THROUGH MY EYES
score: Fiona Johnson lyrics: Valerie Foley
singer: Scott James

To See the World through my eyes
It changes shape and it changes size.
It’s not quite the world you see.
If you could find a way
To look around inside my mind
Maybe you would understand me.

I’m not blind but I can almost see.
I’m not deaf but things sound strange to me.
I’m not tapped but it’s hard to feel free.
Imagine what it’s like to be me.
Imagine what it’s like to be me.

It’s hard for my to try
to think things through, or talk like you.
Everything can be a blur sometimes,
But if you walk along beside me,
Hold my hand and guide me
Together can be found somewhere we can fly

Cause I’m not blind but I can almost see.
I’m not deaf but things sound strange to me.
I’m not trapped but it’s hard to feel free.
Imagine what it’s like to be me.
Imagine what it’s like to be me.

Dreamin bout my future
And it’s brighter than you know
I’ll get there on a different road
When I am ready to go

I don’t need pity. I don’t need tears.
I just need someone to help me understand my fears.
Tell me you believe in me.
Let me know that I’m okay
Help me feel safe and warm
And I will find my way.

Cause I’m not blind but I can almost see.
I’m not deaf but things sound strange to me.
I’m not tapped but it’s hard to feel free.
Imagine what it’s like to be me.
Imagine what it’s like to be me.

RAY FERRIS GIVES CREDIT TO DEREK HOARE

Ray Ferris commented further to Derek Hoare's account of the Case Conference held last Monday the 23rd of January 2012. It is an encouraging assessment of what seemed like such a disappointing outcome. Whereas thousands of supporters were hopeful that MCFD would propose at the very least a plan for a graduated return of Ayn Van Dyk to her father, instead a court date for trial was set for December 2012 and lasting until February 2013. Further, whereas some readers may have faulted Derek for minimizing the mediation and wanting the trial, Ferris looks at this differently and actually applauds Derek. Read his reasoning here. The point is the Ministry of Children has no substantive reason for doing what they are doing to this family, have no evidence of weight it can bring to trial, and would love nothing more than to wallow around in mediation talks that appear conciliatory but simply drag on indefinitely with no serious intention to deal fairly. It requires a judge's directive to the Ministry to make a restoration of parental custodial rights happen, and that's what occurred in the Paul and Zabeth Bayne case.

Here are Ray Ferris' comments.

THIS IS THE 227th DAY SINCE AYN WAS TAKEN

That's long enough for any kind of assessment don't you think?
So, she wandered from home one day in June 2011. Has keeping her this long solved that problem?
Well, NO. She wandered off twice since she has been with the Ministry care. And furthermore, the last trip was naked down the street.
Finally it's enough. Yea, yea, yea, the social workers are merely trying to be responsible. Now it's time to actually do the right thing. She should be returned to her father. But you see, you can't do that easily because you placed this child into this bureaucratic isolation booth with selfish vested interests from which there is no immediate escape. And if you are going to say that a director made you do that, isn't also time for one or more of you to blow the whistle on something that is inherently wrong.

DEREK HOARE TALKING ABOUT HIS CASE CONFERENCE – Part 2 of 2

In responding to Derek Hoare's synopsis of his Monday Case Conference, entitled ‘Derek’s Report about Case Conference,’ which is worth reading and was sent to his Facebook friends, I wrote a number of questions. Among them were the following. Derek's response follows each lead question.

I wrote, "The trial dates are indeed distant. Annoyance at MCFD over this is misdirected. Neither the Ministry nor its lawyers control the calendar. The court clerk’s calendar is full of prior scheduled cases. Our B.C. Court system is jam-packed with family related cases. The scheduling of a Hoare/Van Dyk case is dependent upon the availability of a judge, of the Ministry lawyer, of Derek’s lawyer, and of court room facilities. All of these individual schedules must find a harmonized meeting place."

Derek said, “Yes that is correct Ron it was not the ministry who sets the trial date, it is based on the availability of all parties (courts, MCFD, Lawyers, Amie and myself). In this case I believe those are the next available court dates.”

DEREK HOARE TALKING ABOUT HIS CASE CONFERENCE – Part 1 of 2

Late Monday night following the difficult experience of the Case Conference, a meeting with representatives from the Ministry of Children, Derek took time to communicate to the over 4,000 online supporters who frequent the Facebook page known as Help Bring little Autistic girl back to her daddy. All day long people had sent best wishes and hopes for a good outcome.

Derek wrote, “Well I'm gonna put on a pot of coffee and get to reading here. But first I'll write up a brief synopsis. It was very emotional to say the least - did have to take a recess but at least now we know how long this can possibly go on for.”

Soon Derek sent us his report which I posted the next morning, Tuesday January 24th, entitled ‘Derek’s Report about Case Conference,’ which you can read here. If you have not read that report, it provides the backdrop to today's and tomorrow's pieces. Many page members responded to him on Facebook.

His report prompted numerous questions from me which I consolidated into one comment. The following day Derek graciously took time to answer these questions, one at a time which became very informative for us all but also offered opportunity for us to continue those conversational strings. I have provided the series of my lead questions and Derek’s responses.

CASE CONFERENCING (What a Parent Needs to Know)

CASE CONFERENCING (What a Parent Needs to Know)  PART TWO
By Ray Ferris

Ray Ferris is a retired employee and administrator with the Ministry and is now a diligent critic of substandard case work and oversight and a proponent of change to Child Welfare and in particular Child Protection. He has written this two-part comment that speaks to Case Conferences and the article written on the same subject by PAPA INBC. On January 20, 2011 the contributor known as PAPA INBC or People Assisting Parents Association, wrote advice for parents who find themselves in Case Conference with Ministry of Children representatives. His piece was called A CASE CONFERENCE (What a Parent Needs to Know). Papa has also written two lengthy additional pieces of advice as comments on yesterday's GPS blog post by Ray Ferris.

Here is the final installment of this two-part post.

"Now I will try to give you one or two useful hints. You do not need to understand the whole act, but you should know certain sections that can be helpful to you and above all make sure that your lawyer reads those sections. You should read and memorize as much as possible of the following sections. Section 2, subsections 2,3 and 4. Guiding principles, service delivery principles and the best interests of the child. You can see right away that the ministry and the court are paying no attention to these sections and your lawyer should constantly be reminding the court of these sections.

CASE CONFERENCING (What a Parent Needs to Know) PART ONE

On January 20, 2011 the contributor known as PAPA INBC or People Assisting Parents Association, wrote some advice for parents who occasionally find themselves called to a meeting with Ministry of Children representatives - a meeting known as a Case Conference. His piece was called A CASE CONFERENCE (What a Parent Needs to Know). Papa prepared parents for an adversarial attitude by Ministry reps. Ray Ferris, a retired employee and administrator with the Ministry has in latter years become a critic of substandard case work and oversight and a proponent of change to Child Welfare and in particular Child Protection. He has written a two-part comment that speaks to Case Conferences and the article written on the same subject by PAPA INBC.

CASE CONFERENCING (What a Parent Needs to Know)
By Ray Ferris

When one reads the preparation advice for case conferencing that is recommended by PAPA INBC, it is hard to imagine that this is preparation for some negotiating meeting with a benevolent and helpful agency, which is supposed to find every means of keeping children at home wherever possible. It is hard to imagine it will be a dialogue with an agency that is charged with looking after the best interests of children and with giving parents every help possible. No indeed, it is more like a preparation for a war, or some other violent contest.

DEREK'S REPORT ABOUT CASE CONFERENCE

This morning Derek Hoare wrote his initial account of the Case Conference held yesterday to determine the future of his daughter Ayn, a ten year old girl who has a condition known as Autism. She has been in the custody of the Ministry of Children and Family Development since June 16, 2011. Derek and Ayn's mother Amie long to have her returned to them. She was removed following an incident in which she wandered from home for three hours until she was located by police.

"We arrived early for the case conference which was set to begin at 10:45. It started a bit late, likely closer to 11.

THIS IS A VERY SAD DAY

Today Ayn’s parents, Derek and Amie attended the long anticipated Case Conference.
They and all of their family’s supporters, now numbering in the thousands, were hoping that MCFD would come to this Conference with the intention of at the very least, a graduated return of Ayn to her family and home.

That is not what happened.
When the day began, Derek spread this early morning word. “Well I have been waiting what seems like an eternity for this day. The case conference is set to begin at 10:45, I don't feel nervous or worried, rather eerily calm and an odd optimism. I think this will likely be as anticlimactic as the rest of the judicial process has thus far been. I am hopeful that a trial date will finally be set and that we will learn how much sand is really in this hourglass. As I understand it is not a long meeting, generally around an hour, though in my case it may run a little long.”

IMAGINE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE ME

American Idol is back. I am amazed at how many tens of thousands of people believe they have singing voices that others want to hear. I will watch 'Idol' again, but I must say that Christine and I enjoyed another import from Simon Cowell's creative British successes. X Factor went on for months and finished just a few weeks ago. Permit me to introduce you to one contestant whose voice is worth hearing, made even more compelling because of his personal message.

Scott James is Autistic and after reaching the final 50 of X-Factor he has recorded this Autism single. It was released on April 2nd 2011, coincident with Autism Awareness Day. All funds from its sale are donated to Autism Awareness UK. Have you ever  wondered what it is like to have Autism? If you wish to have a brief musical treat as well as peak into an autistic spirit, please listen.

Then, for a moment consider Ayn Van Dyk who is ten years of age, not nearly as proficient at language or music as Scott and yet she too wishes that people, particularly the social workers directly involved with her case, would be able to understand what she experiences each day because that would most certainly inform them that she needs to be with her family in order to survive.