2017-2018 Annual Report (English)

2017-2018 Annual Report

LETTER TO THE COMMUNIT Y
Greetings
It is an unprecedented time for Ontario’s child welfare
field. Dramatic changes in structure, oversight and
service are being implemented province-wide in an
effort to ensure that child protection services meet
the demand for enhanced accountability, transparency
and compliance while operating within a financially
limited landscape.
Through the ongoing deployment of the Child Protection
Information Network (CPIN) across Ontario’s child
protection agencies, a change to the age of protection,
the implementation and expansion of race-based/
culturally focused initiatives, and enhanced training for
staff province-wide, the one constant has been change.
We are proud of the many accomplishments achieved
during a fiscal year characterized by significant change
and we are pleased to share highlights through the 2017-
2018 Annual Report.
The Society remains committed to ensuring that youth
and families of all cultures, races, and ethnicities in our
city can access our services that are responsive to their
unique needs. As such, a heightened focus has been
placed on developing collaborations and relationships
within diverse communities.
Our Mission
The Children’s Aid Society of Hamilton,
in partnership with families and our
community, is committed to the safety,
protection, and well-being of children
and the strengthening of families, while
valuing diversity and promoting equity.
Improvements to French Language Services offered by
the agency have been made to address and continue to
improve upon the Francophone community’s sense of
disconnect. The ongoing operation of our school-based
program within the French School Board has expanded
and continues to strengthen partnerships between child
protection agencies, schools and community organizations
in the best interest of supporting Francophone children
and families. In recognition of the French Language
Service offered by the agency, the Society also developed
a new bilingual logo.
At the provincial level, the sector is working to address
systemic and historical issues resulting in the over
representation of African Canadian and Indigenous
families involved in the child welfare system.
The One Vision One Voice program led by the African
Canadian community and funded by the Ministry of
Children and Youth Services (Ministry), in partnership
with the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid
Societies (OACAS) aims to address the disparity and
disproportionality of African Canadians coming into
contact with the child welfare system. The Society has
been active in its representation at the provincial level
and has developed a five-year timeline supported by a
staff working group for implementing change locally.
In the fall of 2017, the OACAS acknowledged and
apologized for the harmful role child welfare has historically
played, and continues to play, in the lives of Ontario’s
Indigenous children, families, and communities. The sector
has outlined key commitments to improve relationships,
service and outcomes. Over the past year, staff have
attended a learning day at Six Nations of the Grand River
dedicated to deepening our understanding of the unique
history of the Six Nations of the Grand River Community.
Our agency also played a small but vital role in assisting
with the designation process for Ogwadeni: deo – the
first Indigenous Child Wellbeing Agency in the region.
Over the past year, the agency engaged in three separate
mentorship experiences, acting as mentors to seven staff
from Ogwadeni: deo. We feel confident that this is the
beginning of a positive and collaborative relationship
where the voices and needs of children at Six Nations
of the Grand River are at the heart of our decisions.
Establishing permanency for children and youth and
offering services that promote resiliency, life skills and
a successful transition into adulthood remain agency
priorities. A variety of in-house youth initiatives, many
new, have supported youth in care to develop literacy
and educational skills, pursue post-secondary
opportunities, improve life skills and enhance
opportunities for positive social interaction.
While establishing permanency for children and youth
in care is a priority, the majority of the agency’s work,
close to 90 percent, actually involves providing service
to families to keep children safe in their own homes.
Families supported by the Society often experience
trauma, mental illness, addiction, food or housing
insecurity and extreme poverty which can inhibit
effective parenting and place children at risk. Hence,
community partnerships and shared service initiatives
such as those made available through the agency’s
Community Capacity Building Initiative (see page 9
for details) continue to be of utmost importance in
accessing appropriate and timely service. Our community
partnerships not only aid families experiencing crises, but
are fundamental in developing safety nets for children.
At times when it is deemed unsafe for a child to remain in
their home, temporary placement with kin caregivers or
foster parents may be required. The use of kin caregivers
to care for children within the extended family and
community system has continued to grow, with 236 kin
caregivers providing homes to 346 children throughout
the year.
The Society remains deeply invested in supporting foster
families and has collaborated with the Foster Family
Association to form the Foster Family Retention Steering
Committee, aimed at developing solutions to help retain
one of our most important resources. Significant progress
has also been made in establishing connections with the
Muslim, LGBTQ and African Canadian communities as
the Society seeks foster families that better represent the
2

diverse population of children in care. During the course of
the year, 162 foster families provided stable and nurturing
homes for children and youth.
While the majority of the agency’s work is clinically
based, the field recognizes and appreciates the need
for transparency and accountability. The Society
continues to participate in Ministry led Quality
Improvement Plan reporting, and consistently scores
higher than the provincial average, thereby highlighting
the strength of our staff in meeting standards and
providing high quality service.
Our Vision
A community where every child is a gift
to be valued, nurtured, and kept safe.
The Society’s annual Client Feedback Survey remains
a valuable tool for obtaining insight from families who
have received service and subsequently ceased agency
involvement. Feedback indicates a steady satisfaction
rate ranging from 75-94 percent in each critiqued aspect
of service, which is strong and consistent with past
performance. Listening to the voices of the children
and families we serve plays an instrumental role in
making the changes required to enhance our ability
to respond to their needs.
The long-sought after amendment to the age of
protection came into effect on January 1st, 2018. Hence,
child protection agencies are now able to support 16 and
17 year old youth who were previously ineligible for service.
The 77 referrals (many self-referrals) received within the
first three months of implementation is indicative of
the drastic need to service this vulnerable population.
The agency, in partnership with the Catholic Children’s
Aid Society of Hamilton, is working with youth focused
community partners to develop a wrap-around style
approach to servicing this unique demographic.
While staff responded to 7,049 referrals and continued
to provide top quality ongoing child protection services
to 1,294 families, the Society spent the past year preparing
for the implementation of CPIN, which will drastically alter
daily operations. CPIN is a single, modern information
system developed by the Ministry to provide confidential
data sharing across the province for the purpose of
enhancing child safety. It is hard to fathom the profound
impact of dedicating both staff and financial resources to
prepare for implementing a database of this magnitude
while maintaining optimum service to children and
families. The Society is extremely fortunate to be supported
by a dedicated team that was able to focus on the ultimate
goal of improved child safety.
Transformation within hiring practices was also realized
through the mandatory application of the Child Welfare
Pathway to Authorization Program (Authorization).
Based upon inquest recommendations, Authorization is
an in-depth training series with embedded assessment
and evaluation, geared toward new child protection staff
to ensure a consistent standard of practice across the
field. The Society had all 31 new child protection workers
successfully complete the Authorization Candidacy Exam,
and the agency serves as a regional lead for this shared
service training.
Amidst limited resources, the Society continues to
responsibly steward its fiscal responsibilities. Despite this
commitment, the Society closed the 2017-2018 fiscal year
in a deficit position. The deficit is in large part due to the
costs associated with CPIN deployment, and an increase
in boarding costs given the number of children in care
and the complexity of their needs.
~ continued on page 4
3

Facebook “f” Logo CMYK / .eps Facebook “f” Logo CMYK / .eps
LETTER TO THE COMMUNIT Y
~ continued from page 3 About Us
Throughout the many changes faced over the past year, the
agency has remained committed to its strategic priorities to
improve and protect the well-being of children and families;
support, appreciate and empower staff, foster families and
volunteers; build and strengthen partnerships; work efficiently
and effectively, particularly as it relates to internal systems, and
to responsibly steward, attract and consolidate scarce resources.
The Society is grateful for the support of a devoted staff team
with an unwavering commitment to the children and youth
we serve. It is noteworthy to acknowledge that 32 members of
staff have more than 20 years of service within the organization.
This dedication speaks volumes to the work we do.
The agency is also fortunate to have a tremendous team of
volunteers and foster parents who provide unparalleled service
to promote the best interests of children.
At this time we would like to extend sincere thanks and
appreciation to all staff, foster parents, volunteers, members of
the Board of Directors, community partners and donors for your
ongoing dedication and steadfast commitment to the work we
do. Together we will continue to provide optimum service to the
community and work to instill positive outcomes for all children,
youth and families we serve.
Sincerely,
The Children’s Aid Society of Hamilton
is a not-for-profit agency that, by law,
is required to protect children from
physical, sexual and emotional abuse
and neglect. The Society is funded by the
Ministry of Children and Youth Services
according to Ontario’s Child, Youth and
Family Services Act (formerly Child and
Family Services Act).
Full-Time Staff........................................................267
Part-Time Staff.........................................................32
Student Placements...........................................30
The Children’s Aid Society of Hamilton
26 Arrowsmith Road, P.O. Box 1170, Depot 1
Hamilton, Ontario L8N 4B9
Phone: 905-522-1121
French Language Service: 1-855-550-3571
After Hours Emergency Service:
905-522-8053
www.hamiltoncas.com
Charitable Business No. 11885 2136 RR0001
A French version of the Annual Report is
available upon request.
Editor: Stacey Birett
Creative design by SIMS Advertising
Mary Meyer
Interim Executive Director
Gareth Llewellyn
President, Board of Directors
4

Intake Services
Intake Services is the first point of contact
at The Children’s Aid Society of Hamilton,
responding to concerns about children’s safety
and well-being 24-hours a day, seven days a
week. If a person has reasonable grounds to
suspect that a child is, or may be in need of
protection, they have a duty to report these
concerns to the Society.
The Society received 7,049 calls from
concerned community members about
a child’s safety and well-being.
Of the referrals received, 2,774 calls resulted
in a child protection investigation.
3,491 referrals did not require an investigation
or community link.
784 calls did not require a child protection
investigation and were linked to community
services due to the age of the child (0-5 years).
After Hours Emergency Services (AHES)
is a collaborative service between The
Children’s Aid Society of Hamilton and the
Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Hamilton to
provide emergency child protection services
outside of regular office hours, including
weekends and holidays. AHES staff received
8,262 calls.
TOTAL CALLS RECEIVED 7,049
The agency receives referrals from varying sources including schools,
medical professionals police and community members, as well as selfreferrals
from parents seeking support.
784 – Reports were
assessed as community
links and did not meet the
requirements for a child
protection investigation.
In these instances,
when children are five
years of age and under,
Society staff link primary
caregivers with other
community services
and provide follow-up
as required.
2,774 – Reports were
received and assessed to
require a child protection
investigation. The primary
allegation types include child
exposure to partner violence,
risk of physical harm, physical
abuse, neglect and lack of
supervision.
11%
39.4%
49.6%
3,491 – Reports were
received, assessed and did
not require an investigation.
All referrals undergo a
domestic violence screening,
family functioning
assessment and internal
provincial record checks.
Change in
Age of Protection
On January 1st, 2018, the Child and Family
Services Act was amended to raise the age
of protection from 16 to 18 years. The change
allows child protection agencies to support
youth who have previously been ineligible
for service.
From January 1st to March 31st, 2018, the
Society has received 77 referrals regarding
youth 16 and 17 years of age. The primary
source of referrals is from youth themselves,
followed by health care professionals,
school, community professionals and
law enforcement.
REFERRALS FOR 16 AND 17 YEAR OLDS
26.2%
21%
15.8%
15.8%
21%
Self
Health Care
Professional
School
Community
Professional
Law Enforcement
5

CHILDREN’S SERVICES
Children’s Services
The Society makes every effort to keep children in their own
home. However, if the safety and well-being of a child is at
risk, a child may need to come into the Society’s care for
an interim or extended period. In these circumstances, the
Society will provide children with a safe, secure and supportive
environment, within a family setting whenever possible.
Children’s Services Workers are responsible for ensuring the
emotional, behavioural, cultural and developmental needs
of all children in the Society’s care are being met and for
arranging for any services that may benefit the child such as
counselling, psychological assessments, speech therapy, etc.
The agency is fortunate to have a variety of specialized
supports available in-house and through collaborations
with community partners to assist in the areas of pediatric
development consultation and assessment, FASD
consultations and training, transitional support for youth
transitioning out of care, resiliency facilitators, and more.
During the 2017-2018 fiscal year, the Society cared for a total of
752 children and youth. Currently, there are 524 children and
youth in the Society’s care and 236 of these youngsters are in
the extended care of the Society.
At the end of the year, 162 foster families were providing
stable and supportive homes to children and youth in the
Society’s care.
The Society approved 3 new Flexible Resource Family
homes during the year, bringing the current total to 7.
Flexible Resource Family caregivers are dually approved to
foster or adopt as a means to establish potential permanency for a child and limit caregiver changes.
Permanency for children in supportive, nurturing and loving homes was established over the past year through the
finalization of 40 adoptions.
At the end of the fiscal year, the Society was providing financial assistance to 97 youth between the ages of 18-21 years of age
through the Continued Care and Support for Youth (CCSY) Program.
The Educational Maintenance Fund (EMF) continues to provide financial assistance to youth 21+ years who are enrolled in a
post-secondary or trade program. This past year, EMF assisted 17 young adults.
Snapshot of Programs Available for Children & Youth in Care
Employment Workshops
Learn & Earn
Homework Club
Bookworm Club
Post-Secondary Skills
Development Program
Life Skills Program
Crown Ward Bursaries
In-house workshops for youth in care to assist in applying for summer jobs or part/full-time
employment.
Annual academic support incentive program for elementary and secondary school
students receiving services from the Society.
Provides participants up to grade 12 with monthly packages of books from Scholastic
(six-month period) to promote literacy, numeracy skills and a love of reading. The 2017/2018
program had 166 participants.
A new psychotherapist-run, interactive workshop for youth in care planning to attend
post-secondary programs. The program touched on setting clear goals and developing
a blueprint to manage and excel in post-secondary life.
A new four-week program for youth in care to prepare for adulthood. Skills include
budgeting, home management, cooking, personal hygiene, resume writing,
communication skills, etc.
Annual Crown Ward Bursaries are made available through donations and fundraising to
assist with the financial burden of post-secondary education.
6

Family Services
Family Services staff work with families experiencing
difficulties to help resolve problems and develop skills
for coping with crises so that parents can provide
their children with a safe, stable and nurturing home
environment. Families receiving support from Family
Services may have children residing in their own home,
with extended family/friends (kin), or in foster care.
Services are made available to help prevent children
from coming into the Society’s care and to promote the
reintegration of children back into their parents’ homes.
Family Services provided support to 1,294 families,
with 540 files opened during the year.
The Society is committed to working with families and
children in a collaborative, voluntary manner whenever
possible. In the past year, approximately 62 percent
of families receiving ongoing services were doing so
through a voluntary service plan.
566 families received ongoing services through the
Family Support Program, and 368 of those families
engaged in family visits at the agency’s on-site Dofasco
Family Visit Centre. At the end of March 2018, there
were 192 weekly visits scheduled at the Visit Centre
for 113 families.
KIN SERVICE
Where safety concerns exist for a child in the care of
their parents, a kinship arrangement is often considered.
Voluntary kin service is arranged while protection
concerns are addressed and the Society can work with
the child’s family and extended family or community
toward establishing a stable and permanent plan for
the child.
346 Children placed in a kinship home during the year
236 Kinship homes were made available during the year
184 Children living in kinship homes at end of the year
141 Approved kinship homes at year end
YOUNG PARENT TEAM
The Young Parent Team (YPT) was developed in 2016 to
offer specialized support both pre-natal and ongoing
support to young mothers and mothers-to-be ages
13-25. The YPT provided service to 132 young parent
cases and closed 105 cases during the year.
Volunteer Services
The agency is supported by a team of 194 volunteers
who contributed an incredible 32,619 hours of service
to the agency over the past year. Volunteer roles include
special event assistance, tutoring, mentorship, childminding
and driving. Our volunteer drivers travelled
1,459,751 kilometres transporting children and youth.
7

FAMILY SERVICES
Child, Youth & Family Services Act
Proclamation of the Child, Youth and Family Services
Act (CYFSA), to replace the Child and Family Services
Act (CFSA) occurred on April 30th, 2018. While the
paramount purpose of the Act - to promote the best
interests, protection, and well-being of children - has not
changed, the legislation puts children and youth at the
centre of decision-making with a shift toward a rightsbased
approach where children are seen as individuals
with voices to be heard and respected.
Prior to proclamation, an amendment to raise the
age of protection from 16 to 18 years in the pre-existing
CFSA came into effect on January 1st, 2018 and was
carried over into the new CYFSA. The change defines
a ‘child’ as a person younger than 18 years thereby
allowing more vulnerable youth to receive much
needed child protection service and support.
Over the year ahead, child protection agencies across
the province will be implementing changes resulting
from the Act’s proclamation including addressing
service delivery to incorporate more inclusive, genderneutral
terminology, offering services that respect
diversity and the principle of inclusion, continuing
work to address systemic racism and barriers in service,
ensuring all service is more culturally appropriate and,
building upon family strengths through prevention,
early intervention and community support.
The CYFSA also supports more accountable, responsive
and accessible child, youth and family services. The Act’s
changes, paired with the ongoing implementation of
the Child Protection Information Network (CPIN) are
welcomed measures being facilitated by the Ministry
of Children and Youth Services to ensure that children,
youth and families receive consistent, high-quality
services across Ontario.
Our Values
CHILDREN
• Children developing to their full potential
within a safe and healthy environment
• Positive, permanent relationships
for children and youth
FAMILIES
• The essential role of family in the lives
of children
PARTNERSHIPS
• Respectful communication and
collaboration with children, families,
agency colleagues and community.
QUALITY SERVICE
• Personal integrity
• Pursuit of professional excellence
• Progressive approach to services delivery
• Effective and efficient use of resources
8

Community Capacity Building Initiative
The agency’s work with community partners continues to be of
utmost importance in providing service recipients with optimum
service. The Community Capacity Building Initiative is a prime
example of the benefits of collaboration and the demand for service
continues to far exceed allotted funds. Hence, the agency utilizes
private funds raised to ensure service is available where required.
• CHOICES & CHANGES – Offered in partnership with Alcohol,
Drug & Gambling Services
An on-site Addictions Social Worker delivers clinical assessments
and consultation in respect of substance abuse issues.
• 343 individuals referred for an assessment
• 214 individuals received assessment (many decline/
don’t follow through)
• PARENT & ADOLESCENT IN CONFLICT PROGRAM –
Offered in partnership with Dawn Patrol
Offers a family focused, client responsive intervention for
families in crisis and at risk of breakdown or harm because
of parent/adolescent conflict. The focus is early intervention
and crisis management.
• 89 families received service
• GET CONNECTED – Offered in partnership with
St. Martin’s Manor
A program for pregnant and parenting youth, ages 13-21, involved
with the Society to achieve positive parenting outcomes.
• 52 referrals for service
• MEN’S ANTI-VIOLENCE COUNSELLOR – Offered in partnership
with Catholic Family Services
An on-site Anti-Violence Counsellor works within the agency
to offer clinical assessment and assistance to men identified
as perpetrating family violence, and offers clinical consultation
to staff.
• 72 referrals for service
• 50 clients served
• VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN – TRANSFORMATION
THROUGH ENGAGEMENT – Offered in partnership with
Interval House of Hamilton
A clinical supervision collaboration to assist with a differential
approach and management planning in domestic violence
cases. The program provides risk assessment and develops
strategies to reduce risk.
• 229 referrals for service
• 178 joint home visits occurred, 341 children in those homes
9

DONATIONS & BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Donations
The Society is grateful for the ongoing support and generosity of
the community. Through in-kind and monetary contributions, the
agency offers a variety of supports to children, youth and families
working with the Society.
Last year, donations and fundraising efforts enabled the Society
to award 41 post-secondary educational bursaries, provide 192
kids with a summer camp experience, support 1,050 individuals
through 317 hampers during the holiday season. In addition,
donations enable the agency to run youth-focused programs
such as Market 26 and the Holiday Prep event, provide financial
assistance to aid in admission to care prevention, provide assistance
to young parents, and other initiatives and opportunities not
supported through the agency’s operating budget.
Thank you to all who have made a contribution to the agency!
Board of Directors
President...................................Gareth Llewellyn
Past President...........................Victoria Walzak
1st Vice President......................Neil McMahon
Secretary................................................Mary Meyer
DIRECTORS
Anne Bono
Denise Christopherson
Dr. Dustin Costescu
Ryan Diodati
Marni Flaherty
David Mifsud
Javid Mirza
Brian Mullen
Dr. Anne Niec
Karen Turkstra
10

Statement of Operations and
Changes in Fund Balances
for the year ending March 31, 2018
Revenue
Province of Ontario...................................................................................................................$ 48,129,703
Children’s Special Allowance and Benefits.............................................................. 2,121,824
Other Children’s Aid Societies........................................................................................... 374,632
Special Purpose Grants.......................................................................................................... 215,507
Donations and Fundraising................................................................................................ 283,816
Investment Income .................................................................................................................. 76,114
Miscellaneous................................................................................................................................ 621,770
Expenses
$ 51,823,366
Client Services..............................................................................................................................$ 42,071,238
Legal Services............................................................................................................................... 2,503,955
Administration............................................................................................................................. 7,548,343
CPIN..................................................................................................................................................... 850,048
Special Purpose Grants.......................................................................................................... 215,507
$ 53,189,091
Excess of Expenditures over Revenue $ (1,365,725)
Fund Balance
Fund Balance April 1, 2017 ....................................................................................................$ 10,868,481
Excess of Revenue over Expenses................................................................................... (1,365,725)
Fund Balance March 31, 2018 $ 9,502,756
Individual Fund Balances
as at March 31, 2018
Child Welfare Fund ...................................................................................................................$ (1,641,929)
Ontario Child Benefit Fund................................................................................................. 320,397
Capital Fund................................................................................................................................... 7,840,934
Private Funds................................................................................................................................. 2,983,354
$ 9,502,756
Auditors: Deloitte LLP
A full audited financial statement for the year ended March 31, 2018
is available on-line.
11

Facebook “f” Logo CMYK / .eps Facebook “f” Logo CMYK / .eps
The Children’s Aid Society of Hamilton
26 Arrowsmith Road, P.O. Box 1170, Depot 1
Hamilton, Ontario L8N 4B9
Phone: 905-522-1121
French Language Service: 1-855-550-3571
After Hours Emergency Service: 905-522-8053
www.hamiltoncas.com
Charitable Business No. 11885 2136 RR0001
A French version of the Annual Report is available upon request.