All staff and students are required to comply with the child abuse regulations set out by the Child and Family Services Act (Section 72) and will follow it accordingly. The act states the following:
Duty to Report:
“ In accordance with the Child and Family Services Act, it is the responsibility of every person in Ontario, including a person who performs professional or official duties with respect to children, to immediately report to a Children’s Aid Society if she/he suspects that child abuse has occurred or if a child is at risk of abuse. This includes any operator or employee of a licensed childcare. An individual’s responsibility to report cannot be delegated to anyone else.”
Failure to Report:
“It is an offence under the Child and Family Services Act (CFSA) for a professional to contravene one’s reporting responsibilities. The penalty imposed (a fine of up to $1,000) emphasizes that a child’s safety must take precedence over all other concerns. Failure to report any suspected or observed child abuse may result in dismissal”
Any suspected incidents of child abuse MUST BE REPORTED IMMEDIATELY to a Children’s Aid Society as soon as any suspicion of abuse arises.
It is the responsibility of each staff to follow the direction set forth by Children’s Aid Society in regards to child abuse. In some situations, a CAS worker may request that a staff speak to the parent and in other situations a CAS worker may inform a staff not to speak to the parent.
Ongoing reviews will take place annually. To read the entire policy, please see the Parent Board at your child’s Centre.
