Without question child protection work in B.C. over the past fifteen years has become increasingly complex due to the directives within the Child, Youth and Community Services Act and the emphasis on judicial involvement and the ensuing litigation, and for that reason has become increasingly politicized and publicized. Media coverage will not diminish soon. In fact I see it being stepped up. That will surely be true if and when the Baynes case in court is decided in their favour. Look forward to the month of August 2010. The coverage will be heavier and extended if Judge Crabtree's ruling in favour of the Baynes is accompanied by a scathing indictment of the actions of the Ministry of Children and Family Development, Fraser Region. Mary Polak, Minister of MCFD whose residence and riding is in Langley is most interested to know how this case will turn out. She has been aware of the Baynes for a couple of years. She has met them. Despite all of our individual letters of support for the Baynes directed to Ms. Polak over the past many months, she cannot and has not intervened or interrupted the process of one region's handling of an individual case, specially when it is before the court. Post Bayne case however, she may feel compelled by conscience or principle or powers to begin to inquire judiciously into the child protection work of her vast Ministry portfolio because a conscientious person cannot permit this to continue.
It is becoming apparent to observers that the Baynes are merely the poster children or high profile example of a widespread ministry sink hole. There are hundreds of other children and parents who could be together now if this Ministry were geared philosophically and practically to help and to heal the behaviours and the relationships within families that allow them to survive. Many that would be together if this Ministry exercised investigative expertise and discerning compassion. Notwithstanding the cases where children are safer away from their biological homes, there are many children who do not need to be living in foster environments as commitedly good as some are. So many moms and dads who did not need to be put through ordeals that made them feel like criminals, like outcasts. So many social workers who have been sleepless because they wrestled with wanting to do more that was emotionally and instinctively helpful but instead were directed by supervisors to hard-line a custody battle at all costs.
I believe the ruling in the Bayne case is of such importance to this province, to our population, to our government, that its outcome will catalyze the future of child protection in B.C.
"Efficiency is doing things right, effectiveness is doing the right things" Peter Ferdinand Drucker
No one with a conscience could let this continue.
ReplyDelete"There are hundreds of other children and parents who could be together now if this Ministry were geared philosophically and practically to help and to heal the behaviours and the relationships within families that allow them to survive."
I think it is more likely thousands (of other children and parents).
The publicity will not go away - it is going to get much, much worse for MCFD.
The focus needs to remain on completing matters in August. Telegraphing success may be akin to poking a Tiger in a cage that will be let out this August.
ReplyDeleteThe woes of the Ministry can be neatly summed up by the biblical saying of Matthew 7:5 (although I'm sure representatives of the Ministry would say that Blog malcontents are the ones with logs in their eyes):
"Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye. The man who finds fault with another for sin, while he is more guilty, is a hypocrite. A great many are very zealous to convert the world, who are themselves unconverted.
I have seen and can now imagine innumerable scenarios of how this matter can be dragged on further. Prepare, prepare, prepare!
Also, don't telegraph your intentions to the other side. Keep your cards close to your vest.
Yes!!....except that Ms Polak, unless she was forbidden by Premier Campbell or cabinet, does have the power to replace and shuffle people in her cabinet. I speak of Ms DuToit. Such a move would show some interest in the directives of report commissioned by the gov't a few years back. It got a lot of press but seems to lack action!! (Been a while...can't even think of the man's name who was in charge of the report) Certainly, Minister Polak has power to act beyond what she appears to have done in dealing with her Minstry CFD.
ReplyDelete"Efficiency is doing things right, effectiveness is doing the right things" (Peter Ferdinand Drucker)
ReplyDeleteMCFD is neither efficient nor effective. Perhaps cost inefficiency is desirable as special interests could milk taxpayers better.
Speaking of Ms. DuToit and Mary Polak, there is no point seeking dismissal of any one of them as the root problem is not the people. The next one could be worse. It is the authority that government has to remove children from their parents. This oppressive authority caused all the atrocities that most bloggers here are complaining about. Kill CFCSA, outlaw state-sponsored child removal (except in several limited situations) and be done with this non-sense.
That said, it is immensely difficult as this requires changing law. Politicians have no will to do so unless they have a political death wish. Now, it is up to your people what to do next and how far you are prepared to go.
How far? Al the way, if necessary. Better to die standing, than to live on your knees, said Zapata. Public servants know that since June 16, 2000, from 16 pages long "Threat Assessment". An excerpt: "It is clear that FISHER is not going to go away. It is possible that stress and pressure can cause a person to become mentally ill. This may be the case with FISHER as he has no known previous mental health issues. There is a HIGH RISK that FISHER will carry out an act of violence against any person who, at that point in time, he feels is significantly interfering with his life. There is also a HIGH RISK that, if he attempts suicide, he will try to take someone with him. FISHER obviously feels justified in his course of action and he has the ability to carry out his threats. The act of writing and sending faxes is an outlet for FISHER for the moment. As long as he sees alternatives to violence, he will utilize them. The risk would increase dramatically if the contact stops." The contact still works, though one way only: almost 800 e-mails/day - 2750 words long reports of some crimes committed against my child and family and displayed on various public servants' PC monitors.
ReplyDeleteWell Josef, most of us can only imagine while some identify first hand with the stress that these MCFD assessors recognized that you were under at the time. Stress induced by such frustration and helplessness and hopelessness that I know you have never recovered from the pain and the scars will be with you always. And it isn't over is it? Well, if expressing yourself is therapeutic, then keep it up. I am still believing that there are democratic solutions in our democratic society but we first have to wake up the sleepy in the legislature.
ReplyDeleteThank you Ron.
ReplyDelete"Compassion." You've been doing some prayer today. Eloquent, Ron.
ReplyDelete