Dilico Anishinabek Family Care officials have agreed to review the case files of parents who rallied last week against being denied access to their children amidst the ongoing labour strike at the child welfare agency.
The agency said it would review those files to see if there is any room for movement toward those parents getting their children back, said Tannis Smith, manager of Gaa Mino Bimaadiziwaad Counselling and Advocacy.
Smith said some Dilico managers met with the demonstrators Friday afternoon and listened to their concerns. Parents were upset they were unable to see their children while the strike was ongoing.
“None of them have seen their children since the strike started and they’re pretty worried about what their children are feeling,” Smith said, adding they also voiced concerns about how they work on a service plan to have their children returned to their care, but it seems like a never-ending cycle.
In addition to reviewing the case files, the agency also agreed to have an open community forum within one month.
“It’ll be an open forum for any people who deal with Dilico to come and voice their concerns and work towards solutions,” said Smith. “That’s awesome.”
And while these are positive steps, Smith said there is still work to be done and the group will continue to apply pressure until they see changes.
Workers at Dilico began striking July 8 citing heavy caseloads as the main issue. Employees have an average of 25 cases they’re assigned; some have up to 32.
Week two of the strike began Monday and Communication, Energy and Paperworkers Union Local 7-0 president Candace Lavalley said morale is high on the picket line.
“They’re still out on the picket line and they are wishing to get back to the table but they’re waiting for Dilico to ask us to come back to the table. We’re prepared to stay on the picket lines as long as we need to,” she said.
The high caseloads are making it difficult for workers to do actual social work, said Lavalley.
“They’re putting out fires and doing the best they can with such high caseloads.”
Lavalley said she’s glad parents are coming forward about their concerns around the service they’re receiving during the strike.
She also said she believes the contingency plan Dilico put together in the event of a strike isn’t working.
“It’s a tight community so you hear when there is no court-ordered access visits happening, when parents are not able to see their children,” she said. “We know of at least 15 children that were sent to southern Ontario.”
Last Thursday, acting executive director Darcia Borg said children had been removed from communities due to safety reasons during the strike, but wouldn’t say how many or where they were sent.
Attempts to contact Dilico for comment Monday were not returned.
