The Goderich Signal-Star, 1972-02-10, Page 13A
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The Huron County Children's Aid Society held their annual meeting
last Wednesday. i ,the County Council Chambers at the Court House
in�Goderich and elected their new executive for 1972. Seated is the
new president, Mrs. D. Bartl i'ff. Standing are, left to right, Mrs. R.
Redmond, director, Harold Robinson, a municipal_ representative,
Lloyd -Fergusonnamunicipal representative, Bruce Heath the local
C.A.S. director; James Doig, a director, and A. D. Smith, first vice
ident. Other executive members not in the photo are; Mrs. J.
pres
"`Derr Second Tribe preSTdent, 1B; -6---Hanlirsecretar- - t •iasur-et -:-r
Clarence Hanna, director, Ivan •Haskings, diredtor, Mrs. • M.
Cudmore, director, Rev. RT -C-- McClenaghan, .director, Cliff`
Dunbar, director, Mrs. 'James Hayter, director, Mrs. W. Ball,
director, Mrs. R. Snider, director, Mrs. P. Westcott, director,
Mrs. J.. Berry, . director, Mrs. F. Howson, director, Charles.
Thom a -s, municipal representative and -Gordon _H... Hess, municipal
repreigtlt `tivw. staff photo
SIX
Coverage By Ron Shaw
The Huron County' Children's Aid Society
held their sixty first annual meeting last
Wednesday afternoon in the County Council
Chambers at the Huron County Court. House in
Goderich.
The•rneeting heard a number of items of
yearly business but the highlight of the
assembly was the presentation of the annual
report by local C.A.S. director Bruce Heath.
The context of Mr, Heaths remarks•follow!,
A.S ��^erector:
spedk�s of
chanes
"Almost one year ago, I had noted that 1971 •
would find us questioning how we can expect to
realize all our legitimate aims and objectives
as a Children's Aid Society, within the context
of a mandate under the Child Welfare Act
which allows fora very liberal interpretation
and increasing community expectations of
service to be given. The report for 1970
underscored the observation that we could
count on 1971 to be a very successfulyear if we
were able to force ourselves' to settle on
certain priorities and objectives over the
whole range of valid aims and objectives."
"The process of evaluating service and its
delivery was barely under way, when it
became obvious that service demands and
traditional. priorities were being altered
-drastically and more 'quickly . than ever
anticipated. The service statistics
comparison contained in our annual meeting
booklet will etntl5hasis the service changes that
'have taken place, are taking ,place, and will
continue to take place during 1972." '
-first. a
-' "The area of adoption has undergone 'a
marked change, and this Society sees itself, in
the position of most Children's Aid Societies,
•-of coming,fuli cycle in a two year period, when ,
we were searching out homes" for infants, and
ntl�nts w�re.-.moo
encouraged in many cases. We are now ain the
position of having a waiting' list where
approved- applicants must anticipate long
wait, i g e_ tioAs if the jsme,s,ljatiten made
for .normal Caucasian infant. Two factors ,
have largely effected this change -one the fact
thatinfant, from other Children's Aid •
Societies are generally not available, and the
decrease in placements from unmarried
parents locally, traditionally one of the lowest
in the province relative to population. During
1970 anti through 1971; provincial ,statistics
would indicate that services to unmarried
parents have decreased about 40 pern cent, and
the fact that another 40 per cent are retaining
their children," the traditional source of
adoptable infants has been drastically, •
reduced, While'we •share the anxiety.of the
couple awaiting an adoption placement, it
would - be highly questionable to. lament a
situation where we can now emphasized the
primary function of any adoption service, that
of finding families for children who have none,
and not of a general 'misconception of
'providing babies for childless couples."
cr-
"It is with particular 'pleasure that we can
report several adoptions during 1971 which
w ear
.._-..., fr.a. • -. t t.tte- e : a -e-occur .erLafe._ --- ._s
ago, when the mixed racial, , the physically
handicapped, - andrthe -older child were too
quickly passed aside in the adoption market. "
"We can not emphasize too enthusiastically
,the role -of Today's Child and Family Finder in
drawing attention t� the need for permanent
homes for so many children in this province,
and the heightened ..,co-operation between
Societies in'effecting many placements."
'In October, I reported to County Council on
the trends in child care admissions that were
obvious from mid -1971. It q•was with some
concern that•the five year period from 1966
through. 1970 .had seen the admissions of
'child,ren to .this Society's care increase 100
per cent, and the fact that Huron had the fourth
largest' percentage increase of children in
care in the province over the tame five year
period,'one of 66 per cent as compared to a
provincial average of 8 per cent. Obviously a
re-examination of - admission policies,
philosophy, corn'munity expectations of both
• foster care and family services were in
order."
"While we are aware that many famil}i
situations exist that are unacceptable for
children, and children will conti'nue"to come
into -care, we frankly questioned the necessity
of many placemetjts, and the false
expectations on the part of some, that
admission to care was the solution to many
• family situations. The scrutinizing and
reviews of our children in care, .and a major
beginning emphasis on services to children in
their own homes have seen admissions to care
reduced Slightly under 40 per cent during
us this must be acknowled, ed as a-
with, a more dynamic guidance and counselling
service, is being; squarely placed on us. T>ere
arenot always appropriate and easy solutions a'
to the service problems we are now •'F
experiencing. and 'particularly when almost
.overnight -our Society must, make significant
budget re -allocations and demands on an
already hard-pressed public support dollar."
"Severe emotional problems, alchpholism
drug abuse, attempted suicides are now
recurring themes in our family services and
child care servmes, —particularly, in the
placement of the teenager in our care. I have
• some.._..doubts in my mind if our traditional
.' 1. inue_.tQ_be. the
- ounces.-�wrl one
answer for these placement needs. I say this -in
all fairness to foster parents who have
responded to our needs with a generosity that
is the envy of many other Children's Aid
Societies. Nineteen seventy-two will soon
determine if alternate resources need be
sought for -a very different child , care
population."
"If we have in the past related our existence
to exclusively or even. primarily the social
problems of the economically "poor, then our.
thinking will have to change, The problems and
demands of services coming to our,attention
are no longer .those from simply - the
economically disadvantaged. Social poverty
and family problems exist in all income
brackets, and we must respond to these
chainging requests." •
ri
**While we can not escape the noticeable
relationships between poverty, and family
problems corning to our attention, for us as a
welfare agency to identify our primary' reason
for existence with serving "ther.poor' is to
diminish ourselves as a significant force in
our community. While it„may be a large part of
our ftmnction'as an agency, it says little about
our function of prevention in the community.
On the other hand, we can not accept too easily
a philosophy that all you need do is change the
world and people will take care of
themselves."
"A year ago I had 'mentioned that the rising .,
demand for access to services on the part of
the general community was presenting a new
interest and a new awareness of the functions
and the quality of a Children's Aid service, and
particularly in view of the fact that our Society
source of
significantly encouraging trend, and one which
will continue through 1972. Hopefully 1972 will
allow for a consolidation and valid expansion
of servicesln response to the family services
and preventmon s` a c `es oma" rbc a'c'e S'f`t
Welfare Act,"
"People are turning to us, or are being
referred` to us by allied services and
professionals -in the community, who have
traditionally not done so in the past. The
expectation that the Children's Aid Society
will provide a different, service, will respond
ur. •.,,-
its revenue."
"For us as'a social welfare agency. in the
z_ L' tuis-i-governments status - dd_
particularly as one of the smaller Children's
Aid Societies in theprovince, we shall have to
take a new look at what we are doing, and ,
particularly, where ,we are heading. We must '
do this at a time when a large segment of
society is- describing socialwelfare as the �.
'only non-competitive operation which our
society allows to survive. Do we react '
defensively, if so accused,orare we prepared
to formulate and justify our changing' role in
tele community."
•.•The role of the' -Advisory Board On Child
.Welfare presents many other considerations,
and some uncertanties,assopieties are being
requested to define Jul document their
objectives, and,programmes for" the coming
year, if not several years. -- - •
''The Urwick-Currie Management Study
which reached us in 1970 implicitly -indicated
that, Children's Aid Societies had a dubious
capacity to formulate comprehensive plans
• and document social welfare budgets. The
actr
vmtrsef-the.Chj d,Welfare Adv�sonY
Boa
r
d ..
and its task forces have effected much needed
dialogue on the role of the Children's Aid
Society. Its, deliberations, .however, present
two challenges for us as a Society—will there
be subsequently a primary provincial •
emphasis on internal efficiency of agency
operations rather than one balanced with
concern with the way in which the agency is
serving the 'community, and secondly but
perhapsmore importantly, what is the,.policy
and planning role of the local board of
directors, and indeed of The local Children's
Aid Society?"
"These, are questions which the Board of
Directors in partnership with its
administrative and social work staff must
tackle in 1972, if .there .are to be any fruitful
results from the challenges that have come
from the community at large, and the service
and relationship changes that arose within the
Society during 1974."
Retired after
two years
After serving for a term of two years as
president of the' Huron County Children's Aid
SocietyBoard of Directors Clarence W. Hanna
stepped down last week,.being replaced by a
new president, Mrs. D. Bartliff.
Mr. Hanna termed the opportunity to serve
in the capacity of president for two years ,a
great honor. The context of this report for
1971 is as 'follows.
• •Another.year.haspassed into history of the _
Children's Aid Society of Huron County. It has
been a very busy one, and 1 hope a successful
one with the co-operation received from the
trr anaff,and the interest that ,
the'Board of Directors took in t ye wor ' • n
Society. We hope that we have' served the
people of Huron County so that they will say,
'a job well done"
I had the pleasure of attending several
Meetings outsidetthe County in relation tb, our
'budget programme for 1972, and our Societ's,
•
attendahce at the Eight County Children's Aid
Society, Workshop in neighbouring Walkerton. :
Many Of the Board attended the, Annual
Conference in •Toronto, and other workshops
and meetings of interest in our Children's Aid
.work. "
` *The past few months I have attended
several meetings with fellow members of the,
Society's negotiation corn mittee-as.we attempt to finalize a contract -With our Socias Wok and
Secretarial Staff. In October 1971, the Ontario
Labour. Relations Board handed down its'
decision that the Canadian Union of Public
Employees were sto' be jecognized as • the
certified bargaining agenf for the Social' Work
and Secretarial Staff."
"This is the one time of year that we have
`4.e-opportunity.o.sA..a Ikea rf€t-.t
ha#s.o
' the people of this County for all the financial
and volunteer help given to the Children's Aid
Society in many special voluntary projects of
the Society. As this is the last time I will have
the pleasure of reporting to you as President,
may I extend a special thanks to the
clergymen, and the staffs of the other Health,
Education, Justice and Welfare services.in the
County whose•'interest and co-operation are
invaluable. In particular we welcome the
introduction . of added Special 'Education.
services in the Hoard of Education, and look1 to
a close workingrelationship with the recently
formed County Social Services Unit." -
,.,May I express special thanks to County
Council for its help and financial support, to -
our foster parents who work so untiringly on
behalf of our children - our best- wishes and
every success in their activities as a Foster
Parent Association t6 -the County
'newspapers, C.K:N.X. Il.atlib and Television
for their assistance in presenting our needs
a••and programme to the public." .
,In closing, a very grateful' thanks to the
Board of Directors, gecretary-Treasurer and
"Local Director and'i.is Staff for their help and
co-operation. I feel certain my successor will
receive'the same kind co-operation that was
given to me in the past two years."
.r
A staff to do
the work
The everyday business carried on by the
Huron County Children's Aid Society is under
the direction of Local Director Bruce Heath.
Mrs. Ewan Ross,artd Miss Gertrude Wilkes
arethe SerffbrSocialAtkolkars on the Staff with
,, other social workers being Miss Mildred
,.:.. ,.,, iindmarsl ;Mrs. Harold Jeffery, John Ayres '
and Stewart ' honison. .
Mrs. Donald Stittson works as the C..04.
Office Manager with the assistance -of
secretaries Mris.Afv}'�aynn Ctinyk, y�,7,Misy+s Connie,
Howatt and Mrs. Barbara,Matthevwss