Sir: This is in response to the letter from Ms. MacMillan a former foster parent with (CKCS) Chatham-Kent Children’s Services.
As Ms. MacMillan notes, the primary goal for children removed from their parents due to concerns for their safety and wellbeing is to reunite children. The mandate of the Children’s Aid Society is to act in the best interest of the child and reunification with families once risk issues have been resolved. Although I cannot comment specifically on the case referenced by Ms. MacMillan due to confidentiality, I have briefly outlined agency practices regarding the assessment process for family reunification.
Our child protection staff continually assist families to achieve this goal including referrals to support or counselling services. In assessing whether the risk issues in a home have been reduced sufficiently to allow a child to return home, CKCS staff solicit input from our community partners that have been involved with the family and the parents, which includes the foster parents caring for the child in the agency’s care.
The agency recognizes the important role foster parents play in the life of a child placed in their care and value and respect the opinions of these significant caregivers. Their input is actively sought and considered when making permanent plans for children; including the return of the child to their parents.
Although the hope is that the information from all parties is consistent and in agreement, however, dissenting opinions are also considered in formulating a final assessment of child safety.
This information is then collated and presented at court to the judge and the parent’s legal counsel where the final decision to return a child to the parents rest with the court.
Stephen Doig
Executive Director
Chatham-Kent Children’s Services
