LACK OF FUNDING SHUTS DOWN HURON-PERTH CHILDREN'S AID SOCIETY

STRATFORD, ON, Oct 7 /CNW/ - Huron Perth Children's Aid Society will cease providing child protection services effective December 15, 2010.  "We have been left with no choice," said Vince Judge, President, Board of Directors. "There's simply not enough funding to fulfill our statutory obligations without putting children at risk." 

The Ministry of Child and Youth Services funds child protection agencies according to a flawed formula that has left Huron-Perth CAS with a projected deficit for 2009/10 of $1.3 million dollars and debt carried forward from prior years of $870,000 despite program and staffing cuts of $500,000.

"Huron-Perth CAS is the lowest funded agency in this region," said Tom Knight, Executive Director. "We are extremely efficient with our funding.  We consistently spend ten to fifteen per cent less than other child protection agencies across a number of areas."

The issue is the way the agency is funded.  "We believe the funding formula can be improved," said Judge. "It doesn't reflect regional differences and it doesn't support good clinical work.  The children and families of Huron and Perth counties deserve services equal to those received across the region."  The agency provides service in rural areas without public transit.  It regularly spends $50,000 to $60,000 each month in mileage costs using volunteer drivers to transport children and families to visits and appointments. 

The funding formula should support good clinical work by allowing necessary staffing for good outcomes for children. "It's universally agreed that children do better in family environments, so we use additional staff to help them stay there," said Knight. "According to the current formula, we're over budget in that area, yet we save the government money on more expensive group home costs.  We only want to provide services to vulnerable children and families who need them." 

The agency has been in negotiations with the Ministry of Child and Youth Services for several years.  Earlier this year, Huron-Perth CAS, along with 11 other agencies, took the government to court to have the funding reviewed.  While the process is still ongoing, the agency has run out of funding.

Huron Perth Children's Aid Society advocates for and protects children's rights, supports and strengthens families and is a leader for change in our community.  We serve approximately 448 families each month and conduct more than 1600 abuse investigations each year.  We also help more than 200 children who are in our care. 

For further information:

Teleconference: The media conference is at 2:30pm on October 7, 2010. Media may participate in the live conference toll free at 1-866-440-4486; Conference ID number is 2437619#. To ensure your participation, please call five minutes prior to the scheduled start of the call.

Kathleen Babcock,Manager, Community Development and Communications
Huron Perth Children's Aid Society, e-mail:[email protected], Phone: [phone] Ext. 2299