Sarah Laurin
1261 Ferguson Falls Rd.
Lanark Highlands, Lanark, Ontario K0G-1K0
Phone (613 257-1215
slaurin2009@gmail.com
May-1-2010
Dear Friend,
FAILSAFE is a fledgling organization formed by individuals who have had the unfortunate experience of falling under the scrutiny if the Children’s Aid Society. Many will attest to the fact that they feel unfairly targeted and that measures taken on the part of CAS are invasive and at times extreme. Many are unaware of their rights and subsequently CAS actions, protocol and court appearances can be very confusing at a time when an individual is already under emotional duress,…
It has come to my attention that there is not a recognized support or advocacy group that addresses the issues unique to individuals affected by the decisions of CAS. Unless a person has experienced similar loss and the emotional toll losing a child causes; it is difficult to provide appropriate support or advice. Many feel embarrassed that they find themselves involved in a child protection matter and the instinct is to keep quiet for fear of being judged,… But; the vast majority of us are not bad parents or bad people- rather we find ourselves in circumstances beyond our control,…
For example; I have observed that many people fall under investigation as a result of social and financial issues, age, prior criminal history or substance abuse issues. Some were foster children themselves in CAS care at some point and have their own horror stories that they contend with on a daily basis,.. There are also grand-parents who have lost their rights to grand-children as a result of CAS intervention. The common factor we all share is that we have lost the control of our children and our right to parent our children due to involvement of an unimpeachable corporation known as the CAS!!!
We need to unite our voices and advocate for each other. As a community there is so much that we can accomplish by pooling our resources and networking amongst ourselves in a non-judgemental, safe, and anonymous environment. Sometimes merely knowing that “you aren’t alone” can be the first step towards believing in yourself and seeing that you can re-gain control over your own circumstances.
I would like to organize a petition- beginning with our members- requesting that our government pass Bill93 into legislation which would make the CAS accountable to the Ontario Ombudsmans Office. We need to demonstrate that the CAS in our jurisdiction has too much power and that families are being torn apart and separated in our community every day. Perhaps by putting faces to the families and children affected; we can provide a clear visual of the numbers involved in this epidemic!!!
I would like to eventually have speakers come to our Bi-weekly meetings to discuss relevant issues and to provide a forum for individuals to be able to tell their stories and get “ the truth out “. Perhaps organized fundraisers, button/T-shirt sales and BBQ’s will enable us to finance effective/proper legal representation as opposed to the duty counsel and Legal Aid representation we have all become so accustomed to!!! Aside from anything else; working together for a common goal promotes solidarity and provides a sense of accomplishment that we are being pro-active.
I invite anyone who feels that they have a need for support in their time of crisis and also those who feel they have something to bring to the table where these issues are concerned. The largest storm announces itself on the smallest breeze,…
Our meetings are held at the Salvation Army Family Center every second Tuesday of the month commencing February 2nd 2010. I look forward to meeting with you all,
Sincerely,
Sarah Laurin
Founder - FAILSAFE
