Message from the Executive Director

We hope that you will enjoy your perusal of our agency website.  We take particular interest in our public scorecard which has been in place for several years and gives us some direction for our services. We also outline our model of service which we believe is both collaborative and effective.  You will note that we also have a section on the website where our staff can submit articles on child welfare which they may have written for school or for some project or workshop that they participated in professionally. We are proud of their commitment and energy. They have embraced the Collaboration Model which is also detailed on our site and the Signs of Safety Approach to Child Protection.

With the current economic state in Ontario, Canada and the world, child welfare staff have an important role in helping children and families cope with the effects of the stresses of job loss, financial insecurity, homelessness and hunger— all threatening to break vulnerable families.  The number of ongoing family cases where children were at significant risk totaled 1,726.  Our staff complement is 200 including 40 staff of Aboriginal ancestry who form our Aboriginal Services Department; foster parents total 185; and our volunteers total 84 (driving over 95,000 km. this past year).

We continue to invest in the strong network of foster families and kinship homes.  We are pleased to report that 95% of the 358 children in care are in placements in Brantford and Brant County, Six Nations on the Grand and Mississaugas of The New Credit First Nations.  Only 10% of our children are placed in outside paid resources.

Our Native Services Branch provides community appropriate services to Six Nations on the Grand and Mississaugas of New Credit First Nations.  Our Aboriginal Services Unit provides focused child protection services to the off Reserve Aboriginal families in Brantford and Brant County.  Most children are helped within their home and where that is not possible (both on and off reserve) children are placed in family or community foster homes to preserve their native traditions and cultural heritage. In 2009 only 48 children from Six Nations were placed in care out of a population that is estimated at 18,000 and another 20 Aboriginal children from various other First Nations communities.  More than half were placed with kin and/or on reserve.

We share with the community the responsibility for protecting children and strengthening families and continue to value our partnerships within the community.  Our sincere thanks is extended to:  Grand Erie District School Board; Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board; Nova Vita Women’s Services; Aberdeen Health and Community Services; Brant County Health Unit; Slovak Village; St. James Anglican Church (Paris); Brant Community Church; Pauline Johnson Child Care Centre; Ontario Early Years Brant; City of Brantford Child Care Services and Parks and Recreation; PJ Day Care Centre; Ontario Works Brant; Brant and Brantford Local Housing; Lansdowne Children’s Services; Ganohkwasra/Our Home on Turtle Island; St. Leonard’s Community Services and the Ontario Trillium Foundation & Brant Food for Thought.

We will continue to provide services to improve the well-being of the children and youth in our community.

Andrew Koster
Executive Director