October is Child Abuse Prevention Month and the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies is counting on you for your support to help protect the children in your community.
The community plays an important role in keeping children safe and in helping families that may need support to keep their children safe.
Every year, over 171,000 people call Children's Aid Societies to share protection concerns about children and families in Ontario. Section 72 of the Child and Family Services Act states that the public - and especially professionals who work with children - must promptly report any suspicions that a child may be in need of protection to a Children's Aid Society.
If something a child says or does causes you to feel concerned about a child’s safety or well-being, please call York Region Children’s Aid Society to share those concerns at (905) 895-2318 or toll-free at 1-800-718-3850.
You do not have to be certain that abuse is happening; you just need to use your best judgment and make the call. Children's Aid Society will then make an assessment using trained workers to determine the risk in a situation.
A call to a Children's Aid Society leads to an offer of help to a family. Children's Aid Societies work first and foremost to keep families together. In 2013, children remained at home in 97 per cent of all investigations.* (*Ontario Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect, 2013)
Children's Aid Societies provide a broad range of services to children and families where there are concerns about safety and well-being. Children's Aid Societies are part of the broader children's services sector and rely on the web of community services and resources to provide critical services for struggling families. Child welfare workers will help families obtain the services they may need, such as parenting or treatment programs for problems such as addictions, mental health, and anger management. Children's Aid Societies are the only children's service sector agency that will provide in-home visits and support to families, an invaluable service for families that are struggling.
Did you know that a phone call to a Children's Aid Society can prevent child abuse? This video explains how.
Additional resources:
Visit the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies yourchildrensaid YouTube channel