CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES REVIEW BOARD
BETWEEN:
CT
Applicant
-and-
Children’s Aid Society of the District of Thunder Bay
Respondent
DECISION
Adjudicator: Catherine Bickley
Indexed As: CT v Children’s Aid Society of the District of Thunder Bay
(CYFSA s.120)
INTRODUCTION
1This is an Application filed with the Child and Family Services Review Board (“CFSRB”) pursuant to section 120 of the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017, SO 2017, c.14, Sched.1, (the “Act”).
2The Application consists of the following complaint:
- The Society refused to proceed with your complaint.
BACKGROUND
3The Applicant is concerned her four grandchildren are not safe while in the care of their mother (the Applicant’s daughter) and the mother’s partner. She has been in frequent contact with the Respondent over the last two months expressing her concern about her daughter’s substance abuse and risky behaviour. Her daughter is currently in hospital for a psychiatric assessment.
4The Applicant feels the Respondent has not done enough to protect the children. She has requested “please remove our grandchildren from their home and let them stay with us until their parents prove they are fit to parent them.”
5The Respondent’s position is set out in its May 7, 2020 email to the Applicant:
Thank you for the update. I can reassure you that we continue to work closely with services in order to plan and support the family. We can also assure you that we are aware that you have played a significant role in the care of the children throughout their lives and we appreciate the continued support that you provide to the family as it is so important. In saying that, there is not a current plan for the children to leave their family home however should the need arise we will be in contact with you.
the law
6Section 120 of the Act provides that, if a person has “a complaint in respect of a service sought or received from a society [and the complaint] relates to a matter described in subsection (4), the person who sought or received the service may decide” to make a complaint to either the society or the CFSRB.
ANALYSIS
7For a complaint to be eligible for review under section 120 of the Act, an applicant must be seeking or receiving services or have received services from a society and the complaint must relate to those services.
8The Applicant has brought concerns about the wellbeing of her grandchildren to the Respondent’s attention. The Respondent has replied and explained its perspective. It has not removed the children from the care of their mother and her partner.
9The Applicant’s complaints are not about services she herself has sought or received. Rather, they are about the Respondent’s actions (or lack of actions) with respect to her grandchildren.
10As a result, this Application is ineligible for review by the CFSRB.
order
11The Application is dismissed.
confidentiality order
12Pursuant to Rules 9.3 and 9.4 of the CFSRB’s Rules of Procedure parties and their representatives must not use, share, discuss or disclose any CFSRB documents or decisions or any other documents or information provided or used in this Application with anyone including through the media or on-line. The CFSRB prohibits the use of any of this information for any purpose outside of the CFSRB’s proceedings, except with an order of the Court or the CFSRB, as appropriate.
Dated at Toronto, May 29, 2020.
Catherine Bickley
Catherine Bickley
Vice-Chair