Families in Northern Ontario caring for children with complex needs continue to face immense challenges due to insufficient support services. This critical gap has left some parents with the devastating choice to surrender custody of their children to the Children’s Aid Society (CAS) in order to access essential care.
CAS has acknowledged the ongoing residential care crisis, which disproportionately affects children with complex needs. This crisis has resulted in temporary placements in hotels or distant facilities, far removed from their families.
Below are links to the news articles and a CTV News video featuring CASDSM Chief Executive Officer Elaina Groves and Nickel Belt MPP France Gélinas, who have spoken to the media about this crisis, advocating for urgent action to provide accessible and appropriate care for vulnerable children and youth while supporting families faced with the heartbreaking decisions driven by the residential care crisis and the lack of adequate resources in the region.
“Children should not be in hotels—children should be in family homes, or at least in settings that can meet their needs.”
