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CAS isnt familys enemy program says THE HF 1 Wednesday November 15 1989 Page 13 Foster parenting is unfashionable By BEN the Herald The Halton Children s Aid Socie ty as a protector of children is ironically thought of by many as a family s enemy a CAS official says People think the CAS snatches babies says the coordmator of the CAS Mothers Morning Out pro gram Susan Stewart We re in a nowin situation we re either seen by the public as taking babies or leaving them with their parents who people think are abusing them The CAS executive director Ron Coupland echoed Ms Stewart statements saying I heard people tell stones like the CAS took away a baby while the mother was pleading with the CAS worker not to As the CAS celebrates its an the public misconcep tion of the CAS is a problem it has been facing and will continue to face Mr Coupland said He said we re one of the only social agencies that can be blamed for everything Other community agencies use the CAS as the big stick telling their clients that if they don fulfil certain requirements they will call the society And although parents who have their child taken away by the CAS agree with the AS actions they have to out appear to oppose the agen s actions or they will be perceived as bad parents he said Mr Coupland says the CAS can eliminate people misconceptions but he worries public opinion if allowed to go uncontested will become so distorted and larger than life that people won t call the agency Ms Stewart attributed the misconception to a lack of com awareness and to the media Too often the public only reads about the CAS big battles or a massive abuse case or someone complaining about us with what the CAS does is another reason for peoples misconception she said Mr Couplartd said many people in North Halton don t know of the CAS because there isn t a building the area He explained there are no funds or the demand to justify CAS buildings throughout the Region In January the CAS moved into its new office on Morden Road in Oakville The CAS chose this loca tion because is one of the more populated areas in Halton and it can be accessed by public transportation from all areas in the Region he said But Mr Coupland stresses the CAS is prominent in all areas Most work is done in people s homes and not at the central office he said The CAS runs some of its pro grams in different parts of the Region where there is a demand In Georgetown the CAS runs the Mothers Morning Out program for those mothers who want a place to go where they can meet other mothers and have their children participate in organized activities Mr said the CAS recently started up a community education committee that is meeting with community groups schools and the press to discuss the CAS activities and its public im age One such group is the Acton Women s Action Group Charlotte Hendry a founding member of the group said some of the women were surprised that CAS role wasn t just to take kids out of the home The CAS spokesperson told them one of its main objectives is to keep the family together she said The CAS Foster Care Initiatives Worker Kim Elliott said a child will only come under CAS care as a last resort And if the society has to take custody of the child it is usual only on a temporary basis she added Although community agencies doctors and members of the public inform CAS about children who need help Ms Elliott stresses many times the parents themselves ask for CAS support Childrens book week in Georgetown ByALANMACKIE Herald Special This week is Children Book Week in Hills and one of Georgetown s more artWic people will enter the spotlight Joanne Fitzgerald has recently completed illustrating her first children book entitled plain Noodles She will be at the Oxbow Books store on Main Street bet ween and this Satur day to sign books read and give demonstrations of her art Mrs Fitzgerald said she has been drawing and doodling for as long as she can remember but as for illustrating children books I never planned to do this Plain Noodles was written by Betty Waterton Mrs Fitzgerald said I felt fortunate that I was chosen to illustrate one of her Ms books According to Mrs Fitzgerald the book is being produced in a number of other countries including West Ger many the United States and some Scandinavian countries Mrs Fitzgerald came to Georgetown four years ago She moved here from Toronto She says shes lucky not to work in a business that forces you to live in the city Mrs Fitzgerald works in a studio at her home and said it allows her to be there for her five- yearold daughter Laura She obtained a bachelor of fine arts from Mt Allison University in New Brunswick Mrs Fitzgerald has drawn for many established companies including the Royal On tario Museum the Globe and Mail Chatelaine Owl and Toronto Life She is currently working on a se cond book with a working title of Emily s House ID OXBOW BOOKS CELEBRATE CHILDRENS BOOK WEEK and meet local artist JOANNE FITZGERALD illustrator of new Canadian childrens book PLAIN NOODLES Readings book and demonstrations by the artist 24 pm This Saturday November 18 at OXBOW BOOKS 8778861 The AS takes custody of children who are sexually or physically abused It also takes in children who have serious confron with their parents The CAS will also act in cases in which parents are having financial ficulties Some parents especially single mothers find the burden of and bringing up a child alone too great said Ms Elliott She said the CAS priority is always the child And since CAS believes- the child needs stability usually the best place for a child is with the family she said Ms Elliott said when CAS is first called in the social worker acts as a counsellor for the children and parents Only if counselling is successful will the CAS take the necessary steps to temporarily take custody of the children she added Over the three year period from 1986 to the number of children that have come under CAS custody has increased from in to 132 in 1988 However the admis sions last year marks a drop from in 1987 The CAS t have statistics for children in its custody who came only from North The CAS will always he necessary Mr Coupland says Only if man was perfect would the CAS not be needed By N DUMMETT the Herald Foster parenting nowadays is unfashionable for many people says a Children s Aid Society Foster Care Initiative worker Kim Elliott attributes the cur rent shortage of foster parents in the Region to people being very busy and not seeing volunteering as really important An Acton couple however decided two years ago that they had the to become foster parents Frank and Meg Antonim who have three children two girls ag 14 and a boy aged 12 said we like kids and we had the space and time There was no magic moment that told us to become foster parents We just wanted to give something back Mr Antomni said When asked what has been the most rewarding part of being a foster parent Ms ed and said There are many but they re not obvious It s the little things you notice Some it might seem as if you are not helping the child and then one she give you a picture or come up and hug you You see the kids selfesteem build where they can sav hey I m a someone You see this in eir school work and in the f they make The adopted two girls aged eight and They still care for the eight year old who is now 11 But for all the rewards foster parenting isn t easy they say A little naivety helped Mr said No child wants to be with a foster parent he said When you take in a child the person is going through turmoil so it an ongo ing process he said Ms said in their case there was a two to three week honeymoon period with the children They tried to see what they could get away with When this happened Mr An tonmi said they force the children to act exactly like their children but they told the foster children there are certain rules they had to abide by You have to give them space to be themselves while at the same time make them unders tand there are rules said Mr When the children first arrived the Antonini s sat down with them and explained to them their children s bedtimes chores and what time everyone got up in the morning To become foster parents the couple went through an extensive Continued on Page Collection CASAVANT JC1 Campbell House Gallery Jt -Sam- J 1608 inLp ruklf tu Ok f J- J J Campbell House Gallery Announces 25 Of tilt A 115 MAIN ST S GEORGETOWN ONTARIO L7G 3E5 8730674