SO MANY Black Kids In Care.
An extraordinary fact has come to light, and the questions are: "What is being done about it?" and "What are YOU going to do about it?"
This is not a case of leaving "it" for others to repair. This matter is a state of emergency when it comes to the Black community.
Why the emergency? The annihilation of a community has reached epic proportions, and the only way to stop it is for we, the people in effect, to take action. The Black community need take action because no one else WILL - even those integral to creating the problem.
What is the problem?
Like every people settled in new land, a few obstacles are encountered. But, how does one function with rules one does not know? How does one grow within a system, unwilling to allow one's growth. How does one "succeed" when the rules vary for different individuals? With these questions unanswered, existing challenges perpetuate until reaching a crescendo; a crescendo much like the quoted statistics from The Children's Aid Society of Toronto:
41% of the children in care with the Toronto Children's Aid Society of Toronto, are Black.
For those who do not know, the Children's Aid Society of Toronto is a government funded not for profit organization that governs the protection of under-age children. This governing includes teaching caregivers methods of providing safe care for children, with a goal of keeping families together (as opposed to removing children deemed "at risk" from their homes and placed into foster homes).
Great concept right? Protecting children?
Helping parents be better parents?
EXCEPT! Forty one percent of the children that are removed from their homes and placed into care, are Black. In addition to this fact, Black children who are placed into foster homes, tend to STAY there (in the care of The Children' Aid Society) for LONGER than children of other ethnicities.
NOT a great reality.
Many are the families (some new to Canada) who live by the "old school" belief of children being seen but not heard. Many are the families whom believe the rod should not be spared to spoil the child. Enough are the households where parents prostitute their daughters, in their own home, or break the bones of their sons for making too much noise. Many are the parents with addictions like gambling, drugs, alcohol or all of the above, who neglect their children (actually do not come home for days leaving the child without food or attention, to fend for their selves) - some children are "left" with babysitters for weeks, months, sometimes years. Many are the household where a parent is beaten, regularly, allowing their children to witness this atrocity and consider this abuse "normal" behaviour that they will (most likely) perpetuate into adulthood. And, sadly, many are the care givers who are simply mentally ill. Who, through no fault of their own, simply lack the ability to care for their children and, or, keep them safe. So, yes, protecting children as well as helping parents be better parents is a necessary endeavour.
Where the problem exists, is with the reality that one group of society is MORE interfered with than others; where one group is viewed less objectively and treated LESS fairly than others. Frankly, if one of the smallest ratios of society is the highest amongst an institution that separates families, the presumption is made, THAT group is MORE harshly judged than others - for whatever reason.
Could that reason be as simple as anti Black systemic prejudices?
Whatever the reason, this process of greater scrutiny is contrary to the purpose under which the Children's Aid Societies were formed; THEREIN lies the problem.
What is the evidence supporting this certainty?
The evidence is a glaring fact, that this Over Representation - yes there is even a fancy phrase for it - persists not only with Toronto's child protection agency, but, prevails in the United States as well as across the globe. Texas for example, has twice its state Black population in care. Sadly, Texas is only one of 13 states addressing this problem. One such Texas reform is establishing a state disproportionality task force and regional disproportionality committees to connect with families in need by getting into the community. Shall we discuss Australia's similar numbers with the aboriginal community? Or circle back to Canada and the parallel relationship between the First Nations' institutionalized children and children of the African Diaspora.
Is this a coincidence?
I think not.
Unfortunately, back in Toronto's child welfare system, the opinion of some powers that be is, "no problem exists." According to Black staff who have seen "the issues" up front and personal (whom, by the way, pushed for the reported official Child in Care numbers of "The Society") some lead managers willing to concede to a problem believe "more research must be had; like focus groups with staff and community members of the West African diaspora."
The insistence that "Open dialogue is necessary before steps can be taken to rectify the (already dire) situation" is most alarming.
This insistence for dialogue is alarming because the 41 % of Black children in care CONTINUE to remain in care longer than their White and Asian peers and CONTINUE to be the greatest number of children in care.
What are the children (in care) to do while the "responsible" adults are talking?
And let's not kid ourselves. This overrepresentation of Black children is not a NEW issue. Anyone looking at the history of the Children's Aid Society, will note the few initiatives implemented to "connect" with the Black community - over a forty year period.
For FORTY YEARS the Black communities have been subjected to this agency disconnect and dialogue while their children are brought into care.
With these "efforts" in mind, one might wonder if the decision makers at the Children's Aid Society truly want to "help the Black community". Are the Children's Aid Society decision makers rightfully focused upon the improvement of the children in their care or are their interests upon their own well being and improved station?
Harsh questioning?
So are the circumstance of the 41% of Black children in care - for roughly four decades.
The facts are simple. IF the Executive Team of the Children's Aid Society of Toronto WANTED to understand and support the Black community, wouldn't 41 % of their Executive Team be Black? Would not 41% of their middle management team be Black? Would not 41 % of their staff who interact with the Black community be Black? How could a White culture fully comprehend Black culture, except through stereo types and assumptions?
One might suggest that the majority White staff working with the Children's Aid Society are profiting - review the salaries of a Children's Aid Society Social Worker, Supervisor or member of the Executive Team - off the backs of Toronto's meagre Black community.
One might also say, these realities sound comparable to slavery in North America - except this is worse as the conduct of the organization is a systemic service... service to WHOM should be the question.
When will the dialogue end and the children truly be protected? Who apprehends from the Children's Aid when THEY neglect the needs of children - the children in their care?
Speaking of the Children's Aid Board of Directors, how many Black Executive Directors have they hired within the recent forty years? How has the Chief Operating Officer, who is celebrated for being on staff for thirty years, operated the best circumstances for children during her tenure? The Ministry of Children and Youth Services must feel their dollars poorly spent for the Black children forgotten in Foster Care.
Maybe The Honourable Tracy MacCharles is not up to her post.
This is where the Black community must step forward. The Ministry, Board of Directors, Executive Team responsible for The Children's Aid Society of Toronto need to know, these numbers are unacceptable. They all must know via letters, e-mails, texts, letters to the news paper - our VOTE come EVERY ELECTION - that an immediate solution is mandatory.
No more talk.
Forty years is enough.
Don't YOU think?
Next Issue of Queenie Brown Magazine will feature the conclusion to this discussion, titled,
No Child Left Behind, which will include how WE as a community CAN make a difference for our children.
It is time the Black community return to the old school teaching of taking the village to raise the child.
The children need us.