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.

Week's End Status Report / 504

A call from Case Worker Matthew Walker this week informed Zabeth and Paul that not only will the Saturday six hour visits with the children be in the Bayne home, as ordered by the court in 2010, but also the Baynes now have been given the option of having Wednesday three hour visits in their home as well rather than in the community. Furthermore, yesterday, Mr. Walker told the Baynes that if and when they opt for their Wednesday visits to be held in their home, then Josiah may be included rather than having his access visit at a different time that day as it has been. There is more good news.

REPORT OF THE HEARING RE: JOSIAH CUSTODY

Acknowledgement: Four individuals supplied me with accounts of Friday's court proceeding. Thank you.

Surrey Provincial Court Building Entrance

Preface: This was a hearing specific to Josiah Bayne, who is now several weeks old and who was removed from his parents' custody on the day of his birth February 10, 2011. His three siblings are the subject of a case that was decided on March 2, 2011 with an outcome that they remain in foster care for six months. The case files for all three Bayne children have been transferred from the Hope Team to the Guildford (Surrey) Team and Matthew Walker is now the primary caseworker with the Bayne family. On this day the court was to hear and make a ruling on MCFD's application for an Interim Custody Order for Josiah. Loren Humeny (Hope Office) has been the primary case worker for the past 3.5 years and he was present to give testimony. Paul Bayne whose failure to testify during the 2010 court case was noted by Judge Crabtree, did testify today, as did Zabeth. Doug Christie was present to represent the Bayne family.