PULLING IT TOGETHER / Part 346 / For Love and For Justice / Zabeth and Paul Bayne

A writer called Child Protection Exposed wrote a response to my 'What's Next?' blog post this past Friday, October 22nd. You can read it in its entirety here. Some interesting statements were made that I want to pursue.

My subject focus was this. Since many people independently scatter their dissatisfaction over a vast array of online vehicles and dedicate their energies through an array of organizations, I am asking what concerted series of next steps can actually move our province toward a solution that protects children yet minimizes the damage to functional families and worthy parents and further brings correction to perceived faults in service, practice and delivery?

CPE makes the point that affecting Public Opinion is essential to kick start the impetus for changes to child protection practices.

Sample poor quality

So how can public opinion be influenced? CPE said that use of social media is effective and gave the example of Youtube videos because a good production can go viral and when it does it affects public opinion. My qualification is that someone must do a series of polished creations because the majority of anti child protection Youtube videos are complainant produced, at-home, poor quality pieces that cannot maintain viewer interest. CPE suggested some well scripted, professionally produced videos that express and dramatize the mistakes, failures, damages and tragedies of child protection could be vital to lobbying for greater accountability and quality protection procedure.

To my suggestion that the assorted groups and people that complain about MCFD practices should link arms as a unified front, CPE pointed out not only the ideological disparities of the groups but also the reality that there is no one within child protection who will listen. For instance, some groups express themselves with more radical rhetoric than others prefer and that will make collective assimilation difficult.

I thought that some valuable advice was offered when CPE mentioned that the optimum time for concerted efforts to make the cause heard, is prior to civic and provincial elections. For instance, this writer called candidates and asked child protection related questions and if confronted by a voice mail greeting, left this message question. "Do you or your party support the creation of an oversight agency to look into possible failings of MCFD?" I should add that the writer pointed out the frequent, disappointing response was often "It is not an election issue."

Well, when will it be? And how do we raise it to the level of being an election issue? Are there really so few of you within this provincial population who recognize that there are required changes to the way people are handled within the child protection arena? Does it only become a concern when it affects you personally or someone close to you? Are there not social workers who see some deficiencies, some correctable practices? Must we consistently capitulate? Are there no heroes, no whistleblowers, no champions?