WINDSOR – NDP MPP and Shadow Minister for Children, Community and Social Services, Lisa Gretzky (Windsor West), responded to the Ontario Ombudsman’s revelation that 15 families were forced to surrender their children to Children’s Aid Societies in the hope of accessing medical treatment:
“It’s gut-wrenching that in Ontario today, parents are still being forced to surrender custody of their children just to potentially get them the care they need. These families are often left with no choice but to tragically give up custody of their children to the very system that is supposed to protect them but rather leaves them behind.
This is a devastating failure of our social and healthcare systems -- a failure rooted in years of underfunding and wilful neglect by the Ford Government. Children with complex needs being treated like burdens to society by the government instead of being supported with care and dignity like they deserve. Parents are being ignored, and in some cases seemingly punished, for asking for help.
The Ontario Ombudsman reported he was made aware of 15 families having to surrender their children in hopes of getting much needed treatment and supports, but that is just a very small snapshot of the crisis. Many families don’t have the resources or knowledge to report to the Ombudsman and the number of families facing the same situation is much, much larger.
While the government ignores the crisis and gaslights families and community agencies more families will suffer, more children and youth are housed in hotels, Airbnbs, offices and other unconventional and unlicensed placements. Sadly, more children will die.
That outcome is completely avoidable.
We need urgent investment in medical, developmental, and community-based care that keeps families together and supports them with compassion and dignity. The goal of our child welfare system should be to help families stay safely together, not tear them apart. And right now, the Ford government has set it up to do the complete opposite.”