Jones questions about additional burden to Children’s Aid Societies

Dufferin — Caledon MPP Sylvia Jones recently asked Children and Youth Services Minister Laurel Broten to table a report setting out the additional staffing requirements to enforce the Minister’s Child Pornography Reporting Act bill.

This bill is aimed at broadening the already financially strained mandate of the Children’s Aid Societies to include reported cases of child pornography.

The Children’s Aid Societies are mandated to perform certain tasks under legislation, and are required to have a balanced budget approved by the Minister of Children and Youth Services at the beginning of each year. This year, a record 37 of the 51 Children’s Aid Societies have filed Section 14 reviews, which means they are unable to balance their current mandate with their budget, according to a statement issued Monday by Jones’ office.

“Mandating more tasks of the Children’s Aid Societies without proper funding is irresponsible,” said Jones. “They have a legislated responsibility to provide front-line care for the most vulnerable children in this province. Cutting their budgets will inevitably mean a reduction in services for atrisk children and longer waiting lists.”

Several Children’s Aid Societies, including Peel’s, have been impacted by these budget cuts. Many of these organizations fear the budget cuts will mean a reduction in front-line staff that provide child protection services. By adding the additional pressures of an expanded mandate and an annual report, the Child Pornography Reporting Act requirements will burden the system even more.

“Ontario families have a right to be concerned,” Jones observed. “Provincial legislation says that Children’s Aid Societies need to ensure the safety and well-being of children. Inevitably, staffing and other resources are going to have to be cut in order for the 37 Children’s Aid Societies who are at risk to comply with the mandate set out by the Ministry. How does the Minister expect Children’s Aid Societies to provide more care for less money?”