Dear Editors,
Workers at Brant Family and Children’s Services (FACS) are deeply saddened and dismayed as our agency shuts down on August 1, for a second time this summer, due to continuous provincial underfunding of Children’s Aid Societies (CASs).
Every day Brant CAS workers are responsible for over 800 active files. When management shuts down the agency, these clients, including more than 300 children in care, are denied critical services and programs. Children/parent visits are denied on shutdown days, and when the closure is on a Friday of a long weekend (like August 1), it means children will not see their parents for four days. Clients will not have access to prevention programs, like Drop-In Parenting and Teen Parenting programs, and others. Drop-in and mandated services, like youth transitional support, will not be available to at-risk children and youth. Preventive measures, including clients’ access to staff, will not be available which means supportive calls, at-home visits, drop-in counselling for children and parents struggling with mental health, emotional and financial issues, will be unavailable.
Closing the agency and denying children vital services to balance the books is not the way to serve our community. When management decides to shut down instead of finding different ways to deal with chronic underfunding, our clients, the workers and our community, suffer. We will continue to serve at-risk children, but we need the support of the agency, our residents and our MPP, Dave Levac, to secure the adequate provincial funding our children deserve.
Jennifer Kirby
Unit Chair CUPE 181.2
Representing Brant FACS Workers
Cynthia Jamieson
Unit Chair CUPE 181
Representing Brant FACS Native Services Workers
