TODAY JOSIAH IS BEING GIVEN BACK TO ZABETH AND PAUL / 587

Josiah in the Month of June

Recently Josiah had an overnight with Paul and Zabeth. The following afternoon I saw him sleeping against his mommy in a soft front baby carrier. He has grown. He has received good foster care for the past five months since he was born and since he was removed from his mom. Today he begins overnighting at Paul's and Zabeth's place forever - it's his place too. 

Since early July Paul and Zabeth have known that their children would be returned to them. In a cordial meeting attended by their lawyer Robert Hamilton, MCFD legal counsel Dean Tate and case worker Matthew Walker as well as new director Sheila Zeiner, they were informed of this news. Since the social worker requested that the Baynes should not make these details known prior to July 23, the date upon which the parents would be allowed to inform their children that they are scheduled to come home, I complied with that request.

I WILL BELIEVE IT WHEN I SEE IT / 584

We have celebrated the news that Paul and Zabeth will have their children returned to them in August, beginning with the Aug. 2nd homecoming of Josiah, the five month old boy who was removed from Zabeth four hours after he was born in February of this year. Then on August 25th the arrival of Kent, Baden and Bethany will represent the restoration of family life. That is what the case worker has promised Paul and Zabeth. He gave permission to the Baynes to inform their own children about this event and that was done last week. That was when we could cooperatively go public with this news. However, .................. forget the however, first of all ................

FOR YOUR INFORMATION / 539

The new Ministry lawyer is Dean Tate. Finn Jensen is no longer active in the Bayne case.

Robert Hamilton

Robert Hamilton is a lawyer now working with the Baynes and in cooperation with Doug Christie who championed their cause until now. Each has agreed to specialty roles. Mr. Hamilton is very familiar with family law and child protection cases. Mr. Hamilton is the legal counsel who successfully represented the Rahman family in an equally contentious case. He is an Associate at the firm Lindsay Kenney LLP.  Mr. Dean Tate lost an appeal on the Rahman shaken baby case (2009 BCSC 1073 / E083988 Vancouver). Mr. Robert Hamilton was the Rahman counsel at that time.

10% WAS ENOUGH & 90% MUST CONVINCE MS. MCNEIL / 538

( This is a mid-day edit because of clarified information)

We have known that June 2 is the concluding day of the court appointed three month temporary care order for the three oldest Bayne children. We naively thought that a court appearance immediately following June 2 might entertain the possibility of a return of these children. MCFD has numerous options to retain the children if it so chooses. Why do I speak so sardonically? Because so many parents have already related their stories. All of them helpless before the system. And then there is the Bayne Case itself.

Yesterday at a court appearance, the Ministry applied for an extension and received it. It also merged the newborn Josiah Bayne case with the case for the other three children so that all four sibling names appear on the same documentation now. Lawyer Robert Hamilton is now working for the Baynes and he managed to arrange a Case Conference in July that will be presided over by a judge who listens to both sides and acts as a mediator but does so with authority. Now we look forward to that. Meanwhile the Baynes continue to work at the programs in which they are engaged as a means by which to demonstrate their sincerity and capacity to parent safely and effectively.

WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CHILD? / 525

The ‘interests of a child’, the very best interests of children should naturally be the concern of each one of us. Parents in particular are expected to care for their children according to this standard. In societies like ours, the collective, the people, citizens, have elected representatives to institutionalize this standard of care for children. When parents or other caregivers appear not to be acting in the best interests of a child, then government authorized social workers intervene.

Curiously, ‘the best interests of the child’ has become a virtual dogma within our courts and child protection systems, yet there is no standard definition of ‘best interests of the child.’ Notwithstanding, this phrase customarily refers to the court’s consideration of the kinds of orders, actions and services that will best serve a child, as well as taking into consideration the person(s) best suited to care for the child. The child’s fundamental safety and welfare is the principal concern.

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY ZABETH

Mommy and Bethany this year

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY ZABETH

It’s a bit early but that’s OK. I do trust that Saturday is a joyous day with three of your children, Kent, Baden and Bethany. I know that you miss holding little Josiah, recuperating from his recent surgery. You will see him soon again.

Newborn Josiah and Mommy

For the moment I want to focus on some reasons why we who know you salute you. In time your children will learn the strength of your character as well. They will thrive under its protection and will learn from its example.

What they will come to see more clearly such things as your love of learning, your creativity, your bravery and vitality, your kindness and love, your social responsibility and mercy, your appreciation of beauty and excellence, your gratitude and certainly your spirituality. They will naturally appreciate your music artistry which you have taken so long to perfect into piano performance brilliance.

DR. CONRAD BOWDEN, CREDENTIALS, EXPERIENCE / 519

Dr. Bowden, Van Psych-Ed Services Site

 

Continuing Legal Education (CLE) is the sponsoring organization that publishes the series of papers under the title Practice Made Perfect, and in that series is one piece written by Dr. Conrad Bowden who is the MCFD engaged psychologist who is conducting a parental capacity assessment of Paul and Zabeth Bayne.
Prepared for a 2009 Child Protection Conference, Dr. Bowden's article is entitled, “Parenting Capacity Assessments: A PsychologistsPerspective.”

We know that Dr. Bowden’s service in the Bayne case is paid by the MCFD. That can make parents like the Baynes understandably nervous. Yet Bowden has written a provocative paragraph. Understanding that this paper is intended for diverse child protection personnel, Dr. Bowden’s remarks express a level of objectivity that is encouraging. “While in most cases the PCA is initiated and paid for by MCFD, the psychologist’s job is to consider the whole circumstances of the parent’s situation including their relationship with MCFD. MCFD social workers and others make operating assumptions about their clients that may be erroneous. The psychologist’s job is to increase understanding of the client so as to make it more likely that a constructive working relationship can be formed between social worker and client leading to a return of the child or children.”

DR. BOWDEN AND WHAT PEOPLE SAY / 515

Unidentified mom and child

Parenting Capacity Assessment (PCA) PCA’s are conducted for the purpose of identifying the functional parenting ability of a potential caregiver or active caregiver. PCA’s also identify parenting limitations and possible remediation that may assist an individual in acquiring the skills necessary for effective parenting. PCA’s are usually conducted under Court Order or in respect to child welfare concerns.

You already know that Paul and Zabeth Bayne are engaged with Dr. Conrad Bowden in a Parental Capacity Assessment. I wrote a small bit about this earlier and have been impressed with material produced by Dr. Bowden. Candidly I wonder how the Baynes will find this experience to be.