Childrens Aid Society of London financial travails provokes a letter by the Minister Responsible, Laurel Broten

Minister clarifies stance with Children's Aid Society

Your Oct. 27 article CAS hopeful crisis can be averted doesn't tell the full story of our support for the London CAS and kids across Ontario.

The safety and protection of children and youth served by Ontario's children's aid societies is a responsibility our government takes seriously. During the past decade, our investments in the agencies have risen from $500 million to $1.4 billion.

The London-Middlesex CAS has seen a funding increase of nearly 36%, to more than $63 million. The agency received a funding increase of $530,000 in the last year alone. My ministry has been working closely with the London-Middlesex CAS and others across the province to best serve kids and families within their available budget.

The 25% reduction your article references is not related to funding. It is about reducing the number of kids in care, and moving them into permanent, stable homes. We know a permanent home provides kids with the best opportunity to succeed and reach their potential. We are seeing progress: across Ontario, fewer kids are coming into care and more kids are getting a chance to succeed in permanent homes.

The Commission to Promote Sustainable Child Welfare, which we established last year to improve the system, has had more than 2,000 conversations with CAS, foster parents, kids, and front line staff. They are bringing forward creative solutions and recommendations to improve outcomes for kids, including improvements to the funding formula.

We are committed to continuing to work with local CAS and to making sure children are protected.

Posted By: Laurel Broten Minister of Children and Youth Services, london

Posted On: October 28, 2010

Editors Note: As published in The London Free Press on Oct. 28, 2010.

I made a comment posted to the LFP Site:

Broten ignores biological parents

It may slip by those not completely aware of the manner in which this government operates but has any one noticed Broten has completely ignored consulting with the biological parents of the children.

Families are not held in high regard by neo-progressives but to blatantly ignore the real parents in a consulting exercise and only those, save the young children,  with a financial benefit in the outcome is both absurd and damming.MJM

http://www.lfpress.com/comment/letters/home.html

The original article and many comments, some of mine and Mr. Charlton's included are here.

http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2010/10/27/15845846.html#/news/london/2010/10/27/pf-15845846.html

Brad Charlton has also written a letter to the Minister with respect to her statements.

 

 Title: Permanent, stable homes for children

Hi Laurel,
 
Your Letter to the Editor in today's London Free Press does a real good job of summing up the McGuinty government's opinion on parents. You state:

"The Commission to Promote Sustainable Child Welfare, which we established last year to improve the system, has had more than 2,000 conversations with CAS, foster parents, kids, and front line staff."

It absolutely amazes me that you and your ministry so openly admit that you don't even seek a biological parent's view anymore when making a determination on the welfare of a child. That is absolutely shameful.

I demand a response as to how you can claim justification for omitting the feelings, opinion, not to mention the love and concern, that a parent can contribute to potential CAS reform.
 
Sincerely,
 
Brad Charlton