transparency and accountability in child welfare services says "This apparent attempt by the Peel Children's Aid Society to prevent a youth in care from obtaining an accurate record of her dealings with the Society when she is obviously crying out for help is extremely disturbing".
Dunn explains "A directive issued from Chief Justice Howland under section 136 of the Courts of Justice Act even permits self-represented parties to a court hearing to audio record their hearings without the need to obtain permission from the presiding judge to ensure they have an accurate record of the proceedings. This is permitted because it is difficult for someone who is directly involved in a matter to keep accurate notes.
He continues "Just try to imagine how completely unacceptable it would be to have a court transcript made up of nothing more than 'notes' or 'minutes' as an 'accurate' record of a hearing. The Peel Children's Aid Society's support of such unfair treatment of a vulnerable youth in care who is merely trying to assert her rights to be protected and to ensure she has an accurate record of the Society's attempts to deal with her allegations of abuse and neglect in care is shocking. We support Tasha's efforts to obtain an accurate record of the Society's dealings with her and ask the Peel Children's Aid Society to accommodate Tasha's needs in an anti-oppressive manner as opposed to only acting in a way which accommodates the needs of the Society".
When the Foster Care Council of Canada asked the Society if they have any objections or feedback regarding this press release they did not have any.
Full e-mails at http://fosterchildspeaksout.wetpaint.com/page/1LettertoCAS
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Peel CAS Foster Child Appeals for Help - CAS Refuses to Cooperate
A youth in foster care has been attempting to contact her legal parent, the Peel Children's Aid Society in order to request that her concerns regarding abuse and neglect in the foster home she lives in are dealt with.
The youth has claimed that she asked her worker to deal with the issues before and that her worker did not resolve the issues. This time the youth is asking that the issues be dealt with in writing so that she can ensure each issue is appropriately and thoroughly dealt with.
She is also requesting that if she does agree to meet in person with the Society, that this time she be allowed to record her meeting to ensure she has an accurate record of what was said during those meetings.
To date the Society's response is to attempt to force her to meet in person, not to allow her to record the meeting, and refusing to communicate further on the issue in writing.
The Peel Children's Aid Society's Frank Kennedy, B.S.W., M.S.W., Supervisor Long Term Care Unit who is the supervisor of the youth's worker wrote the following statements in his last e-mail to her as opposed to accommodating the youths need to ensure she has an accurate record of the events.
Frank confirmed the Society is aware of the youth's concerns when he wrote "We have been in receipt of your emails as you have been in receipt of our responses" and "Emails are not the standard means of communication to engage our children and youth in care"
Frank also puts his fist of authority down with the following statement"This will be the final email on this subject as all subsequent communication will have to be done by telephone or face to face with Angela. As a youth in care we do not intend to create a new mode of communication at this time because we do not feel this is the way to manage your case".
Frank also states "you can write your own notes of the process and we will also have minutes taken and you will be able to get a copy"
The youth has been very clear in stating that she wanted the matters to be dealt with in writing, with written responses from the Society to each of her complaints and that she be able to record the meeting to ensure she has a full and accurate record of the meeting not just notes and minutes which are not a full transcript of the meeting.
Try to imagine a court transcript being only made up of "notes" and "minutes" being used as an accurate record of a hearing. This is completely unfair to this youth who is attempting to ensure she has an accurate record of the meeting. It appears the CAS, through its supervisor Frank Kennedy is in support of such a practice of power imbalance.
Referring to the youth's request that the issues be dealt with by e-mail he closes the matter by saying "As a youth in care we do not intend to create a new mode of communication at this time because we do not feel this is the way to manage your case".
Throughout Frank's 'final e-mail' he keeps on attempting to have the youth attend in person at the Society in what appears to be the Society's attempt at keeping the full details of the matters "off the record".
The Foster Care Council of Canada has drafted a press release in relation to this matter for the CAS to review to ensure its accuracy prior to sending it out to the media.
[See Draft Press Release]
See full e-mails at http://fosterchildspeaksout.wetpaint.com/page/1LettertoCAS
The youth has claimed that she asked her worker to deal with the issues before and that her worker did not resolve the issues. This time the youth is asking that the issues be dealt with in writing so that she can ensure each issue is appropriately and thoroughly dealt with.
She is also requesting that if she does agree to meet in person with the Society, that this time she be allowed to record her meeting to ensure she has an accurate record of what was said during those meetings.
To date the Society's response is to attempt to force her to meet in person, not to allow her to record the meeting, and refusing to communicate further on the issue in writing.
The Peel Children's Aid Society's Frank Kennedy, B.S.W., M.S.W., Supervisor Long Term Care Unit who is the supervisor of the youth's worker wrote the following statements in his last e-mail to her as opposed to accommodating the youths need to ensure she has an accurate record of the events.
Frank confirmed the Society is aware of the youth's concerns when he wrote "We have been in receipt of your emails as you have been in receipt of our responses" and "Emails are not the standard means of communication to engage our children and youth in care"
Frank also puts his fist of authority down with the following statement"This will be the final email on this subject as all subsequent communication will have to be done by telephone or face to face with Angela. As a youth in care we do not intend to create a new mode of communication at this time because we do not feel this is the way to manage your case".
Frank also states "you can write your own notes of the process and we will also have minutes taken and you will be able to get a copy"
The youth has been very clear in stating that she wanted the matters to be dealt with in writing, with written responses from the Society to each of her complaints and that she be able to record the meeting to ensure she has a full and accurate record of the meeting not just notes and minutes which are not a full transcript of the meeting.
Try to imagine a court transcript being only made up of "notes" and "minutes" being used as an accurate record of a hearing. This is completely unfair to this youth who is attempting to ensure she has an accurate record of the meeting. It appears the CAS, through its supervisor Frank Kennedy is in support of such a practice of power imbalance.
Referring to the youth's request that the issues be dealt with by e-mail he closes the matter by saying "As a youth in care we do not intend to create a new mode of communication at this time because we do not feel this is the way to manage your case".
Throughout Frank's 'final e-mail' he keeps on attempting to have the youth attend in person at the Society in what appears to be the Society's attempt at keeping the full details of the matters "off the record".
The Foster Care Council of Canada has drafted a press release in relation to this matter for the CAS to review to ensure its accuracy prior to sending it out to the media.
[See Draft Press Release]
See full e-mails at http://fosterchildspeaksout.wetpaint.com/page/1LettertoCAS
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