Policy directive: CW 003-16 – 2016 Ontario Permanency Funding Policy Guidelines

This directive under section 20.1 of the Child and Family Services Act directs children’s aid societies (societies) to apply the 2016 Ontario Permanency Funding Policy Guidelines where a society is considering providing financial assistance to support children and youth, their families and caregivers.

Effective date

This policy directive will come into effect on June 15, 2016; and replaces Policy Directive CW 001-07: Ontario Permanency Funding policy, which required societies to implement the Ontario Permanency Funding Policy Guidelines, and Policy directive CW 002-12: Targeted Subsidies policy directive. Requirements respecting Targeted Subsidies are included in the 2016 Ontario Permanency Funding Policy Guidelines.

Introduction

On February 6, 2007, Policy directive 001-07 came into effect requiring societies to implement the Ontario Permanency Funding Policy Guidelines when considering the provision of financial assistance, for the purposes of facilitating admission prevention, kinship service, place of safety^{footnote 1[1]}, customary care, legal custody^{footnote 2[2]} and adoption options. The guidelines reflect the principles that financial assistance should be based on the unique needs of the child and/or the family’s ability to meet those needs.

Since the policy guidelines were issued in 2007, additional financial assistance and service supports have been developed for children and their families, requiring corresponding updates to the 2007 Ontario Permanency Funding Policy Guidelines. The policy guidelines have been updated to include the following additional supports:

The objective of this updated policy directive remains the same – to provide a framework for the provision of financial assistance to support children and youth, their families and caregivers.

Financial assistance that will be provided to support placement options for children in the care of a society (i.e., kinship care, foster care) and to Crown wards leaving care is not included in this policy. Financial assistance for kinship care, foster care and youth leaving care are outlined in separate documents. Societies will continue to follow financial policy directions currently in place for these types of care. For clarification: a kinship care family approved as a kinship foster home will be eligible for foster care per diem rates.

Note:

This policy directive applies to the making and approval of decisions by societies to provide financial support in specific placement and permanency options and the provision of financial and service supports for specific children and youth.

Requirements

Children’s aid societies are required to:

• inform staff about the purpose, content and procedures regarding the 2016 Ontario Permanency Funding Policy Guidelines
• ensure relevant staff are trained on the 2016 Ontario Permanency Funding Policy Guidelines to enable full implementation of the guidelines and required documentation
• establish internal tracking mechanisms for the financial assistance provided as outlined in the 2016 Ontario Permanency Funding Policy Guidelines
• develop a plan to review and revise all internal policy and procedure manuals and develop a plan to advise staff of the changes

Reporting requirements

• societies to report service and expenditure data for each of the permanency options in their child welfare customized budget package submissions to the ministry

Effective date

June 15, 2016

Original signed by:

Jennifer Morris
Assistant Deputy Minister (A)
Policy Development and Program Design Division
Ministry of Children and Youth Services

Rachael Kampus
Assistant Deputy Minister
Service Delivery Division
Ministry of Children and Youth Services