NEWS ABOUT AMIE AND DEREK AND THEIR PROGRESS

I want to share some further thoughts today. I have communicated with a reliable source as well as reviewing data we have already been given. Ayn’s mother Amie’s most recent comment is featured at the top of this page. It deserves a re-read by us all. She may not be the designated communicator, but what she expresses to us when she writes does convey essentials to this ongoing story and should satisfy some of my and your desire for information. In April/May Amie changed jobs and she also moved to a new apartment. Finding an apartment suitable to both visiting children and stay-at-home pets was difficult. Of course, Amie had to accommodate social workers’ inspection of the apartment to insure it is appropriate for Ayn. Further, Ayn, fearful of the unknown and one who requires consistency, initially did not want to come to the new home, so that required time, but she has made the adjustment.

AYN'S APPREHENSION WAS UNREASONABLE - WILL THE MINISTER LISTEN?

In June 2011, MCFD’s decision to apprehend Ayn was the result of under-investigation. I believe it was over-reaction rather than over-investigation. Sending out the child protection team was standard procedure following an RCMP involvement in a child-search. However, when social workers arrive unannounced with document in hand, requesting a parent’s signature to a voluntary surrender of a child, without engaging in a sincere discussion of the challenges of parenting an autistic child, and in this specific case, the reasonable explanation for the child’s wandering from home, and possibly as well, asking how the Ministry could actually facilitate Derek’s job of caring for three children, two of whom are autistic, then the MCFD action was flagrantly unreasonable, illogical, unfounded, groundless, senseless and irrational.

LISTEN TO RAY FERRIS - SCRAP THE CHILD, FAMILY AND COMMUNITY SERVICES ACT

Ray Ferris is my friend. He lives in Victoria so our opportunities for personal contact are few. Our interaction and friendship has been conducted largely online and by phone. We found one another when we were advocating for the return of Paul and Zabeth Bayne's children. That process took over four years to realize a satisfactory outcome. Ray is in his early 80's, is active, alert, articulate and altruistic to the core. He had a career in what is now the Ministry of Children and Family Development, precisely that ministry whose conduct of cases he now finds frequently appalling.

Here in this snatch of prose, he is expressing himself about what has transpired over the past several decades in the care of children by government authorized agencies in British Columbia, Canada.

WHY DOESN'T DEREK SPEAK TO US?

I have not written for a long time concerning Ayn Van Dyk. Derek Hoare, her father, primary caregiver before Ayn was removed by the Ministry of Children in June 2011, is not forthcoming with information. Amie Van Dyk, Ayn's mom does occasionally write on Ayn' Facebook page, a page managed by advocates of her return to her family. I wrote something a while ago to which there was a great deal of response on that page. I was wondering out loud the 1000s of sympathetic supporters cannot know more from the principal players. Here it is with many of the comments of readers.