The Ministry (MCCSS)
Sets the rules under the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, licenses every foster care agency, inspects them each year, and upholds the rights of children in care. It sets the standards, but it doesn’t place children itself.
Foster Care in Ontario
Ontario does foster care a little differently. Here's how the system fits together, and where Annie's Havens sits within it.
In Ontario, the government sets the rules for foster care but doesn't recruit foster parents itself. That work is done by licensed agencies, either a local Children's Aid Society or a private agency like Annie's Havens. The Ministry visits every agency each year to make sure the rules are being followed.
The line between an agency and a Children's Aid Society can be confusing, because both run foster homes. The difference is that a CAS also investigates concerns, holds guardianship, and handles adoptions. Here's who does what.
Children’s Aid Societies
More than 40 across Ontario. A CAS investigates child-welfare concerns, can bring a child into care, and usually holds guardianship. When it doesn’t have a suitable home, it refers a child to a licensed agency like us.
Annie’s Havens
A licensed private foster care agency. We recruit, assess, train, and support foster homes, and care for the children placed with us, working alongside the CAS that referred them.
The levels of care
Foster care in Ontario is generally provided at three levels, and our programs map directly onto them:
- Mainstream (regular) care for children and youth without complex needs, through our Mainstream program.
- Therapeutic care for children with developmental and medical needs, through our Special Needs program, our founding focus.
- Treatment care for children and youth who have experienced severe trauma, through our sister agency, Safe Harbours, in our Trauma-Focused program.
Ready to open your home?
Reach out and a member of our team will get back to you within one business day. No pressure, just a conversation.