In April 2007 the ministry introduced new standards for child protection and a set of new mandatory and supplementary assessment tools for children's aid societies. These standards and tools reflect current research in the field of child protection, and will assist children's aid societies in assessing risk to a child's safety and matching their response to the child's and the family's needs.
The standards and tools are part of the ministry's transformation of child protection services. They are an essential part of a responsive system that supports effective safety measures and positive outcomes for vulnerable children and their families.
The new Child Protection Standards in Ontario guide child protection workers in how they provide services to children and families. The 12 standards cover service activities and supports starting from the time when a children's aid society receives a referral for child protection services until the case is closed. Each standard sets out the required considerations and procedures children's aid societies must follow.
Along with the child protection tools, the standards set out the way in which children's aid societies provide services.
Elements of this service model focus on:
- child safety and well-being
- customized responses to the needs of children and their families
- engagement of children and families in decisions that affect them
- comprehensive assessment to inform service decisions
- a wide range of formal and informal supports for families facing challenges, so they can take better care of their children where possible
Child Protection Standards in Ontario
(February 2007)
93 pages | 495 KB | PDF format
The Ontario Child Protection Tools Manual supports child protection workers in assessing child safety and making decisions about:
- a child's immediate safety
- the risk of future harm
- the strengths and needs of children and their families
Children's aid societies must use these tools together with the related child protection standards when making decisions in child protection cases. As a companion to the new standards, the tools support a customized response by children's aid societies in providing services.
Ontario Child Protection Tools Manual (February 2007)
122 pages | 574 KB | PDF
Ontario Child Welfare Eligibility Spectrum
The Eligibility Spectrum is a mandatory tool children's aid societies must use in making consistent and accurate decisions determining eligibility for child protection services, or other child welfare services at the time of a referral. You can
obtain a copy of the Eligibility Spectrum from the Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies website at:
http://www.oacas.org/pubs/oacas/eligibility/index.htm
