who need extra support and encouragement and benefit from regular one-on-one time. Parent aides partner with a parent to share weekly support and advice about the daily logistics of raising children.

Other volunteers may be program leaders, drivers, tutors, or youth group leaders. To find out more, visit the FC&S web site: www.fcsgw.org/volunteer

Encouraging Diversity

At F&CS, we are committed to being responsive to the needs of our wonderfully diverse community. We welcome staff, foster parents, volunteers and community partners from all backgrounds. We encourage support and involvement from everyone in our region.

We are committed to delivering programs and services, in ways, actions and languages, that are respectful, accessible and relevant to all of our community regardless of race, ancestry, colour, citizenship, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, same-sex partnership status, disability or financial means.

The mission of F&CS is to work together with children, youth, their families and the community for the safety and well-being of children and youth.

We envision a supportive community where children and youth are safe, secure and nurtured in permanent loving families.

As an organization we value the right of children to be safe and secure; the diversity of families; positive space that is inclusive; professional practice that begins with a strength-based approach; an open and transparent organization; innovation and creativity; social justice and the importance of advocacy; and working together to create positive change in our community.

We are here to help 24 hours a day, seven days a week with any child welfare concerns you may have. Call us during business hours to learn more about our service programs, adoption and foster care or volunteering.

www.fcsgw.orgT: 519-824-2410 or 1-800-265-8300F: 519-763-9628275 Ermosa Road, Box 1088, Guelph, ON N1H 6N3

2013–101

Helping everyone in adoption

We place children up to 16 years of age in loving and caring homes, where they become a permanent and legal part of a new family.

We screen adoptive families and make sure they take part in parental training before we place a child with them.

We also help everyone else involved in an adoption.

Our staff counsel pregnant women and youth, and provide information for families who wish to adopt. We also help adopted adults who are looking for their birth families and birth families who are looking for information about a child they placed for adoption. To find out more visit the F&CS web site: www.fcsgw.org/adoption

Working with our volunteers

Our volunteers come from throughout the community. They play an important part in the day-to-day lives of children involved with F&CS and have a lasting and positive impact on their future.

Our volunteers support parents, children and youth. Special friends are matched with children

key role in the development of the Shelldale Centre based in the Onward Willow neighborhood.

Providing foster care

Foster families provide temporary homes for children who are unable to live with their own families. Depending on the circumstances, children may need foster care for a few days, a few weeks or sometimes months.

Foster families go through a rigorous screening. They receive ongoing support and some financial assistance.

We work with biological and foster parents to ensure that children are placed in environments where they will be cared for and supported. To find out more visit the F&CS web site: www.fcsgw.org/foster

As part of its legal duty, F&CS must look into every report. An FC&S family service worker may talk to the parents, child and other people who know the child to decide how best to help.

The family is the best place for children to receive the love and care they need to grow into healthy adults. But, sometimes families need support with the daily struggles that come with raising children. We are committed to working with families to ensure the well-being of their children.

However, children are not always able to live with their own family. If this happens, we will work with families to arrange for the children to be cared for by another family – relatives, friends or a foster family.

Supporting and building families

Our goal is to help families care for their children. Our family support workers provide in-home support for families who are facing challenges or are in crisis.

Each family’s needs are unique. Therefore, our services are different for each family. We may do some hands-on teaching of parenting skills or teach problem-solving skills or life skills. Or we may help families get support from other community groups.

F&CS provides community development support in six neighborhood groups that provide programs for children, youth and families. F&CS also played a

Protecting children, building families

At Family & Children’s Services of Guelph and Wellington County (F&CS or the Children’s Aid Society), we help build families to ensure that children

are protected from physical and emotional abuse or neglect. We have a team of caring workers and volunteers. We offer client-focused programs and work with parents, youth and children toward one primary goal: ensuring the safety and well being of children. We partner with other agencies in Guelph and Wellington County to strengthen support networks and deliver programs that help families in need.

F&CS is a charitable, non-profit agency. The Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services regulates F&CS and is our primary funder.

Protecting children

Child welfare is a community responsibility. Anyone who believes or suspects a child is being abused or neglected must, by law, report those concerns to F&CS.

ABOUT US

We believe that all children need to be loved and have opportunities which allow them to reach their full potential.

We have more than 150 staff – front line workers, community programmers, educators and administrative staff.

We handle more than 3,000 referrals a year.

In an average year, we provide care for 300 children and place up to 30 children into permanent new homes through adoption.

Our annual budget is $20 million. We partner with many agencies and

groups in the community. We have more than 160 volunteers

who give nearly 10,000 hours of time a year.

We help about 2,000 Guelph and Wellington County families a year.