ANNUAL REPORT 2014-2015 OUR VISION A community where every child is a gift to be valued, nurtured, and kept safe. 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. Produced by the Communications & Development Unit of The Children’s Aid Society of Hamilton Editor: Stacey Birett Creative design by Sims Advertising LETTER TO THE COMMUNITY The Children’s Aid Society (CAS) of Hamilton has been In addition to providing insight to the community, PIs serving the children, youth and families in the Hamilton demonstrate the effective and fiscally responsible use of community for 120 years. available public funds, and are just one additional measure of accountability and transparency by CASs in our ongoing Throughout that time there have been numerous work to achieve positive outcomes for children and youth. challenges and obstacles but the agency has always remained diligently committed to protecting children, The agency has also continued to execute its own working with families to address concerns and ultimately accountability measures and is pleased with the consistent ensuring that every child is given the opportunity to reach positive scores obtained from undertakings such as his or her full potential in a safe and nurturing environment. the Client Satisfaction Review and internal Service Department Audits. During the last fiscal year, the Society has undertaken a great deal of work to strengthen community partnerships, While the Society will continue to implement develop modified programming and maximize the accountability and transparency measures for stakeholders, as always, our primary focus remains on resources available to continue to provide optimum obtaining positive outcomes for youth and providing services to children and families in the Hamilton services to assist all children and youth involved with community. the Society to reach their full potential. As part of these efforts, the agency has been actively Great emphasis continues to be placed on encouraging involved in working with children’s aid societies across academic success. Not only have we provided support in the province to develop a more global approach to the form of tutors and mentorship but the agency strives child welfare. Work is underway in developing and to provide our youth with financial support as well. More implementing the Child Protection Information Network and more youth are not only graduating from high school, (CPIN) as a means of securely sharing information but are continuing their education at post-secondary among CASs to improve practice. institutions. We are grateful for the tremendous support the Society continues to receive from community members Province-wide work has also been focused on and organizations, as well as the Grape Expectations Gala, implementing enhanced accountability measures for in support of bursary opportunities for Crown Wards. stakeholders and the community over the past year. Most recently, the Ministry launched its Performance Indicator Just as pleasing as the growing trend of youth pursuing (PI) website highlighting the first year aggregate report post-secondary education, is the ever increasing number of from Ontario’s children’s aid societies. Perhaps one of youth opting to stay involved with the Society after turning the most important aspects of the Performance Indicator 18 and technically aging out of care. It speaks volumes to release is public awareness. It is important that our the work being undertaken by staff and the support being communities understand the complex work undertaken in provided by the Society. We currently have well over a the child welfare field as staff work to address the safety, hundred youth who chose to maintain their affiliation with permanency and well-being of children and youth. the agency after their 18th birthday. Continued on page 2 1 Letter To The Community from page 1 Not only are Crown Wards As the new fiscal year unfolds and we have the opportunity maintaining their relationship to look back at the challenges and successes the Society with the Society and their child faced, what particularly stands out is our agency’s protection workers, many are actively commitment. advocating for other youth in care by participating on the agency’s We remain committed to the stakeholders. We remain Youth Advisory Committee and committed to our volunteers and foster families. We remain the like-minded provincial advisory committed to the children and families we serve. It is this group. These committees provide a commitment that will continue to see our agency flourish in voice to youth in care, an opportunity the work we do to ensure the best outcomes for children to provide valuable feedback to and youth. We extend thanks to all of our stakeholders for children’s aid societies and the your support and dedication to the Society. Together we opportunity for camaraderie. will continue to positively impact our community. As always, the agency continued to develop and expand on partnerships Sincerely, with community experts to meet the changing and diverse needs of children and families over the last year. The Society has maintained, developed, and strengthened relationships with professionals Dominic Verticchio, Executive Director offering service to compliment the Society’s work in areas such as domestic violence, resiliency, early childhood health, child behaviors and addictions. The professional in-house support, education and availability have been instrumental for families in addressing agency concerns and improving family strengths and skills. Marg Bowman, President 2014–2015 BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS DIRECTORS Marg Bowman ........................................... President Anne Bono Brian Mullen Jim Stirling ........................................ Past President Rev. Victoria Ingram Andrew Ottay Victoria Walzak ......................... 1st Vice President Ashok Kumar Nadia Rizzuto Gareth Llewellyn .................... 2nd Vice President Neil McMahon Gary Sims David van der Woerd ...............................Treasurer David Mifsud Patricia Wright Dominic Verticchio .................................. Secretary 2 3 INTAKE SERVICES Intake Services responds to referrals of children alleged to be in need of protection. This service is provided 24 hours a day, seven days a week. When referrals are received outside of regular business hours, After Hours Emergency Services (AHES) staff respond to situations where children are thought to be at risk or in any other circumstance warranting emergency intervention. 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. In many instances, referrals result in direct contact with children • Intake Services responded to 7,087 calls from the community and families for the purpose of conducting a child protection about children’s safety and well-being. investigation. Intake staff conduct investigations in accordance with a standardized framework, which guides the gathering and • 2,760 of calls resulted in a child protection investigation of assessment of information and assists in making the critical decision suspected maltreatment of children. regarding risk to the child. When the risk to the child is deemed • 755 referrals did not require a child protection investigation. significant, the family and children receive assistance through In these instances, Society staff linked primary caregivers with Family Services. other community services and provided follow-up as required. • After Hours Emergency Services received 9,603 calls regarding child protection concerns. AHES is a partnership between the Society and the Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Hamilton to provide emergency child protection services outside of regular office hours including weekends and holidays. VOLUNTEER SERVICES Our team of 207 volunteers provided over 41,200 hours of their time supporting the children, youth and families we serve. Volunteer roles include tutoring, transportation, child care, clerical assistance, special event participation and mentoring. • 21 children were matched with a Special Friend who provided ongoing mentoring and companionship. • Our volunteer drivers travelled 1,825,548 kms transporting children and youth. • 36 children and youth received academic tutoring through the agency’s Homework Club. 4 VALUED CHILDREN’S SERVICES Children’s Services staff are responsible for ensuring the emotional, behavioural and developmental needs of children in the Society’s care are met and arranging for any services that may benefit the child such as counselling, psychological assessments, speech therapy, etc. Staff ensure children who cannot stay in their own homes are provided with a safe, stable, and nurturing environment either for a short-term or long-term period. • During the year, The Children’s Aid Society of Hamilton cared for a total of 10,220 children and youth with 578 currently in our care. Of these young people, 380 are in the permanent care of the Society. • At the end of the fiscal year, 167 foster and kinship families were providing stable and supportive homes to children and youth in the Society’s care. • The Society found caring, supportive and loving adoptive families for 35 children with 25 adoptions being finalized over the past year. • 30 youth