Media Advisory - Seamus O'Regan to moderate five14 Talks on Ontario's Children & Youth in Care Day

The Children's Aid Foundation's five14 Talks to Inspire Change will be attended by young people formerly in care, child welfare organizations, policy makers and the private sector

TORONTO, May 12, 2015 /CNW/ - On Thursday, May 14, to honour Ontario's second annual Children & Youth in Care Day, the Children's Aid Foundation is hosting five14 Talks to Inspire Change. The half-day forum will explore new approaches in meeting the needs and challenges faced by children and youth served by the child welfare system. Participants will also celebrate the strength and resiliency that youth in care continue to demonstrate while overcoming tremendous adversity in their lives. In Ontario, more than 24,000 children and youth are in the care of the child welfare system.

"By bringing together former youth in care with child welfare experts, the private sector, policy makers and donors, we want to inspire outcomes and collaborations that have a greater impact on the lives of vulnerable youth involved with the child welfare system," says Valerie McMurtry, President & CEO of the Children's Aid Foundation. 

With the central theme of change, five speakers will be given 14 minutes to present their ideas, foster discussion and inspire change for future generations of children involved in the child welfare system. The speakers will then take part in a panel discussion moderated by Seamus O'Regan.

INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITY:

WHAT:		Interviews on Ontario's Children and Youth in Care Day with young people formerly in care, speakers and attendees who are taking part in a forum to inspire change in meeting the needs of children and youth served by the child welfare system.
WHEN:		Thursday, May 14, 2015
		9:30 to 12:15 pm: five14 Talks speaker presentations and panels discussion moderated by Seamus O'Regan
		12:15 pm to 1:15 pm: Interview opportunities with talk participants, former youth in care and Children's Aid Foundation spokespeople
WHO:	-	Former youth in care sharing their perspectives on being in care and their hopes for the future
	-	Seamus O'Regan, moderator
	-	Valerie McMurtry, President & CEO, Children's Aid Foundation
	-	Joe Canavan, Honorary Chair, five14 Talks to Inspire Change
	-	Rita Soronen, President and CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, will discuss unadoptable children in the system is unacceptable
	-	Dr. Esme Fuller-Thomson, Professor, University of Toronto, will discuss achieving optimal mental health in adulthood despite childhood abuse
	-	Kenn Richard, Executive Director, Native Child and Family Services of Toronto, will discuss issues impacting Native children in care
	-	Jamil Jivani, articling student at Torys LLP and founder of the Policing Literacy Initiative, will discuss racial profiling and how to be optimistic when confronting inequality
	-	Alison Alexander, UK child welfare expert and former person in care, will discuss what changes are needed to help young people in care take control of their lives
WHERE:		Arcadian Loft, 8^th Floor
		401 Bay Street
		Toronto, ON M4H 2Y4

About the Children's Aid Foundation
The Children's Aid Foundation is a national charity dedicated to improving the lives of Canada's abused and neglected children and young people currently or formerly living in the child welfare system. With the support of generous donors, the Children's Aid Foundation works with child welfare organizations across Canada to provide funding in the areas of prevention, education, enrichment, healing and recovery. Learn more at http://www.cafdn.org/.

SOURCE Children's Aid Foundation

Lisa Lipkin, [email protected], 416-988-4189