Planting the Seeds of Change on our Journey Toward Equity

TORONTO, May 19, 2023 /CNW/ - As part of the Catholic Children's Aid Society of Toronto's (CCAS) commitment to equity, the agency hosted a community partner meeting yesterday to share its journey toward equity – the challenges it faces, the work currently being done, and the ways it can continue to work with community partners to challenge the status quo.

"At CCAS, we recognize the adverse impact of many forms of oppression, such as anti-Black racism and racism that leads to the disparity and disproportionality of equity-deserving families within our system," said Priscilla Manful, CEO of CCAS.  "We began planting the seeds of change in our equity journey many years ago and we continue to do so by integrating and embedding equitable service in all our work to support and improve outcomes for children, young people, and families in the Catholic community of Toronto."

The meeting gathered partners such as Taibu, Toronto Police, and the Toronto Catholic District School Board, and presentations were done by staff from CCAS's Equity Integration department, along with representatives from the Ministry of Children, Community, and Social Services, and the Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies (OACAS).   

In 2018, an Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression (ARAO) policy was developed, and in doing so, CCAS committed to ensuring that all people associated with our agency, especially children, youth, families, communities, staff, caregivers, and volunteers, are ensured their human rights and freedoms, namely, to be free from all forms of racism, inequity, and oppression.

Over the years, CCAS has made strides in its equity journey by introducing learnings across the agency, implementing the One Vision One Voice (OVOV) Africentric wraparound model, continuing to collect and analyze race-based data to inform its work, and in 2022, creating an Equity Integration department, which includes a supervisor, and four Equity Leads along with a position that leads the organization's work with respect to Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE). Further, to ensure that there is an ongoing dialogue about how to address equity within the context of Catholic Identity, CCAS' Pastoral Advisor is a critical part of this department.

To strengthen its Catholic Identity and continue the journey toward equity, CCAS has developed five strategic priorities: Holistic Assessment and Response Pathways (HARP) - transforming the front door; Youth Readiness - transforming the back door; Clinical Development - providing high-quality, relationship-focused services; Organizational Culture - creating the best possible work environment; and Strategic Relationship with the Foundation - enabler of meaningful change to our organization, system, and the lives of families. Each of these directions is grounded in CCAS' Catholic Identity, anti-Racism and anti-Oppression, Trauma Informed Practice, and child welfare reform.

"We realize there is more work to be done to ensure equity-deserving children, youth and families are not adversely impacted by the child welfare system, and our agency," explains Manful. "We want to be transparent in our journey and are asking community partners to hold us accountable in the work we do. Our hope is that this will be the first of many meetings where we can propel the conversation of equity forward, and work together to create meaningful and actionable change."

About Catholic Children's Aid Society of Toronto:

We are provincially funded by the Government of Ontario's Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. We provide child protection services 7 days a week, 24 hours a day under the legal framework of the Child, Youth and Family Services Act of Ontario. We work with community partners throughout Toronto to support children and families. To learn more visit: www.torontoccas.org

SOURCE Catholic Children's Aid Society Of Toronto

For media inquiries, contact: Jennifer Martin, Communications Specialist, Catholic Children's Aid Society of Toronto, [email protected], Business: [phone], Cell: [phone]