Ontario CAS's are accountable

Ontario CAS's are accountable


Earlier this month, the Star published quite an impassioned editorial demanding that the Ontario Ombudsman be given authority by the province to investigate Children's Aid Societies (Public oversight still lacking -- Aug. 7).

Later, a former foster child/adoptee wrote in agreeing with this idea.

One can understand why. CAS's, who are committed to doing all they can to ensure the well-being of our children, sometimes make mistakes. Fortunately very few of these result in a child's death or in the case of the adoptee, placement in an abusive home, but when they do -- and even when they don't -- the public understandably, demands accountability. But because the law requires that problems affecting children be kept confidential, CAS's are often hamstrung in satisfying the interested public.