THE SENIORS REVIEW
TO:
WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
MY
HUSBAND AND I HAVE BEEN RAISING OUR TWO GRANDDAUGHTERS FOR THE PAST 6
YEARS. I AM THE FOUNDER AND
SPOKESPERSON FOR >SECOND
CHANCE FOR KIDS=, A
SELF HELP SUPPORT GROUP FOR GRANDPARENTS RAISING THEIR GRANDCHILDREN AND DENIED
ACCESS GRANDPARENTS.
ON
APRIL 8, 2002 A RESOLUTION WAS PREPARED RE: SUPPORTS FOR EXTENDED FAMILIES
CARING FOR CHILDREN. IT WAS RECOMMENDED
THAT THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND HEALTH SERVICES DEPARTMENT RECOMMEND TO
REGIONAL COUNCIL:
1. That the Province of Ontario amend the Child
and Family Services Act to recognize custodial care by extended family
members as a legitimate intervention and that the related funding to support
these care arrangements be made available.
2. That the Temporary Care allowance rate
pursuant to the Ontario Works Act be altered to reflect
established rates for similar care by foster parents.
3.
That the Regional Municipality of Niagara along with
the Niagara Family and Children=s
Services train their respective staff on the program options available to
extended family members wishing to care for children.
4.
That the Region of Niagara along with Family and
Children=s
Services advocate for the recommended changes with the Ministry of Community
and Social Services as well as relevant Associations, such as the Ontario
Association of Children=s
Aid Societies.
5.
That other Consolidated Municipal Services Managers be
informed of this issue through circulation of this committee report.
6.
That the Province of Ontario be encouraged to consider
legislative change to permit open adoptions.
7.
That the Regional Chair correspond with the Minister of
Community and Social Services to advise the Minister of these recommendations.
FURTHER, ON JUNE 10, 2002 ANOTHER
RESOLUTION WAS PREPARED, NAMELY, PROVINCIAL POLICY ON THE NATIONAL CHILD
BENEFIT SUPPLEMENT. IT WAS RECOMMENDED
THAT THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND HEALTH SERVICES DEPARTMENT RECOMMEND TO
REGIONAL COUNCIL:
1.
A
Resolution be submitted to the Ministry of Community, Family and Children=s Services requesting that the
Province alter its policy regarding the treatment of the National Child Benefit
Supplement (NCBS) as income for social assistance recipients.
2.
The Resolution should recommend that the National Child
Benefit Supplement be exempt as income for families in receipt of social
assistance.
3.
The recommended policy change for the National Child
Benefit Supplement should be phased-in over a three year period to enable
municipalities to seek alternative sources of funding to support local
programming.
THE ABOVE RESOLUTIONS WERE APPROVED BY
THE COMMITTEE AND BY REGIONAL COUNCIL IN
APRIL AND JUNE, 2002 AND MS. DEBBIE ZIMMERMAN, REGIONAL CHAIR AT THAT TIME,
CORRESPONDED ON JUNE 14, 2002 WITH THE HONOURABLE BRENDA ELLIOTT, MINISTER OF
COMMUNITY, FAMILY AND CHILDREN=S SERVICES. AS A MATTER
OF INTEREST, THESE SAME RECOMMENDATIONS WERE APPROVED IN BRANT REGION AND ARE
STILL OUTSTANDING THERE AS WELL.
SUBSEQUENTLY ON JUNE 7, 2004, THE
RECOMMENDATIONS OF 2002 (SUPPORTS TO EXTENDED FAMILIES CARING FOR CHILDREN)
WERE REINTRODUCED AGAIN TO COMMITTEE AND REGIONAL COUNCIL AND CORRESPONDENCE
SENT TO DR. MARIE BOUNTROGIANNI, MINISTER OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH SERVICES AND
SANDRA PUPATELLO, MINISTER OF COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL SERVICES AND ARE WAITING FOR
REVIEW AND HOPEFULLY, LEGISLATIVE CHANGES.
1.
TO CONTINUE, 2001 STATS CANADA REPORTED THERE WERE
56,790 GRANDCHILDREN LIVING WITH GRANDPARENTS WITH NO PARENTS PRESENT.
2.
MANY PARENTS HAVE BEEN DEEMED BY THE COURTS AS
INCAPABLE OF RAISING THEIR CHILDREN. THE
REASONS ARE: SUBSTANCE ABUSE, MENTAL
HEALTH, INCARCERATION, ILLNESS AND EVEN DEATH.
THE MAJOR REASON WE HAVE FOUND IS SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND THAT IS WHY WE ARE
VERY PLEASED TO HAVE READ IN THE MARCH 22, 2004 REPORT PREPARED BY THE
DIRECTOR, SOCIAL ASSISTANCE AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, UNDER KEY CHALLENGES
AND 2004 PRIORITIES. MENTION WAS MADE OF
THE MANDATORY ADDICTION PROGRAM WHICH WE FEEL IS A DEFINITE STEP FORWARD TO
HELPING YOUTH GET BACK ON TRACK.
WE
ALSO FEEL WHAT IS NEEDED IS MORE EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS RE AWARENESS OF THE
DANGER OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE.
3. THE ONTARIO WORKS ACT STATES THAT TEMPORARY CARE ASSISTANCE
PROVIDES ASSISTANCE FOR CHILDREN IN FINANCIAL NEED. AN ADULT PROVIDING TEMPORARY CARE MAY ALSO BE
A PERSON WHO HAS BEEN AWARDED LEGAL GUARDIANSHIP BY A COURT, BUT WHO DOES NOT
HAVE A LEGAL OBLIGATION TO SUPPORT THE CHILD.
THE AWARD OF CUSTODY, BY ITSELF, DOES NOT CARRY WITH IT AN OBLIGATION TO
PROVIDE SUPPORT.
IN MARCH, 2004, IN ONTARIO, THERE WERE 3,223
TEMPORARY CARE ASSISTANCE CASES RECEIVING SOCIAL ASSISTANCE ON BEHALF OF 4,351
CHILDREN.
IN
NIAGARA REGION ALONE THERE ARE 396 TEMPORARY CARE CASES. IN SOME CASES, GRANDPARENTS ARE RAISING 2,
3 OR EVEN 4 GRANDCHILDREN.
THE
TEMPORARY CARE ALLOWANCE AT PRESENT, GIVES $214. FOR THE FIRST CHILD TAKEN CARE
OF AND $174. FOR EACH ADDITIONAL CHILD.
CALCULATED ON A MONTHLY BASIS, THIS AMOUNTS TO $7.13/DAY FOR THE FIRST
CHILD AND $5.80/DAY FOR ADDITIONAL CHILDREN.
THE
LAST INCREASE IN SOCIAL ASSISTANCE BENEFITS OCCURRED IN 1992. IN FACT, IN 1995 WHEN MIKE HARRIS TOOK
OFFICE, A 21.6% DECREASE WAS ENFORCED UNTIL A THREE PERCENT INCREASE WAS
AWARDED IN MAY, 2004.
4.
GRANDPARENT- HEADED HOUSEHOLDS HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS AND
CONCERNS. THEY ARE QUITE OFTEN ON
LIMITED INCOMES, WIDOWED, SINGLE AND/OR RETIRED. THEY TAKE ON THE CARE OF THEIR GRANDCHILDREN
OUT OF LOVE, CONCERN FOR THEIR WELL-BEING, TO GIVE THEM A SENSE OF BELONGING
AND TO KEEP FAMILIES TOGETHER. AT THE
PRESENT TIME, THEY RECEIVE VERY LIMITED HELP AND EVEN THOUGH THERE IS TEMPORARY
CARE ALLOWANCE (TCA) FOR CHILDREN RAISED BY GRANDPARENTS AND OTHERS, IT APPEARS
TO BE THE BEST KEPT SECRET. THERE IS NOT
ENOUGH AWARENESS OUT THERE AND EVEN THOSE AGENCIES THAT KNOW ABOUT IT ARE LEERY
OF MENTIONING IT. ONCE THE CHILDREN ARE
NO LONGER IN NEED OF PROTECTION AND GRANDPARENTS COMMENCE RAISING THEM, NO ONE
SEEMS TO CARE ABOUT THE FATE OF THESE CHILDREN.
I
MIGHT ALSO ADD THAT NUMEROUS GRANDPARENTS HAVE TO WORK FOR A LIVING AND IT ISN=T ALWAYS POSSIBLE TO SAVE FOR THEIR
RETIREMENT. WE HAVE OFTEN SAID THAT IT
WOULD BE MORE ECONOMICAL FOR OUR GOVERNMENT TO ENSURE OUR GRANDCHILDREN ARE
GIVEN THE FINANCIAL SUPPORTS NEEDED NOW, RATHER THAN HAVING TO FINANCIALLY LOOK
AFTER THEIR GRANDPARENTS IN LATER YEARS.
GRANDPARENTS
ARE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT FURTHERING THEIR GRANDCHILDREN=S
EDUCATION WHICH WILL BE AN ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL BURDEN ON THE GRANDPARENTS= LIMITED RESOURCES.
IF YOU
AGREE THAT THE FOREGOING RECOMMENDATIONS BE ADDRESSED BY OUR PRESENT LIBERAL
PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT, PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO THE FOLLOWING MINISTERS WITH
A COPY TO SHEILA VOLCHERT AT MY E-MAIL ADDRESS BELOW. THANK YOU.
DR.
MARIE BOUNTROGIANNI, MINISTER OF CHILDREN & YOUTH SERVICES
56
Wellesley Street West - 14th Floor, Toronto, On M5S 2S3
MS.
SANDRA PUPATELLO, MINISTER OF COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL SERVICES
Hepburn Block, Queen=s Park - Toronto, On
M7A 1E9
IN CLOSING I WOULD
LIKE TO SAY THAT: -
Grandparents have
always helped care for their grandchildren.
But, we have now undertaken one of the most challenging, most rewarding,
most widespread tasks facing grandparents today. We=ve raised our
children.
Now, we are raising
theirs. We=re involved full
time!
We love our
grandchildren dearly, but we were not prepared to set new goals, fill new roles
and meet new needs. We=ve had to re-examine
our skills and develop new ones. We=ve had to reinvent!
In general, the
public is not aware of this new entity.
We, as parenting grandparents are reaching out now. We need to tell our stories.
We need to be
recognized, acknowledged, respected, understood and supported. We are, after all, playing a vital role in
raising the next generation.
THANK YOU FOR
LISTENING AND WE WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
Sheila Volchert Terry Hrankowski
905-892-6176 905-646-4361
E-mail: svolcher@becon.org
Website: http://ca.oocities.com/secondchanceforkids/
Our
meetings are the first Wednesday of each month at:
LINHAVEN HOME FOR THE AGED
403 Ontario St., St. Catharines
Time: 7 - 8:30
p.m.
Free Child Supervision Provided
