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6. Role of the Family Service Workers

Family Service Worker - These social workers are the CASE MANAGERS and coordinate the decision making for families and children on their caseload. They implement the service plan developed to address protection concerns as well as the family's needs.

The following is a short list of their primary responsibilities:

To provide a wide range of practical and emotional supports and interventions to the family in order to ensure an adequate standard of care, supervision and safety for the children.
To initiate court applications and to appear in court when required.
To determine eligibility for ongoing
service by assessing risk to the children within the family.
To complete investigations into child abuse when required.

4. Child's Rights While in Care

The Child and Family Services Act gives you rights while in the care of the Chatham-Kent Children's Servicess. Some of them are as follows:

You are not to receive physical discipline (hitting or slapping).
You have a right to speak in private and visit with:
a.) A member of your family unless you are a Crown Ward and the Judge has not made an access order;
b.) Your lawyer
c.) A person from the offices of Child Family Services Advocacy (1-800-263-2841)
d.) The Ombudsman
e.) A member of Parliament in Toronto or Ottawa
f.) Your social worker
To send and receive mail that is not read, with certain exceptions
To receive service and care that respects your cultural, religious and regional differences
To receive regular medical and dental care
To take part in the development of your Plan of Care and any change to it
If you are over 12 years of age you have a right to be notified of court hearings and to attend them (unless the court decides it is not in your best interest)
If you are over 12 years of age and disagree with your placement you have a right to have your placement reviewed by the Residential Placement Advisory Committee
You have a right to discuss any complaint with: your foster parent, social worker, child care supervisor, Executive Director, President of the Board of Directors, Ministry of Community and Social Services

For a complete list of a child's rights and responsibilities, call (519) 352-0440

7. Role of the Children's Service Worker

Children's Service Worker - These social workers advocate for and assist with meeting the needs of children in care, according to Ministry standards.

Following is a short list of their primary responsibilities:

To maintain regular contact with foster children and the foster family, assisting, advising and supporting in any way
possible.
To participate in assessing and planning for the foster child in cooperation with the foster parents, other workers and parents of the child.
To keep the foster family informed about the legal status of the child.
To facilitate visitation with the natural family.
To ensure the needs of the child are being met, according to Ministry's standards.

3. Access to your Child in Care

Access will be arranged by the agency based on four major factors:

Safety issues
The child's needs
What can reasonably be accommodated
The terms stated in an Order by the Court

Access may be strictly supervised, monitored or unsupervised and may occur:

At the agency's office
The supervised access center in Chatham
In the community
The family home

The person supervising the access, which may include an agency staff member, an agency designate or a pre-approved family member, and the parent are responsible to ensure the safety of the child during access visits under the guidelines specified by the agency worker. When, where, how often and for how long visits occur may vary based on presenting issues.

Your worker will determine matters of access in consultation with the supervisor. The agency's expectations and requirements will be reviewed with you. You are encouraged to fully comply with the direction of your worker to ensure that your child's/children's needs are being met appropriately during access.

Should you have any questions regarding access, please call (519) 352-0440

2. Legal Status of a Child

Children may come into the care of Chatham-Kent Children's Services for a variety of reasons. Depending upon the reasons the child is admitted to care, the legal status will be determined.

A child's legal status can take three forms:

A Temporary Care Agreement is a contract made between the custodial parent, child (if the age of 12 and over) and the agency for the benefit of a child under the age of sixteen years. The agreement permits a child to be placed in foster care such as a foster home, group home or residential treatment facility. The agreement is for a fixed period of time, not to exceed six months, with the goal of successfully returning the child to the family home upon termination or expiration of the agreement. The agreement can be extended for no more than an accumulated period of 12 months total time. The custodial parent retains legal guardianship of the child. Decisions regarding the child's needs are made in consultation with the agency, the custodial parent and the child, if he/she is over 12 years of age. The agreement can be terminated on at least five days notice in writing to the agency.
Society Wardship status is granted by the courts based on evidence presented by the agency, proving that the child is in need of protection. Society Wardship gives the agency jurisdiction over a child's care and placement. A 'child in need of protection' may be made a Society Ward for a specified period of time, not exceeding 12 months. A child may not be a Society Ward for longer than a total of 12 months if under 6 years of age; and 24 months, if older. All time in care counts towards the total allowed.
With an order of Crown Wardship, the child becomes a Ward of the Crown and the agency takes full responsibility for that child's care and custody. Although subject to appeal under certain circumstances, Crown Wardship is generally permanent. The court will decide whether or not a Crown Ward will have access to his/her family. Only a Crown Ward without access can be adopted. The agency can return to court and request that an access order be removed in order to facilitate a child's long term placement to an adoptive home.

5. Complaint Procedure

Policy: Every person has the right to address organizational or service issues and to seek remedy through an established internal procedure.

Steps in a Complaint Procedure:

If you feel that you have a valid reason to make a complaint about the services that Chatham-Kent Children's Services has or has not delivered to you, you are requested to speak directly to your worker/team to try to resolve the issues.
If you are not satisfied with the results of those discussions, you can contact your worker's/team's supervisor to arrange a meeting to try to resolve the issues.
If you are not satisfied with the response of the supervisor, complete a complaint form and give it to the supervisor who will submit it to the Director. Within two weeks, the Director will make arrangements to meet with you over the phone or face-to-face. Within two weeks following that meeting, the Director will respond to you in writing.
If you are not satisfied with the response of the Director, complete a complaint form and mail it to the Chief Executive Officer at Chatham-Kent Children's Services.
If you are not satisfied with the response of the CEO, complete a complaint form and mail it to the President of the Board at Chatham-Kent Children's Services.
Within two weeks, the President will make arrangements to meet with you over the phone or face-to-face. Within two weeks following that meeting, the President will respond to you in writing.
If you are not satisfied with the response of the Board, please contact the Ministry of Community and Social Services.

Should you have any questions regarding the complaint procedure, please call (519) 352-0440

1. Plan of Care

A Plan of Care specific to your child's needs is completed by the child's worker, in consultation with the child, parent, foster parents/caregivers and any other service providers involved with your child.

Plans of Care are completed at seven days of admission, 30 days of admission, and every 90 days thereafter. This is a Ministry standard that ensures your child, the residence in which they reside, and the child's caregivers are seen by agency staff on a regular basis. It also ensures the parties continue to be informed and work together toward the goals set for the benefit of the child.

As a parent, you will be notified of Plans of Care meetings and will be encouraged to attend and participate, unless there are safety concerns or an existing Court Order that prevents the agency from your inclusion. A copy of the Plan of Care will be forwarded to you for your review and records.