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Latest News

Latest News2020-04-12T18:04:10-04:00

Latest News

705, 2020

Lyme Disease Awareness and Safety

As the weather begins to warm up and more people begin to venture outside, Native Child and Family Services of Toronto wants to help ensure that our community stays safe from Lyme disease.

Lyme disease is a growing public health issue in Canada. Spread by the bite of infected blacklegged ticks, Lyme disease can cause serious health issues if left untreated. While the risk varies across the country, everyone should be aware of steps they can take to protect themselves, their children and their families from tick bites.

The Public Health Agency of Canada has created a collection of Lyme disease resources for communities, including information on how to check for ticks and how to protect yourself and your family from Lyme disease.

For more information about Lyme disease, visit the Government of Canada’s Lyme disease webpage.

505, 2020

Statement RE: Summer Camps 2020

Hello Parents/Guardians and Campers,

I would like to take this opportunity to update you on our plans for Summer Camps 2020. As you are aware, the current COVID -19 pandemic has caused severe disruptions in all of our lives and may have serious implications in how we can move forward in regard to camps this year.

It is our hope that we will continue to be able to provide our traditional face-to-face camps this year. We are assertively lobbying the government to open the parks within Toronto to allow us to offer essential on-the-land programming to our community. In the event we are unable to offer face-to-face camps, we have been working hard to find creative ways to still present camp programming.

Over the past month, we have been meeting and planning an online “Virtual Camp” experience. Families would be able to register for camps online and would be emailed directions to log on to both interactive and pre-recorded programming.

We are committed to providing cultural learning opportunities, fun and interactive activities and to staying connected as a camp community! Please complete this short survey to allow us to take your needs, ideas, questions, and feedback into consideration while developing our Virtual Camps.

Please note that we will keep the community updated regarding the type of camp programming experience we will be providing this summer.

We look forward to continuing to serve the community and hearing from each of you. Please check for updates in the coming weeks by visiting our Native Child and Family Services of Toronto website and social media accounts.

For questions, please send the Virtual Camps team an email at [email protected]

Sincerely,

Greg Flynn
Cultural Camp Supervisor
Native Child and Family Services of Toronto

Survey link: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=6wdBfFkMoUq57nTfL19wLScuww-5o6hNjVE8AbpALl5URFA2RTMzVTBWQlZOU1NVU0Y2WUdMOTM5Mi4u

405, 2020

Thank You to Our Partners

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Native Child and Family Services of Toronto (NCFST) has been collaborating with community partners to provide essential services to Aboriginal families across Toronto. Working together with staff from Gabriel Dumont Non-Profit Homes, NCFST assembled and delivered several hampers to date for community members.

We want to extend our sincere thanks to all the community partners who are helping us provide services during these difficult times. Their support has been essential as we adapt our services to meet the rising need in our community.

1004, 2020

A message to COVID-19 essential service professionals in Toronto

Native Child and Family Services of Toronto (NCFST) is a multi-service urban Aboriginal agency providing child safety and well-being, holistic, and culture-based programs and services for over 7,000 Aboriginal children and families across the Greater Toronto Area. We remain committed wherever possible to keep families together.

Our Concern

We are concerned about an increased risk of child abuse and neglect with families being increasingly isolated amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This crisis has created a challenging environment for families. With the closures of schools, daycares, and other services, children are increasingly vulnerable to family stress. Aboriginal families already have increased risk factors, when compared to non-Aboriginal households, as it relates to poverty, addictions, mental health, and family violence. Without the appropriate supports during this pandemic Aboriginal children are at greater risk.

The number of calls being reported by community concerning child safety & well-being has plummeted

Kids are simply not being seen during this pandemic unless families were already engaged in service. The majority of our calls historically come from schools, daycare centers, and other professionals. While we have seen a dramatic decrease in new cases being reported we have experienced an increase in demands from existing families. For many of these families, there is an increase in challenges to access food and basic necessities; there is also increased anxiety and stress. We know more than ever there is domestic violence and child abuse/neglect occurring in the community. In this time of crisis, we all need to look out for vulnerable children and families to work together to keep kids safe.

We are an Essential Service and Still Open to Serve 24 Hours, 7 Days a Week

We want the community to know we are open – we are first-responders. If anyone is worried about a child, please call. We are still here and you can remain anonymous. The duty to report obligation for professionals remains and is even more vital during times like this. The goal is to work with families early before problems become acute.

Contact Us

During a time of increased anxiety, vulnerable children, youth and families need support and care more than ever. Should you have concerns for the safety or well-being of a child, or if you are a caregiver who requires support to keep your child safe, please call us at (416) 969-8510. We are also updating our website regularly with more holistic and cultural-based service offerings.
904, 2020

A Message to Aboriginal Families of Toronto

It feels like Mother Earth just sent us all to our rooms……the Ontario government has ordered all non-essential businesses to shut down and the City of Toronto declared a state of emergency and instituted an emergency order regulating physical distancing. We find ourselves in unique and challenging times. More than ever we require the wisdom of our teachings and the strength of community. We have all been humbled by the circumstances in which we find ourselves – we are now a community at a distance. During this period of social distancing, we must be vigilant to stay connected with one another and support those who are most vulnerable just as we have always done in community since time immemorial.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted our lives and when it is done we will have collectively experienced loss and hardship. We can navigate this crisis together as a community by keeping the circle strong. Native Child and Family Services of Toronto (NCFST) remains unwavering in our commitment to serving the community during this crisis and as such we have been classified as an essential service by the Province of Ontario.

We know that this is an extremely difficult time for community members. This crisis has created a challenging environment for many families. With the closures of schools, daycares, and other services, children are increasingly vulnerable to family stress. We want to reassure you that we remain open and can provide you with the support you and your family need. We offer a single point of access to an integrated network of programs and services designed to address the multiple and complex issues facing many Aboriginal families in Toronto. As a provider of essential services, NCFST is here to help.

If you and your family are struggling, please don’t wait to reach out for support. During a time of increased anxiety, children, youth and families need support and care more than ever. Additionally, should you have concerns for the safety or well-being of a child, or if you are a caregiver who requires support to keep your child safe, please call us at (416) 969-8510. We are also updating our website (www.nativechild.org) regularly with all our holistic and cultural-based service offerings. In this time of crisis we all need to look out for vulnerable children and families to work together to keep kids safe and community healthy. Please continue to self-isolate, check in on each other and have a good weekend.

Chi Miigwech
The NCFST staff, board and executive team
704, 2020

Latest Message from NCFST on COVID-19: April 7

In addition to our Child and Family Well-being services, we continue to operate Holistic and support/prevention services: 

  • Holistic Healing Services is continuing to provide support to community members through video or telephone counselling. Intake services are available at 416-969-8510 ext. 3290.

  • Food support, crafts, medicine bundles and educational packages are available to community members, who can contact their workers to receive resources.

  • Scarborough Child and Family Life Centre is available to community members by appointment only. These workers are available between 9-5. If youth need support:

    • Youth Outreach Worker Jennifer Archer 416-845-8207.

    • Youth Justice Worker Felicia Langdon at 437-216-9873.

    • Emergency after-hours response number at 416-969-8510.

  • Virtual programming is being offered on social media for Aboriginal EarlyON and Aboriginal Head Start programs:

  • Native Youth Resource Center is available by appointment only.  If youth need assistance, please call our drop-in response phone number: 416-969-8510 ext. 4119. For further updates, please follow our youth program accounts:

  • Mdewgaan Healing Lodge is continuing to provide support and residential services to women and children.

  • Women and Men’s Transitional Housing programs are still open and serving the community. There is currently a waitlist.

  • For more information on Holistic Services, contact 416-969-8510 ext. 3290 or [email protected]

Contact us 24 hours 7 days a week

In this time of crisis, it is important to be vigilant about the safety of children and families in our communities. If any member of the public or a professional has a concern about the safety and/or well-being of a child or youth under 18, they should immediately contact us at 416-969-8510.

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