TORONTO – This week’s announcement by the
Ministry of Children and Youth Services that $26.9 million has
been found to keep Children’s Aid Society operations afloat is a
short-term fix that fails to meet the long-term needs of the
province’s most vulnerable young people.
“While we are satisfied that this infusion of
last-minute cash will prevent further lay-offs in some CAS
offices, it does nothing to bring back staff that have been
previously laid off and it does little to address the critical
need for a sustainable funding model,” said OPSEU president
Warren (Smokey) Thomas.
“The child welfare system is chronically broke
and we see no evidence that a solution is being put into place
that will prevent this annual crisis in under-funding. As usual,
the biggest victims of this mismanagement are the children and
families who rely on core services of the CASs.”
Until this week’s announcement, the York Region
CAS faced the prospect of laying-off its entire staff in March.
The funding announcement will not allow the agency to re-hire 18
staff previously laid off, nor does it cover $2.2 million in
remaining debt.
Thomas warned the crisis in CAS funding
threatens service to more than 27,000 children and 42,000
families. He reminded Minister Laurel Broten that the CAS is a
provincially-mandated service which means the provincial
government is required by law to protect the well-being of
children, investigate allegations of abuse and to provide care,
guidance, prevention and adoption services.
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