On August 23, Jill Dunlop, Associate Minister of Children and Women’s Issues, announced the launch of an engagement for youth, families, caregivers, frontline workers, child welfare sector leaders and community partners to modernize the child welfare system for children and youth.
You are encouraged to provide your feedback and share your innovative ideas to help modernize and strengthen Ontario’s child welfare system by completing an online survey, available August 30 until September 30, 2019.
To help guide improvements, the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services is seeking advice and recommendations from individuals who have experience with the child welfare system:
- Youth or former youth who are receiving, or have received services from, a children’s aid society or have received residential care;
- Parents, family members or caregivers who have had involvement with a children’s aid society or with licensed child and youth residential services;
- Frontline workers from:
- children’s aid societies,
- licensed child and youth residential services, and
- other community-based service providers that work with children, youth and families involved with the child welfare system and with licensed residential services.
Those who complete the survey will be asked for their insights about the gaps, barriers, and opportunities to support better outcomes for children, youth, and families. The survey is anonymous, and will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. It is available in both English and French.
The ministry is also engaging directly with Indigenous partners, service providers, and stakeholders for input. During the consultation process, the government will also be engaging with a third party to assess and provide independent advice on modernizing services to ensure they are better coordinated, focused on prevention, are high quality, culturally appropriate, and truly responsive to the needs of children, youth and families.
Thank you in advance for taking the time to share your insights and opinions to help inform change that includes modernization, improved outcomes for children and families, and increased efficiency.
If you have any questions regarding the survey, the child welfare modernization engagement efforts, or wish to receive a paper copy of the survey by mail, please contact CYFSA@ontario.ca.
Thank you for your ongoing dedication to the safety and well-being of children and youth.
