March Against CAS

August 27, 2011 permalink

Six Nations will walk in opposition to children's aid on Monday.

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Six Nations wants CAS off the reserve

By SUSAN GAMBLE , EXPOSITOR STAFF, Posted August 27, 2011

Another in a series of walks protesting the presence of the Children's Aid Society on Six Nations will take place on Monday.

Betty Thomas, one of the walk's organizers, said the last protest drew 60-70 people and she expects this one will attract even more.

"Each one gets bigger. I now have 960 names on a petition asking for the CAS to leave the reserve."

Thomas and her group object to both the CAS -pushing for a Six Nations agency -and the current workers, who she accuses of unfair treatment toward families.

"They won't give kids to extended family members no matter what you do."

But Andy Koster, executive director of the Brant CAS, repeated his message that the CAS is ready and willing to leave the area as soon as Six Nations has an appropriate system in place to protect children.

Last month, the elected council announced it's working on a proposal to create a Six Nations Child Welfare system.

The band has taken several runs at this issue previously but hasn't followed through.

"We've been very transparent with the community about our client numbers and efforts to keep Six Nations children in the Six Nations community," said Koster.

"The reality is, I think we're doing a really good job."

Koster said there are about 65 Six Nations children in care and half of those reside on the reserve. A lack of appropriate foster homes hampers others from living there.

"There's always been a bit of animosity to people who do child welfare work but the reality is, sometimes kids have to be taken from their homes for safety concerns."

The majority of the workers on the reserve are natives who are well-educated or pursuing higher degrees, he noted.

sgamble@theexpositor.com

Source: Brantford Expositor