The Commission to Promote Sustainable Child Welfare was created in November 2009 with a three-year mandate to develop and implement solutions to ensure the sustainability of child welfare in Ontario.

Child Welfare in Ontario Today

Child welfare is delivered through 53 children’s aid societies. In fiscal year 2010-11, these agencies will spend more than $1.4 billion delivering this important service. This amount has increased substantially over the last decade – at a much greater rate than spending on many other services for vulnerable children and youth.

The economic down turn over the last two years has brought new challenges to government spending. The child welfare sector is now in it’s second year with no increases in funding and several CASs continue to face serious financial challenges.

These combined dynamics raised questions about sustainability and the best way to organize the sector to ensure vulnerable children and youth will be supported regardless of the fiscal environment.

The government established the Commission to consider these types of questions, find solutions and make the changes necessary for a more sustainable child welfare system in the future, one that has the best possible outcomes for vulnerable children and their families.

The Role of the Commissioners

The Commissioners have the authority to implement change in some areas, including developing strategies to evaluate and improve service delivery, establishing ways to measure performance and, after consulting with the ministry, directing Children’s Aid Societies to develop consolidation plans or change business processes.

The Commissioners also have the authority to make recommendations to the Minister on things like ministry processes, accountability structures, government policy, funding, legislation and changes that affect other parts of the children’s system.

The Commission will work with the ministry, Children’s Aid Societies, and other partners to carry out its mandate.