AN APPEAL TO CHILD PROTECTION SOCIAL WORKERS

I once made a public entreaty to social workers engaged in child protection. Here is what I said.

“When you reflect upon the cases in which you are now or have been involved, and if within that list you readily identify families which would benefit from being together rather than apart and you have the means to affect that reconciliation, do all that you can to insure that this happens. So much rests with you. You control destinies. That seems a frightening responsibility.

Anyone occupying a role which owns the weight and the power of the child protection worker within our society, has to have the right stuff if he or she is confidently and effectively to protect the rights of children, safeguard the rights of families and parents and live with a deep contentment at the end of the day. If you see many cases where harm has been inflicted upon innocents, it is understandable that callousness develops toward the responsible caregivers. How discriminating you must be to preserve your own authentic objectivity. How discerning you must be so that can separate fact and evidence from story and assumption. 

You are a member of the public and the public depends upon you front line people to be so careful with your invested power for our sakes, the children among us, children who may require food, opportunity, protection. And by referring to “our sakes” I also intend our families, parents of children, parents who require understanding, a listening ear, parents who require advice & counsel and encouragement, grandparents whose grandchildren are their joys and for whom they hope. Make all of your action choices wisely and be gentle with us please.”

Then, many readers responded of which these are samples.1.     “There is no point appealing to SW as the presence of some good SW, if they ever exist, cannot stop this structural corruption. Nobody will jeopardize their pay cheque, job security and livelihood to uphold justice. Child protection" industry is a racket controlled by a cartel aiming to get rich by ripping off taxpayers at the expense of destroying families. The only way to stop this is by revoking child removal authority and kill CFCSA.”
2.     “Rhetoric that appears radical may not be effective or persuasive. However, revoking child removal authority by killing CFCSA is the only practical solution to end this fiasco and build a safer future for our children. Doing so will not compromise real child protection as there are other laws giving authority to separate abusive parents and children based on good evidence and legal due process. Removing the absolute power to remove will substantially reduce wrongful removal, abuse of power and corruption.”
3.     “The truth about child protection, and all the corruption, is very difficult to articulate because it is so unbelievable. A person tends to sound like a fanatic or lunatic. But just because someone sounds like this, doesn't mean they aren't telling the truth.”
4.     “I had a long history of involvement with MCFD as I was a single parent with multiples and I had a hard time coping with fatigue. Another single mom told me that if I went to my dr. and said I am depressed I could get free childcare. Big mistake!! Many years later they wanted to get me because they thought my son was mentally ill and needed meds so they re-opened a file and claimed 'historical involvement'. It got really weird for quite a while and finally I got my kids back. SO, they do return them. Just keep calm and friendly. Hopefully you are not expected to do a psychological evaluation, as that can be either very good or very bad depending on the doctor. I see now that MCFD was really jerking my chain, as they had no real evidence. They try to bluff you but most of what they write is thin and does not stand up. The case of physical injury is very hard to fight as in SBS. If a medical doctor claims you have physically injured your child, you are in for a long fight. The other stuff should not even be in court and it is a measure they now take to hold the kids until their paperwork catches up. It still can take awhile. I had to wait 4 months without my kids!!! And then there is more work too with all the 'services' they want to give. It is a tough system and all they encourage you to do is to go with their 'services' to a point, as if you do not they make sure you never get your kids back.”

MS. PLOURDE & PROTECTING CANADIAN CHILDREN/ Part 310 / For Love and For Justice / Zabeth and Paul Bayne/

PROTECTING CANADIAN CHILDREN

Here is a website for an Ontario organization called 'Protecting Canadian Children' for which the watchword is “The Children Must Come First!” 

For those of you in Ontario, here is information about a Conference to be held on Friday November 5^th in Hamilton at the Renaissance Banquet Centre at 2289 Barton Street East from 9:30 Am to 6:00 PM for a price of $40.00 that includes registration and lunch. It is hosted by Protecting Canadian Children and the Conference theme is “Family Protection.” A Candlelight Vigil is also scheduled for the following evening, Saturday November 6^th with details to come at the PCC website link noted at the top paragraph.

The organization also has a public Facebook page to which relatively few people have subscribed. 

The impetus behind the organization is a woman named Alfredine Linda Plourde (creator of the Facebook page and primary contributor to the PCC website). She informed me that I could call her Linda. Alfredine or, Linda, has a Facebook page to which only signed friends can access her profile information. But you can get informative biographical information by clicking the link. If you know Linda personally, send her a message or add her as a friend.  Alfradine Linda Plourde is becoming one of my heroes.

If you have a story that you wish to share with the Protecting Our Children website you can query or send data to enquiries@protectingcanadianchildren.ca

Alfredine is French Acadian and was born in Bathurst NB and is now a resident of Ontario. She never considered herself an activist or radical but in 2004 without warning she became personally acquainted with a nightmare experienced when as she writes her grandson was placed at unnecessary risk by the Catholic Children's Aid Society. Like many others, she began to research and consult and learned that thousands of similar stories exist in Canada with which she too is convinced the majority of Canadians are unaware. She has been gathering and publishing the stories, many of them with maintained confidentiality and she has been promoting educational awareness through rallies, marches and conferences. In addition she has spearheaded movements to lobby governments to intervene and to change policy and practice. Her crusade is primarily directed at the CAS and CCAS, Children's Aid Society and the Catholic Children's Aid Society. She is aware that each province in Canada has organizations like these even if known by different names.

She is one of the champions to set things right. In fact look at a video she prepared. At this page you will see two videos, hers is the one on the left. Watch that one first. You will hear her sincerity if you watch to the end. The one on the right is the late Nancy Schaeffer, US Crusader for change in Child Welfare. 

If you would like to become a distributor for the book by the title 'Protecting Canadian Children', please contact Alfradine at: protectingcanadianchildren@hotmail.com 

or you may purchase one for $35.00 by calling one of these book stores:

•  Queenston Stationery, 35 King Street, Stoney Creek, Ontario, 905-664-3360
•  Bryan Prince , Bookseller Ltd., 1060 King Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, 905-528-4508
•  In Hamilton, contact Maureen at 905-387-3506
• In Brantford, contact Claudia Hudson 1-519-754-0670
• Mountain Plaza Mall - Cigars Galore, 905-387-1146
• Mountain Book Store, 560 Concession Street, Hamilton, 905-385-6082