Canadians Too Smart for CAS

September 28, 2005 permalink

Most Canadians know better than to report their neighbors to the Children's Aid Society --they seem to understand that reporting families to Children's Aid is as helpful as reporting Jews to the Gestapo.

The article suggests that Children's Aid investigates cases for abuse, when they really assess families for weakness, targeting the children easiest to take. The article ends with: " ... CAS won't reveal a complainant's identity unless the matter ends up before the courts". This is curious, because in other kinds of pronouncements, they claim all families are protected by court supervision.

In the near future, be on the lookout for ads urging you to give tips to the Children's Aid Society.

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The London Free Press, Wednesday, 28 September, 2005

Ad campaign calls for abuse reporting

By BRODIE FENLON, Special to The Free Press

TORONTO -- More than half of Ontario residents surveyed on behalf of the Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies said they wouldn't report suspected signs of child abuse.

The survey of 195 people in the province found 54 per cent of respondents would not report suspicions of abuse, while 85 per cent would report abuse or neglect only if they were certain it had occurred.

"People are afraid of retribution and they're afraid of being wrong," said Jayne Patterson, spokesperson for the association, which launched yesterday Use Your Voice, a new public awareness campaign.

The $225,000 campaign is aimed at encouraging people to report abuse, even if it's only suspected.

"You don't have to be right to report suspected child abuse and neglect. The Children's Aid Society will verify if something needs to be done," Patterson said, noting the CAS won't reveal a complainant's identity unless the matter ends up before the courts.

Source: London Free Press
found by Dolores Sicheri

Addendum: For the full promotion of this program, see the press release by the OACAS (pdf), or refer to the Use Your Voice website.