1. A Collaborative Child Welfare Approach for Ontario (Enhancing Positive Worker Interventions With Children And Their Families In Protection Services: Best Practices and Required Skills)
September 2005

2. Original Purpose of this Project
To explore the current clinical “well being” of the practice of social work in the field of child welfare and to make recommendations for enhancing its clinical application in Ontario.
To explore individual worker interaction with clients who are either being investigated or with whom there is a need to develop a service plan and an ongoing relationship.
To more clearly understand the perceived shift in child protection services to more risk focused, adversarial approaches.
It is important to note that this Project always held the child’s safety and well being as the paramount goal of intervention.

3. Description of Project
Project Committee formed
Conducted a literature review
Conducted a survey of front-line and supervisory workers
Met with key informants
Developed key recommendations about effective clinical intervention
Examined the use of recording and the development of a comprehensive assessment and treatment plan.
Explored the potential for training

4. Project Outcomes
We have produced a comprehensive Position Paper, that identifies the preferred approaches/best practices for the positive engagement of child protection clients and links best practices to improved outcomes for children receiving child protection services.
We see this Position Paper assisting with the development of a more positive agency culture, wherein new and existing child welfare staff can develop professional “helping” social work skills and approaches.

5. Next Steps
Present an Overview of the Position Paper to the Zone Chairs/LD Section Executive and Other Key Constituent Groups.
Come Forth with a Recommendation/Motion for Hopeful Approval by the LD Section on September 19, 2005.
Move to Phase II of the Project.

6. Recommendation/Motion
The following motion was unanimously passed at the Zone Chairs/LD Section Executive Meeting held in Toronto on September 09, 2005:
Be it Resolved that, upon recommendation by the Zone Chairs/LD Section Executive, the Local Directors’ Section:
support in principle the ongoing development of a collaborative approach to child welfare, as identified in the Phase I Provincial Project Position Paper, and
approve the formation of a Phase II Provincial Project Team/Task Force to develop a distillation of the Position Paper that evaluates and prioritizes the recommendations, develops a vision, and identifies implications for training, operations and resources.