Preventing abuse: Nearly 1,000 area kids in foster care

THUNDER BAY -- There are 900 children in care in this district between the city’s Children’s Aid Society and Dilico Anishinabek Family Care.

“I don’t believe that any parent wakes up with the notion that this morning they’re going to be a lousy parent or abuse their child or neglect their child,” said Rob Richardson, executive director of the Children’s Aid Society of Thunder Bay.

“I think though that lots of parents need help, lots of parents need support,” he added.

Richardson and Dilico executive director Micheal Hardy were on hand Monday at Dilico’s Heath Park site to kick of Child Abuse Prevention Month Monday by launching the Step Up initiative, a campaign that encourages people to report any type of child abuse they see.

“Raising children is the most critical job that we have as a society. Any support we can give to families is vitally important. If the community can help us identify those situations before they become far too problematic, it’s a good thing,” Richardson said.

Not only does CAS work to protect children from emotional and physical abuse, they also need to know when a child is being neglected and aren't being provided the basic necessities of life.

“Those are the kinds of things people really struggle with because they are concerned about reporting their neighbours, they’re concerned about creating conflict,” said Richardson. “I think if the focus is what are you doing for children, what’s this community doing for children, then people can step forward with the idea they’re doing something positive for children.”

There were 166,000 referrals received by Ontario’s children’s aid societies in 2011 by neighbours, teachers and members of the community.

Hardy said Dilico Anishinabek Family Care has 600 children in care and about 800 family files.

“With more and more Aboriginal people moving into the city of Thunder Bay and the district, there’s been more activity at our agency,” he said.

“That’s why it’s become necessary for us to not only participate in the Step Up campaign, it’s important we look at acknowledging partnerships, relationships and also first responders in regards to the district.”

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