[imc-ontario] Ottawa CAS Charged

[John Dunn]

Press Release

CONTACT:
John Dunn
Executive Director
Foster Care Council of Canada
12-1160 Meadowlands Drive East
Ottawa, ON
K2E 6J2

PHONE:
(613) 220-1039 (Cell/Text)

E-MAIL:
johndunn at afterfostercare.ca

WEBSITE:
http://www.afterfostercare.ca

NEWS BLOG:
http://www.fostercarenews.blogspot.com


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OTTAWA CHILDREN'S AID SOCIETY FACING CHARGES

Ottawa resident and former foster child, John Dunn has pressed charges  
against the Ottawa Children's Aid Society for refusing to comply with  
their governing legislation in an attempt to prevent Dunn from advocating  
for changes to the way they operate. The Society was charaged for the same  
offences in 2007 however they were able to reach a resolution after  
fifteen months of discussion.

The second time the Society refused to comply with thier governing  
legislation charges were laid, the parties did not reach a resolution, and  
a trial date is now set for December 1st, 2010.

Dunn has been advocating for improved transparency and accountability of  
Children's Aid Societies across the province for several years through an  
organization he started called the Foster Care Council of Canada, which  
has as it's mission statement "Involving current and former foster  
children and their supporters in the process of improving the transparency  
and accountability of child-welfare services through a strong and united  
voice"

BACKGROUND ON CHILDREN'S AID SOCIETIES
 
In Ontario, the provincial government, through the Ministry of Children  
and Youth Services is responsible for the safety and well-being of  
Ontario's children and youth. They do this by taking children and youth  
away from families they believe are subjecting a child or youth to abuse  
or neglect and placing them into the homes of people who have been  
approved by the Ministry as foster parents or into homes which have been  
licensed by the Ministry to run as what is called a group home where  
several children and youth can stay.

Since the Ministry does not have enough staff to carry out the actual work  
of removing children from their homes and placing them in foster or group  
homes on a daily basis, the Ministry approves private, non-profit  
corporations called "Children's Aid Societies" to do the work for them  
leaving the Ministry to monitor and regulate the agencies.

These private, non-profit corporations (Children's Aid Societies) can be  
found in fifty-three different locations across the province and each one  
of them has jurisdiction over a specified local area. As an example, there  
are the Children's Aid Societies of Ottawa, Toronto, Windsor-Essex, etc..

Each Children's Aid Society is thought to be governed by a "community  
elected" board of directors and their local policies, procedures and  
by-laws are also thought to be approved by the local community, except for  
the fact that most Children's Aid Societies do not advertise the fact that  
people in their local area can join the corporation as "regular members"  
to ensure that the way these corporations operate are in accordance with  
the views and opinions of those in the local community.

Children's Aid Societies make decisions and take actions which seriously  
impact the lives of Ontario's children, youth, and their families for  
years to come, often affecting them throughout their entire lives.

THE TRIAL TAKES PLACE ON WED DEC 01, 2010 AT 9:00AM

PROVINCIAL OFFENCES COURT
100 CONSTELLATION CRESCENT
COURT ROOM 101
(NEAR ALGONQUIN COLLEGE IN CITY OF OTTAWA BUILDING)


 
 
Sincerely
John Dunn 
Executive Director
The Foster Care Council of Canada

613-220-1039
http://www.afterfostercare.ca



 		 	   		  
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