Family Finding

When Children’s Aid Societies first meet with a family, we ask parents about their family members and other supports. We use a family finding process where we bring together the parents, extended family, and community.

Wherever possible, the Children’s Aid Societies turn to extended family (kin) or members of the child’s community to provide safe, nurturing, alternate living arrangements for children and young people at risk of neglect or abuse. Child protection workers begin to search for kin when they determine that a child may need protection or if the child’s family indicates that they need help from their extended family or community in caring for the child.

It is crucial to engage as many people as possible from the beginning of our involvement to help problem solve and create permanency plans. The goal remains to ensure children and youth live safely with family/kin or someone they know and are comfortable with.

Finding and maintaining supportive lifelong connections for children is an integral part of our work. A large part of a child’s identity is made up of the people they grow up with and the experiences they share with loved ones. Our aim is to ensure every child has a network of safe adults they can turn to as they grow and transition into adulthood.