Did you know that parents of kids in Government care are rewarded with unsupervised visits, without drug and alcohol testing, to ensure the kids are in a safe environment?  Even in a case where the parent makes no effort to seek help & has 0 accountability, and living a high risk lifestyle, a supervisor, that is not family, is not deemed necessary for visits with children.  

It is completely ludicrous that parents who lose custody of their children due to their alcohol and drug problems, get to see the kids without proper measures to ensure the children's safety. When I asked why this occurs, it's because it costs too much to do drug and alcohol testing. Yet, the Government supplies anyone who wants one a Narcan/Naloxone kit for those who overdose?

Well look at the lifelong costs of not ensuring child safety following the already traumatic removal of the parents from the kids' daily lives. We as adults have every opportunity to learn right from wrong and live productive lives. When you prioritize an addict's rights before an innocent child's, you are teaching the children their safety, their sense of wellbeing and their right to have a trauma free life is of no importance.

From Statistics Canada:

Trajectories of psychological distress among Canadian adults who experienced parental addiction in childhood

Childhood experiences can influence mental health into adulthood. Physical and sexual abuse and neglect in childhood have been shown to have long-term negative health outcomes, including depression, anxiety and anger.1-3 In a study of harmful childhood exposures, substance abuse by a household member was the most common.4

However, the relationship between parental addictions and mental health outcomes in offspring is not straightforward. Substance abuse/Addiction often co-exists with other adverse childhood experiences, such as physical abuse.5,6 The household environment of children of addicted parents is frequently characterized by negative family functioning, instability, and a lack of parental support.7 As well, the children of addicted parents tend to be more likely to abuse substances themselves,8,9 to have poor coping skills and depression as adults,10,11 and to exhibit antisocial behaviours.6 Such factors complicate potential associations between parental addiction and mental health.

I understand the goal is reunification of families, but make it because the parent has worked hard to achieve & is accountable for their sobriety. Do not reunite families with no safeguards because our child safety system is broke, fatigued & overworked. 

I implore you to stand with me to get the attention of those who can invest & rebuild the Ministry of Child and Family Development!