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Latest Message from NCFST on COVID-19: March 16
At NCFST, we live and work in the communities we serve. We feel a deep-rooted responsibility for the health and safety of our staff, our families and the communities we serve and each other.
As part of our steps to ensure the health and safety of everyone who works and visits NCFST, we are posting this message to provide an update on our response to COVID-19 and its impact on you and our daily operations.
Prevention update:
The emerging consensus between multiple governments and health authorities is that we need to limit public engagement, services and activities as much as possible between March 16th and April 5th.
This 3 week period is meant to “flatten the curve” and reduce the transmission of the pandemic to ensure our medical and support services systems are not overwhelmed.
During this period, we are implementing “social distancing” as a preventative measure. Given how easily the virus can spread, health officials have said that social distancing is crucial when it comes to staying healthy and avoiding spreading the virus to others. As such, we are suspending or limiting any programs or services where hygiene or social distancing cannot be maintained.
Service suspensions:
- All EarlyOn Centres will be closed until April 5th;
- All Aboriginal Head Start Programs will be closed until April 5th;
- All childcare will be closed until April 5th;
- All Daycare and school-based programming will be closed until April 5th (including before and after school supports, GED and other educational programming).
- Culture Nights at 30 College and Scarborough will be suspended until further notice;
- Odel’Min Walk In Clinic will be suspended until further notice;
- All drop-in programs will be limited until further notice;
- All other programs and services will be reduced or suspended until further notice.
If you are unsure whether an event will be happening, please contact your local NCFST site for information.
We apologize for any inconvenience these suspensions might cause. We are committed to keeping our community safe, and we will continue to provide updates on our website as the situation evolves.
For more information:
- World Health Organization
- Public Health Agency of Canada
- Ontario Ministry of Health
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (USA)
Message from Native Child and Family Services of Toronto regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19)
March 12, 2020
Native Child and Family Services of Toronto (NCFST) is closely watching the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation. In our response, we are following the advice of Public Health authorities.
Currently, the health risk associated with COVID-19 is low for the general population of Canada. Public health risk is continually reassessed as new information becomes available, and NCFST will provide updates if the risk for COVID-19 changes.
Impact on services:
In consideration of the low risk identified by authorities, NCFST health clinics and other service-related events and activities are taking place as scheduled.
However, to minimize the potential spread of disease, NCFST Cultural Events at 30 College Street and our Scarborough location at 156 Galloway Road will be on hold for the next two months.
The COVID-19 situation can change rapidly, so if you are planning on attending an event, please check with your local site first to ensure that the event will be happening.
What we are doing:
- We are consistently monitoring Public Health updates on COVID-19
- We are ensuring that all service areas have hand sanitizer and are cleaned regularly
- We are putting larger-scale Cultural Events on hold for two months
- We are still running health clinics and other service-related activities
What you can do:
- Clean your hands often with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer
- Cover your mouth and nose with a sleeve/tissue when you sneeze or cough
- Avoid touching your face (eyes, nose or mouth) with unwashed hands
- Avoid contact with people who are sick
- Stay home if you are sick and limit contact with others
If you notice symptoms of the virus (such as fever, cough, or difficulty breathing), it is advised that you contact TeleHealth Ontario (1-866-797-0000), your healthcare provider, and/or your local health authority.
We are monitoring the situation on an ongoing basis to ensure the safety of our community members, staff and families.
For more information:
- World Health Organization
- Public Health Agency of Canada
- Ontario Ministry of Health
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (USA)
Congratulations Eva Webster for winning the Bhayana Family Foundation Award!
The Bhayana Family Foundation Awards recognize extraordinary contributions made by frontline staff who are tackling local issues at United Way Greater Toronto-supported agencies.
For the last 11 years Eva is the one, and likely the only person who has personally greeted and assisted almost every single person who walks into the agency. Many of the community that comes to the city are the most vulnerable. Sometimes they arrive in crisis which makes Eva in our lobby a frontline worker, and integral to improving the lives of Toronto’s Aboriginal community. Extra supports are often done on her own time and at her initiative, because as an Aboriginal woman, mother and community member she knows how important that feeling of comfort and belonging can be, especially for our most vulnerable community members who are struggling and more often than not, disconnected from their home communities and extended families. This is a role she takes seriously but manages with grace, honesty, humour, and strength.
Three qualities that exemplify Eva’s dedication:
- Provides exceptional service to external and internal customers
- Solid support for colleagues
- Goes above and beyond to make a significant contribution to their team, agency or community
TVOKids show “It’s my Party!” features NCFST in next episode on Tuesday Nov 5th at 6PM
Hello Community,
We are pleased to share with you that TVOKids will be featuring Native Child and Family Services of Toronto in their next episode of It’s My Party! National Indigenous Peoples Day airing on Tuesday, November 5th at 6PM on TVOKids.
- Rogers Cable 2 & HD 580
- Bell TV 265
- Bell Fibe TV HD 1209 & SD 209
- Shaw Direct HD 39 & SD 353
Thank you Foster, Kinship and Customary Care parents
A Call for the Inclusion of Urban Aboriginal Service Providers in the Federal Transformation of Aboriginal Child Welfare
In September 2019, Indigenous child and family well-being organizations delivering services in urban spaces across Canada met for the first time to consider the potential impacts of Bill C-92, An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families. This federal transformation of Aboriginal1 child welfare has been designed and developed without the technical expertise of the agencies currently delivering these services to the majority of Aboriginal children and families in Canada. Mechanisms used to develop Bill C-92’s regulations and inform its ongoing implementation continue to leave out large urban service providers. As a result, this process also ignores the voices of the 25% of Indigenous children not registered for Indian status and who reside in urban spaces; this population has their own unique and legitimate needs and aspirations around cultural identity, belonging, and service.
We collectively call for Indigenous Services Canada, the Assembly of First Nations, the Métis National Council and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami to provide meaningful opportunities for urban services providers to participate in the ongoing development and implementation of Bill C-92 to ensure that: 1) distinct urban Aboriginal voices inform the process; and 2) Aboriginal children do fall through jurisdictional gaps created by the implementation of the Bill.
Read the full position paper here
Toronto Star – Opinion Editorial, Oct 15, 2019 – Spotlight needed on urban Indigenous child welfare