Children's Community Network

The children's aid

My daughter Desirea has been connected to several services thanks to CCN. Amazing people with a lot of children services information and programs connected. Without I would be lost SAHD. Hopefully Sudbury can keep this positive service up.

In my experience, this agency is yet another systemically white government funded body whose service provision remains barrier ridden when accessed by individuals while overused by child protection agencies. The positive reviews of the network can be explained by the fact that they are the only agency whom provides such programming in the city. In other words, there is a low standard set, if one, for how to do this work. Regardless of a high prevalence of FASD for example, the networks FASD program is all that is available for families. In example, bilingualism remains a hiring requirement for employees, excluding many otherwise qualified individuals, including Indigenous folk, racialized and new Canadian workers, even when these identities disproportionally build up their client population. Most frustrating in my personal experience has been the supposed provision of the ‘Alternative Dispute Resolution,’ intended to assist families in resolving conflict involving Indigenous children in the child protection system - intended (and well funded) to avoid unnecessary separation of Indigenous children from their families and communities. Throughout my involvement as a caregiver, I have not once witnessed the ADR offered regardless of this process being set out in the CFSA. The programs website remains illusive, and its lack of outreach and advertisement makes clear that Child Welfare agencies and the bands involved are the the only ones who may initiate this process. Thus, while the demand remains (resulting in ongoing conflict in families), ADR is strategically under utilized by CAS’s whom only benefit from this conflict as it works to ensure their ongoing governance of Indigenous families as a colonial strategy. Thus, children and their families remain undeserved within a well funded system. In other words, more jobs for more white people.