The Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies (OACAS)
and Premier Doug Ford agree that there is a big problem with the
province's child welfare system, and that focussing on money is
the only way to fix it. But that seems to be all they can agree
on.
Premier Ford announced plans to conduct a "complete
audit" of Ontario's children's aid societies (CAS) in
light of "nightmare
stories" of misuse of public funds.
The pledge was, in part, a reaction to an open letter from OACAS
"sounding the alarm about kids and teens with complex health
needs being housed in hotels, Airbnbs and office buildings because
they are unable to get the medical help and specialised treatments
they need." Ford suggested it's unconscionable to hear
that high needs children are living in these places when he's
"heard stories of some of these agencies working in Taj
Mahals."