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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. If I have concerns about a child,
whom should I speak to?
Calls can be made to York CAS 24 hours a day. During the day,
staff in the Screening Room, our telephone Intake, will take
information from you and determine how best to respond to
your concerns. After office hours, our After Hours Staff will
respond in a similar fashion after receiving the message from
the answering service.
2. Can I make a referral to the CAS anonymously?
Yes, all calls to the agency are taken seriously regardless
of whether you provide your name or not. Providing your name,
however, allows for the protection worker investigating the matter
to be able to clarify information with you and helps to verify
the concerns. It is important to know that you can call York
CAS and consult a protection worker with regards to a situation
without identifying who the family is that you are concerned
about.
3. How old does a child have to be left unattended
by an adult?
Contrary to most peoples’ perception, there is no specific
age at which a child can be left unattended. The Child and
Family Services Act states that parents of children under
the age of 16 years, must make "reasonable provisions"
for their care. This requires parents to ensure that if they
leave their children at home alone, that they have made appropriate
efforts to ensure their children’s safety. This must
go hand in hand with a common sense approach, for instance,
ensuring children have emergency phone numbers, are mature
and responsible and are not left for long periods of time
without adult supervision.
4. At what age can a child baby-sit other children?
Again, this requires a common sense approach. Not all children
are responsible enough by age 12 years, for instance, to baby-sit
other children. It is important to know that there is no age
specified by law for baby-sitting and it is a matter of the
parent determining if a teenager is responsible enough to
provide a safe environment for your child. Consideration should
be given as to whether the baby-sitter has taken a certified
baby-sitting course, has previous baby-sitting experience
with positive references and appears to have a good rapport
with your children. It is important that baby-sitters are
not used for a considerable period of time. Remember, choosing
a suitable baby-sitter is a very important decision
5. My daughter is 16 years of age and tells me that
she is leaving home. What can I do?
Legally, a child is entitled to reside where they choose when
they turn 16 years of age, without interference from their
parents. Although young adults sometimes move out and choose
to reside in living situations that do not meet their parents
approval, the best approach is to keep the lines of communication
open as much as possible. For children under the age of 16
years, parents are responsible for providing for their children
with respect to their basic needs and to file a Missing Persons
Report if the child goes missing from the home.
6. Is it illegal to spank your child?
Although the Criminal Code of Canada allows for parents to
use "reasonable force" to punish their children,
corporal punishment is not condoned by York CAS. It is the
position of this agency, that other forms of discipline are
more successful to manage children’s behaviour. York
CAS responds to cases where physical punishment has been used
in an inappropriate or excessive manner and could lead to
a child being injured or has led to a child being injured.
7. I made a referral to CAS but I never heard anything
back about what happened. Is there anything I can do?
Yes. Contact the agency and inquire as to the status of the
investigation. If you made a referral to the CAS, your name
should be on the computer system and you are entitled to know
the outcome of the investigation or more specifically, if
the case will be closing or remaining open for more further
investigation. Specific details, however, of the investigation
cannot be provided to you without consent of the parents for
whom you made the referral.
8. When should I call the police rather than the CAS?
If a child is in imminent danger, then the number to call
is 9-1-1. In matters where a child under the age of 16 years
has been assaulted, call the police. This would include any
assault by someone who was not a caregiver at the time. Examples
of this would be a sexual assault by a stranger or by a peer.
9. Can I call the CAS myself to make a referral on
my own family?
Absolutely. At any time, you can call the CAS and consult
with a social worker with regards to difficulties that you
are having in parenting your children. The CAS does not get
involved in every situation that we receive information regarding
and often suggests other services that would be more appropriate
to assist you.
10. I am dissatisfied with the service I received
from the CAS; what do I do?
If you are unhappy with the service provided to you or a member
of your family, you are entitled to access the agency's complaint
procedure. Each agency is required by law to have a complaints
procedure. You can either ask your worker for a copy or call
the agency and ask to have a copy mailed to you.
Client Complaint Procedure
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