Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1986-03-05, Page 3GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 1986—PAGE 3 Agencies work together for children BY SHARON DIETZ Family and Children's Services and the Huron Centre for Children and Youth are working closely with the Huron County Board of Education to better serve the children of the county. "The matter of independence in serving the `,education' needs of certain pupils in the school population is no longer an option for us to choose" says Paul Carroll, superintendent of education. Carroll points out that as°of Feb. 3 there are 75 students described as having social or emotional exceptionalities. There are another 75 students who are involved in guidance counselling support for matters of personal, family or social need, and another 36 students are in school while under sone kind of supervisory or custody order of Family and Children Services. .These figures do not include students in the secondary school at the Bluewater Centre, a secure custody facility for young offenders. There has been no integration of ser- vices previously and the purpose of holding regular meetings between the two agencies and the board of education is to open the channels of communication and co-ordinate interventions on behalf ,of children with special needs, says Carroll. Since the implementation of the Child and Family Services Act which replaced the Child Welfare Act on November 1, Car- roll and his counterparts have identified children with certain needs, who would be falling through the system, if alternative services were not designed to meet their needs. With the implementation of the new act the ¢heel hoard ran no lnnser inter r'ne if a child is habitually truant from school and Family and Children Services can • no longer intervene where the person whose charge the child is in is unable to control the child. The agency cannot intervene unless the child is a. victim of physical, sexual or emotional abuse or has suffered from emo- tional harm which includes severe anxie- ty, depression, withdrawal or self destruc- tive or aggressive behaviour, and the parent refuses to consent to treatment. The new act also stipulates that, Family and Children's Services cannot intervene unless the child consents if the child is over the age of 12. The problem is with the child who says no to service, says John Penn of Family and Children's Serivces. The agen- cy recently had a teenager placed in care who hitchhiked to town and hired a lawyer to represent him. "These kids are very hard to serve now," says Penn. "A gap has been created in services for the kid which frustrated social workers, teachers and police the most," The primary helper was historically Family and Children's Services, but their hands are now tied because the problem or behaviour must be more serious than previously, before there can be interven- tion. "The legislative framework seems to re- quire a major crisis before you can in- tervene," says Carroll. The typical case is the child who is truant, is suspected of being involved in drugs and possibly break and enters in the community, and is a nuisance at home, at school and in the community. The parents cannot have the child declared out of con- trol and in need of care. The school can not have the child declared in need off care because of truancy and the police have in- sufficient evidence to charge the child placing him/her in the young offenders system. Sometimes, the justice system which is well structured is what they need to make them realize the consequences of their actions and the responsibility they must take, says Penn. "We should be able to predict better which kids will have problems when they reach adolescence. The school can identify them and we can work together to develop services to address their needs." adds Penn. A recent meeting of the staff at the Huron Centre, the staff foin Family and Children's Services and teachers in special education did more good than any other kind of meeting, says Don Keillor of the Huron Centre for Children and Youth. He wants to see more meetings because often the social workers and the teachers are dealing with the same children. The important thing about co-operation between the school board and the other two agencies is the spin off effect on services already available in the county. By targeting young people, the resulting.com- munication and co-operation has a much more important effect on the co-ordination of existing services, says Keillor. "The mechanism exists for any one of the agencies to say it really isn't their jurisdiction but something has to be done and these kids will not be allowed to fall through the system and disappear," adds Keillor. AT THE HAIRPORT®. ONE WEEK SPECIAL (Until March 12) Cute Cuts for Kids! reg. $12 Includes... Cut, Style, And Balanced Shampoo (Special for Kiddie's Delicate Hair and Skin) and Final Conditioning. Young women's conference in Huron A conference for young women throughout Huron County scheduled for this weekend (Mar. 7 and 8) was almost cancelled when a government grant of $8,000 was frozen last Monday by the Secretary of State. But, through private donations, the conference for young women aged 15 to.25 will proceed at South Huron District High School in Exeter. Plans for the conference has been in the works since November when represen- tatives for the Secretary of State office in London called Exeter teacher Pat Quigley and told her $8000 was available for a con- ference for young women. But, with the cutbacks on social programs, the funds were frozen last week. "All the speakers and facilitators said they'd attend for free but we'd like to give them some money. We'd like to raise at least $3000," says Julie Russell,, one of four high school students who organized the conference. • "It's really necessary, especially in Huron. County. to talk about - women's issues.' A -lot •of -girls are afraid to leave Huron County and are planning to get mar- ried right after Grade 12. They should try to further their education and see what's out thee in the world for them,'; says Russell. The conference will begin Friday, Mar. 7 at 7 p.m. in Exeter with the key note speaker, Maude Barlow followed by Janet Fury and the Furettes, a feminist rock group. Carnival rides reconsidered On Saturday, Mar. 8, the day begins at 9 a.m. with workshops on relationships, sex- uality, violence against women, incest, career alternatives for women and over- coming the fear of leaving the county. At noon, Honour Griffith will speak about self-esteem. Close to 200 young women from all over Huron County are registered to attend the conference, the first of its kind in the coun- ty. Organizers are Julie Russell, Angela Miller, Alix Zivechovic and Shelley Tomes. They hope to begin a group for young women resulting from the con- ference. SENIORS: Take advantage of our generous discognts on MI Services T..esday and Wednesday. cban Services oa..<..;•- e �, YOUR KIDS ARE IN GOOD HANDS AT THE HAIRPORT GODERICH HAIRPORT 79 HAMILTON ST.,.GODERICH 524-4212 fid r az • 3 `I II '6111V OE a "EXHILARATING PERFORMANC.E'AT AN t AFFORDABLE, PRICE, 1986' CHEEVII—' `l CAM R1 ' , Official Supplier to The 1986 WadeWorld Exposition ONE OF TWOrV1fE{ TIPS FOR,.; l SPAIN'S CO ;OOURTESY OI: 81w TONE OF 5 Pan :m STEAM IRONS ONE OF 5 phonic.. AUTOMATICTOAl fig oao Because all of the businesses on The Square were not consulted about .the loca- tion of carnival rides during the Kinsmen Summerfest, the matter was referred by council to the Goderich Business Improve- ment Area (BTA). Both Dan Stringer, of Reick's Pharmacy and Allan Fulker, of the Park Theatre at- tended council's Mar. 3 meeting to protest council's, decision to locate rides from North Street to West Street in 1986 and from West Street to' South Street in 1987 and alternate in the two areas every year. "The taxpayers most seriously affected were never given an opportunity to give their input. Closing off The Square for the midway affects business seriously. My customers are too sick or frail to make the four block walk in the heat of the sum- mer," said Stringer. He suggested that either business af- Turn to page 7 LUVS DISPOSABLE DIAPERS SECRET DEODORANT SPRAY 300 ml, ROLL-ON 90 ml, STICK 90 g. CLAIROL NICE 'N EASY CLEANSER ONE MONTHS SUPPLY OF AT RIECK I.D.A. CIVIC CORNER EVEREADY FLASHLIGHT AND BATTERIES SYLVAN IA LITE BULBS 40, 60 & 100 WATT Wednesday, March 5, at 12 noon, Goderich Economic Development Committee will meet in the Goderich Council Chambers. Wednesday, March 5, 3:30 p.m. Holmesville Landfill Site Committee will meet in the Goderich Township Council Chambers. Wednesday, March 5, 11:30 a.m., Goderich Traffic Committee will meet in the mayor's office. Thursday, March 6, at 12 noon, Goderich Tourist Committee will meet in the mayor's office. Thursday, March 6, at 10 a.m., Huron County Council will meet in the council chamberssat the Court House, Goderich. Thursday, March 6, at 7 p.m., the bi- annual police communications meeting will be held at the Exeter Town Hall. Monday, March 10, at 10 a.m., Huron County Library Board will meet in the coun- cil chambers at the Court House, Goderich. Visitors welcome. Monday, March 10, at 7:30 p.m., Goderich Town Council meets in the council chambers at the town hall. Tuesday, March 11, at 10 a.m. Huron Coun- ty Museum Committee will meet in the council chambers at the Court. House, Goderich. Tuesday, March 11, at 4 p.m., Huron Coun- ty Executive Committee will meet in the council chambers at the Court House, Goderich. Wednekluy, Match 12, at 10 a.m., Huron Coup Hoard of (Health will meet at the council chambers, Court House, Goderich. SUNLIGHT POWDER DETERGENT • E TE ERE WIN Pampers twat« ii3iiere. ' a011. c t� � , x.', ,.«aP,x Your Headquarters for .444/e —i Express your feelings best with our selection of ST. PATRICK'S DAY and ERSTE R-CA1WS Your Friendly Neighbourhood Drugstqre Pharrnacy 14 SHOPPERS SQUARE GODERICH 524-7241