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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1985-4-3, Page 25Children's Services faces road New provincial legislation and 'restricted spending in the social service sector will cause very difficult times for child welfare in the 1980's, says John Penn, director of Family and Children's Services in Huron County. Bill 77, the Child and Family Services Act which will be implemented by July 1985, places increasing demands of ac- countability on social workers and will create road blocks to protect children and. preservee families, he told close to 50 peo- ple at the annual meeting of Family and Children's Services on Wednesday. "There's no doubt we should be accoun- table because we have a lot of power in some areas, bid the checks and balances (in Bill 77) are so time consuming it will be difficult for us to do our first job of serving di Huron's families," he says. Under the new act, everyone's rights will be represented regardless of cost. A child over age 12 who objects to a place- ment may demand an advisory committee meeting to review his case and the com- mittee reports its finding to the Ministry. The child must have legal representation during the process and if he doesn't like the decision, he may appeal by a • Children's Services Review Board. The act will result in clogging the courts and placing great financial costs on the Society. Or, it will deter social workers from going to court at all. "It will mean parents voluntarily sign their children over to the Society or we may have to leave a child in a potentially risky situation,"' says Mr. Penn. "If the purpose of the act is to provide protection to children from adults who threaten them this act will fail." Other difficulties come from recent cut- backs in government funding to child welfare. Though the Society is still waiting for the Ontario government to announce its allocation for 1985, it is anticipating an in- crease around three to four per cent. "The politically strongest citizen in our nation–our prime minister–is preaching restraint and cutting some of our pro- grams but has increased the spending of his office by 54 per cent in his first year's budget. "The weaker members of our society must struggle by with increases less than inflation." Though Ontario once led the country in social program expenditures, it has now Review praises work, at Children's Services The staff of Family and Children's 'Ser- vices in Huron County can be proud of the quality of their service and their commit- ment to the community's families and children after the findings of an Opera- tional Review in November 1983. "Many agencies have been traumatized by these reports but this one for us has been supportive," said executive director John Penn at the agency's annual meeting on Wednesday. 'The review, which took place between June and August of 1983, concludes that the agency is well administered and reflects the values of kinship, family and com- munity which so characterizes life in the surrounding community. It holds up the agency as a model for the way it has built up a network of volunteers through its foster home, volunteer and Christmas Bureau programs. Over the last several years, the' agency changed its philosophy from placement as its main thrust to preservation of the in- tegrity of the natural family unit being paramount, • "Placement is now used as an extreme and final resort treatment...The Society has worked to extend its positive image in the community as a helping agency. as op- posed to the negative stereotyped reputa- tion of a 'child snatching' servine," says the review. The review praises the agency's policy which discourages case transfers between workers so it can provide continuous and consistent service support and bring about positive , change from a strong worker/client relationship. It also commends the initiative and in- genuity of the Society which has developed support services including the Christmas Bureau and the summer camp program.. "The agency's ability to recruit, together with the county population's will- ingness and zest in providing so many foster homes, makes it possible for 82 of the 84 children in care at present to be placed in foster homes in the community. This is an outstanding achievement of Huron County and of the agency," says the review. County, and recommendation is the agency move from one "which is basically sound and good to one which is great." The new board of directors for 1985 in- cludes Mildred Desjardine, of Grand Bend; Audrey Royal, of Goderich; Peggy. Menzies, of Clinton; Jim Barnes, of Brussels; Veronica Snider, of Zurich; George Brophy, of.West Wawanosh; and Suzy Symes, of Colborne Township. Municipal representatives include Huron County Warden Paul Steckle; Los y 'Fuller, of Exeter; Isidore 'LaPorte, of Zurich; and Tony Bedard. Sorority studies negative attitude of 'haridicappisii CLINTON - The Feb. 12 meeting of the Xi Epsilon Beta chapter of Beta Sigma Phi was held at Joanne Poelman's. Two members of the Goderich and District Association for the Mentally Retarded were present - Helen Watson, who is executive director, and Bon- nie Graham, who is past president. After Bonnie talked about the history of the Goderich association, Helen gave a slide presentation on "Handicappism" which il- lustrated the many negative attitudes which the general public has about those who are physically or mentally handicapped. She also spoke about the many ongoing projects in which the association is involved, in- cluding Suncoast Enterprises, residential and independent living, and the Lady Diana 'Nursery. Chapter members met at Betty Jo Cud- more's on Feb. 26, where Betty Jo presented a thought-provoking program on "hap- piness". At the meeting on March 19, a new ex- ecutive for 1985/86 was elected as follows: president, Nancy Anstett; vice-president - Vivienne Roy; secretary- Lois Fitzgerald; treasurer - Marj Dobson; corresponding •secretary - Audrey Kemp: Marie Black presented her program on garnishes, with an impressive disulav of turnip flowers, onion mums, apple birds, carrot buttertlnes and radish mushrooms. She. gave each member a booklet of in- structions for a large variety of garnishes, before inviting everyone to help themselves from the colorful trays of food. On March 26, the members assembled at the Clinton Library to attend "Hats off to the Canadian Short Story", sponsored by the Huron County Public Library. Film adapta- tions of four excellent Canadian short stories were shown, with commentary by Marian Doucette. Members then gathered at Audrey Kemp's for the rest of the meeting. Nancy Anstett reported that there are orders for 302 boxes of chocolates, which will keep everyone busy. Final plans were made for the bowling party on Friday night with members of both chapters and their husbands. Vivienne reminded everyone of the Mother's Day cheon which will be held at Robindale's in Goderich on Saturday May llth. Lois reported that the Cancer Society daf- fodils will arrive on April 10 and the tea will be held on April 11. Members of the other chapter who will be progressing to this chapter next year have been invited to the next meeting at Nancy Anstett's on April 9. YES! YOU CAN NAVE YOUR SMALL APPLIANCES REPAIRED!! REPAIRS TO MOST MAKES OF: Lr 1►•Electric Slicers •Toasters •Electric Kettles • •Irons f •Electric Hot Plates •Coffee Makers •Electr,c Hair Dryers •Fry Pons ' •Electric Processors •Mixers and many more... Drop off and pick up at CLINTON PRO HARDWARE Repairs by... RICE MU APPLIANCE REPAIR n A 9 R.R. 1 'Medford _._t locks fallen behind the so-called „-ve not pro- vinces, says Mr. Penn. "I don't believe they don't have the fun- ding for us. Millions and billions are given to corporations in the way of grants," he says. The $2.3 billion given to Canadair to finance their operation for one year could finance child welfare in Ontario for over 11 years at its present level. The $2.3 billion is more than is spent on child welfare in Canada in a year. "Both the federal and provincial govern- ments give children's services a very low priority compared to the need to provide private transportation to MPs and their families, purchase new uniforms for our military or purchase over -priced oil com- panies such as Suncor or Petrocanada." The 10,000 people who are members of Children's Aid Societies along with the social workers, .foster parents, adoptive parents., volunteers and staff, members should get together to present a unified front to the provincial government, he says. "We haven not realized our political power. Perhaps when this energy is unified and focused to speak to our politi- cians about the needs of families and children in ways that they can understand, then our funding may receive the priority it deserves." CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 1985—Page 3A Final plans are being made for the upcoming Four County Arts Committee workshop to be held in Clinton, April 12-14. Dozens of artists and arts groups consultants are expected to attend. Organizers included (left to right) Karen Scott -Booth, Linda Lentz, Kevin Duguay and Dave Shepherd. (Shelley McPhee photo) ELECTION PROC TION Of which all persons are asked to take notice and to govern themselves accordingly. In obedience to Her Majestvis writs of election, directed by me to the Returning Officer in each electoral district, for the purpose of' electing persons to represent the voters in the Le3,'islative Assembly of Ontario, public notice is herein' given of the following in each electoral district. REVISION Eligible electors (voters), missed during the current enumeration, who wish to have their namesadded to the preliminary voters' list, must contact their Returning Officer and ask about the procedure before the list is finalized. The Phone Number of the Returning Officer for your Electoral District is available from Directory Assistance. THE OFFICIAL NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES CLOSES in the Returning Office of each Elector& District Thursday, April 18th, 2 p.m, ADVANCE POLLS THURSDAY, SATURDAY, MONDAY, APRIL 25th, 27th and 29th VOTING HOURS 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. THURSDAY, MAY 2nd, 1985 VOTING HOURS 9 n. m. until 8 p.m. ONE HOUR EARLIER IN THE ELECTORAL DISTRICTS OF KENORA AND RAINY RIVER ELECTION RESULTS At a time to be posted locally. .the official tabulation of results will be made by the Returning Officers. in their offices, using the statements from each polling place. 7 GOD SAVE THE QUEEN ny',jrd ,at Tornnto Ontario Warren R. Bailie, CHIEF ELECTION OFFICER KEEPING YOU INFORMED Published by the Office of the Chief Election Officer of Ontario