A
Abuse - Describes harm caused to a child either by the person in charge of the child or by that person's failure to care adequately for the child. Such a child is in need of protection. In the Child and Family Services Act, abuse means:
* a child has suffered physical harm or there may be a substantial risk for physical harm
* a child has been sexually molested or sexually exploited or is at substantial risk of such harm
* a child does not receive required medical treatment or basic necessities of life. This is also called neglect
* a child has suffered emotional harm and shows effects in severe behavioural disturbances. In addition, the person in charge of the child refuses help to remedy the emotional harm
Agency - A term referring to the CAS in general
Alumni - An individual who has been in the care of the CAS but due to age or personal request, is no longer under the official care of the Agency.
Assessment - Describes the process of gathering information to determine a client's strengths and problems.
B
C
C.A.S. - Short for Children's Aid Society
C.C.A.S. - Short for Catholic Children's Aid Society
C.A.S.M.T. - Short for Children's Aid Society Metropolitan Toronto
C.F.S.A. - Short for Child and Family Services Act
C.S.W. - Short for Children's Service Workers
Child and Family Services Act - This Ontario legislative act is the law the agency follows in the protection of children. It's objective is to promote the best interests, protection, and well-being of children. Also referred to as the C.F.S.A.
Child and Youth Workers - Assist parents, foster parents, and children in residential care with child management skills.
Children's Services Workers - See Social Workers
Community Development Workers - These workers provide prevention services through work with local high risk geographic communities to assist them to address community needs and develop or access services.
COMSOC or MCSS - Stands for Community and Social Services, the Ministry of Ontario Government that funds and supervises all children's aid societies.
Court Order - A judicial decision made by a judge of the Ontario Court, Provincial Division, which outlines a requirement to be fulfilled either by a client or the agency.
Crown Ward - An order from the court can make a child a Crown Ward, giving the Children's Aid Society permanent custody of the child and responsibility for the child's care. If it is in the best interests of the child, adoption to a suitable family is undertaken.
D
E
E.A.H.S. - Short for Emergency After Hours Service.
Emergency After Hours Service - Calls received by the CAS must be promptly investigated at any hour of day or night, 365 days a year. After regular office hours, calls are routed by the telephone answering service to emergency workers who are on duty.
F
F.B.A. - Short for Family Benefits Act
F.S.W. - Short for Family Services Worker
Family Benefits - A benefit paid to parents of children under 18, who have no outside employment or other financial support. Sometimes called Mothers' Allowance.
Family Services Workers - See Social Workers
Family Support Workers - Assist parents, foster parents, and children with child management skills.
Foster Care - Substitute care provided to children by agency-approved foster parents, where a child is unable to maintain in his or her home.
Foster Parents - Agency-approved parents who care for children who need to leave their own homes. Caring foster parents are always needed. Those who wish to consider fostering may call the Homefinding Department at (416)-924-4646.
G
G.W.A. - Short for General Welfare Assistance.
General Welfare Assistance - Financial support administered by Metro Social Services designed to provide support for people with little or no income who have insufficient resources to meet their basic needs. GWA can include support for food, shelter and special items (like cribs for newborns) for individuals, families, and dependants.
H
High Risk - Describes a family situation where there is a high potential for the child to be abused or neglected.
I
In-care - Refers to an individual who is presently receiving the support of the CAS as either a Non-ward, Society Ward, Crown Ward or under a Court Order.
Intake - The department of the Society that receives, responds to, and assesses all requests for agency service and includes the assessment of child abuse reports.
J
K
L
Long-term Care Unit - Provides service to children in long-term care in a variety of foster homes, group homes, and residential treatment facilities.
M
N
Non-ward - A child who is in the care of the agency because of a temporary and voluntary agreement made by the parents.
O
O.A.C.A.S. - Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies (includes all 54 CAS' in Ontario).
O.G. - Short for Official Guardian.
O.T.A.B. - Short for Ontario Training Adjustment Board.
Official Guardian - The OG can represent any child 18 years of age and under in a court proceeding where the court considers it desirable for the child to have counsel.
O.G. Reports - Official Guardian assessments are done when divorcing parents cannot agree about who should have custody of the children.
On-call Workers - The social workers who provide emergency after-hours service for the agency.
Ontario Training Adjustment Board - Government division that provides training funds/ employment funds for various employment programs.
P
P.A.C. Workers - Pregnancy and aftercare workers, who serve young expectant mothers by providing counselling during pregnancy and supportive services following the birth of the baby.
P.A.R.C. - Short for Pape Adolescent Resource Centre
Pape Adolescent Resource Centre - See PARC Home Page
P.H.N. - Public Health Nurse.
Post-adoption Services - Prepare and interpret non-identifying histories for adoptees and birth parents seeking background information.
Q
R
S
S.E.E. - Short for Student Employment Experience (see PARC Employment Services)
S.E.E.D. - Short for Summer Employment Experience Development Program (see PARC Employment Services)
Sexual Misuse - Another term used for sexual abuse.
Social Assistance - See General Welfare Assistance.
Social Workers - Children's Services Workers (CSW's), provide service and supervision to children in care. Family services workers (FSW's) work with families to protect children and to prevent their admission to care.
Society Ward - A child who is committed to the care and custody of the Children's Aid Society by a court order for a period of 12 months or fewer.
Speak Out - A presentation put on by PARC youth that allows the audience the opportunity to hear first hand, the stories and experiences of being a Youth in Care. These instructional presentations also provide the opportunity for interested parties to direct questions to the youth regarding their experiences and how it is that their experiences could have been improved.
Speak Outs have been delivered to social work professionals, educators, students, volunteers, group home staff and residents, foster parents, government officials, and a number of other organizations and people.
{{ To find out more about Speak Outs, or if you are interested in having a Speak Out conducted at your next function, please contact PARC at (416)-462-1010. }}
Supervision Order - A court order for the CAS to supervise the care of a child living with his/her parents or with another adult, for a period of 3 to 12 monts.
T
U
V
W
W.O.W. - Short for Work Orientation Workshop program (see PARC Employment Services)
Welfare - See General Welfare Assistance.
X
Y
Y.O.A. - The Young Offenders Act is federal legislation dealing specifically with offences by youth.
Young Offender - A young person who is 12 years of age or more but under 18 years of age, who is charged with an offence. Such a person is tried under the Young Offenders Act.
Youth in Care - A youth who for whatever reasons has come into the care of the child welfare system or Children's Aid Societies either on a short term or long term basis, with the CAS assuming the legal care and responsibility of looking after the youth.