English - Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies

USE OPEN COMMUNICATION
The greater the engagement of the family as a partner, the greater the likelihood that
the family will view child welfare as a helper towards positive change. Focus group
participants felt that the current way that CAS communicates is to withhold
information and shows disrespect.
USE QUESTIONS THAT SHOW RESPECT
In order to perform an accurate assessment and build a positive relationship, the
child welfare professional will need to ask questions of the family. To promote respect,
structure questions in a way that builds on the family’s history,
culture and background, recognizing the family as the experts in
their life. If the family’s answers are not clear, ask deeper questions.
A family that is knowledgeable about their culture, for example,
could be asked:
> > What is important to you as you raise this child What do
you want to ensure is part of her upbringing
> > In your community, what did the community do when a parent was not
meeting his/her responsibilities
When answers are not clear, ask
deeper questions. Be prepared to
answer the family’s questions.
USE INTERVENTIONS THAT PROMOTE THE CIRCLE
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) processes are interventions that include
family members, community representatives, Elders and other service providers to
strengthen the circle of care for the family and child. ADR processes can be adapted to
fit the needs of the family and include more service providers in the circle.
Talking and Healing Circles are powerful tools that child welfare professionals can
use to engage families and communities. Circles help to equalize the power between
child welfare professionals and family members, and reinforces that child welfare,
parents and community members are partners in making the family stronger.
Using talking circles and asking questions that are solution-focused and meant to
help strengthen families creates more opportunities for positive change in a family.
CLOSE THE FILE EXPEDITIOUSLY
Some participants expressed concern that child welfare took too long to close files
for some families. Women who had been in an abusive relationship felt that many
assumptions were made about them, including that they would let their children
be exposed to violence again. While focus group participants recognized that child
welfare must focus on the child and mother’s safety, they also felt that mothers were
not engaged to help create their own safety responses for herself and her children.
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