Children's Aid Society - EMS Presentation

1. OXFORD COUNTY
EMS PRESENTATION

2. CAS Mandate
• Ensure the protection, well-being and best
interests of children
• Support and educate Families
– To improve parent capacity

3. What EMS and CAS have In Common
People in difficult situations who need assistance

4. Agenda
• Transformation philosophy
• Duty to report
• Moving Through The System
• Questions

5. A New Direction
What we do has not changed How we do it is changing
Investigations
Ongoing Support
Resource Placements
Education
Goals setting
Service Planning
Access
Differential Response
Focus on Permanency
Strength Based Approach
Evidence Informed Practice
Assessing Present Practice
Evaluation of Outcomes
Adjust when needed

6. Reporting Child Abuse &Neglect
We all share a responsibility to
protect children from harm – a
responsibility that extends to those
situations where children suffer
abuse and neglect in their own
homes. This applies to any child who
is, or appears to be, under the age of
sixteen years and/or a child subject to
a child protection order between 16
and 17 years old

7. What are “reasonable grounds”
• It is not necessary for you to be
certain the child is or maybe in
need of protection to make a
report to a children’s aid society.
• “Reasonable grounds” refers to
the information that an average
person, exercising normal and
honest judgment, would need in
order to make the decision to
report

8. Professionals have a special responsibility
• The CFSA recognizes that people working closely
with children have a special awareness of the
signs of child abuse and neglect, and a particular
responsibility to report their suspicions.
• Failing to report a suspicion that a child is or
maybe in need of protection is liable on conviction
to a fine of up to $1,000.00, if they obtained the
information on which that suspicion is based in the
course of their professional or official duties CFSA
s.72 (4) and (the 6.2)

9. Moving Through The System
• The Referral
– Gather the information
• What happened
• Where did it happen
• Why are you calling now
• How do you know the information
– Engage referral source to assist

10. Decision Making
• Eligibility Spectrum
– Mandated to intervene --Sect 37(2) CFSA
• Response Time
– Within 24 hrs/7 days
– Consideration of child’s vulnerability (age)
– Immediate risk

11. Investigation Plan
• Traditional vs Customized Investigation
• Time line
• Who to interview and where
• Worker Safety Concerns

12. Safety Assessment
• Immediate safety threats to the child
• Determinations
– SAFE
– SAFE with intervention (Safety planning)
– NOT SAFE

13. Risk Assessment
Strength and Needs Assessment
• Tools to Assess
– other factors that may create risk
– family strengths and needs

14. Verification
• Did the alleged maltreatment occur?
• Are there other concerns that came to light
– Mental health/Drugs/Dom violence/Neglect

15. Determination
• Close file
• Community Link
• Open to ongoing services
– Service agreement/Court Involvement
• Supervision order/Apprehension
• Prior to apprehension we must attempt to place
with kin

16. Over Riding Objective
Permanency For Children in a Safe Home
• Stay with or reunify with family
• Placement with kin
• Adoption
• Long-term foster care

17. 92 Light St, Woodstock, On, N4S 6H1
519-539-6176/1-800-250-7010
FAX: 519-421-0123