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Have immediate concerns about a child? Call 416-969-8510

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So far Ola has created 86 blog entries.

April 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.
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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
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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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Latest Message from NCFST on COVID-19: April 6

Native Child and Family Services of Toronto (NCFST) recognizes that the COVID-19 pandemic has created a challenging environment for families. With the closures of schools, daycares, and other services, children are increasingly vulnerable to family stress. As a provider of essential services, NCFST is here to support vulnerable families through these difficult times.

Our mandated Child and Family Wellbeing services continue to operate 24 hours 7 days a week: 

  • We continue to provide services to families through regular check-ins and provision of concrete assistance whenever needed.

  • We continue to support the foster and customary care community with increased financial assistance and additional resources for children and youth during COVID-19.

  • We continue to provide parenting support (Ninoshe) services for enrolled families.

  • The Ode’l Min Health Clinic is now operating virtually every Monday for community consults.

  • The Tikinagan Pre-Post Natal team continues to serve expecting and recent community mothers and families.

Contact us 24 hours a day 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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March 2020

Latest Message from NCFST on COVID-19: March 17

Good Evening,
Events are changing rapidly, and we are responding accordingly. Our management team has been working diligently with staff and key stakeholders to ensure our response remains robust and the health and safety of everyone who works and visits NCFST is maintained. We are sending this message to provide an update on our response to COVID-19 and its impact on you and our daily operations.

Latest updates: 

In response to the latest recommendations from multiple governments and health authorities to slow the spread of COVID-19 NCFST is making changes to our business practices. Our goal remains the same to limit public engagement, services and activities as much as possible between March 16th and April 5th. This 3-week period is intended to flatten the curve and reduce the transmission of the pandemic to ensure our medical and support services systems are not overwhelmed.

Service suspensions: 

In congruence with recommendations made by Toronto Public Health, we have made the decision to temporarily close the following services until further notice:
  • All EarlyOn Centres will be closed;
  • All Aboriginal Head Start Programs will be closed;
  • All Daycare and school-based programming will be closed (including before and after school supports, GED and other educational programming);
  • 185 Carlton will be closed.
  • Culture Nights at 30 College and Scarborough will be suspended until further notice.
  • All programming and groups and gatherings where hygiene and social distancing cannot be maintained.

Community members should contact their worker by phone should you require any assistance.

Continuing services

  • NYRC and SCFLC are offering services by appointment only. The sites are locked and a sign is posted with the extension numbers for folks to call and referrals will be offered. Staff will be on-site to provide emergency support such as food cards, tokens, etc.
  • 30 College is providing essential services only. Community members are encouraged to call their workers to request support. Signage has been posted to support this closure.
  • The Transition Houses are all open and full. We will continue to provide services to this vulnerable community.
  • Mdewgaan Lodge will continue to operate as we are serving vulnerable women and their children who need our support 24 hours a day. 
  • Tikanagan program continues to offer services remotely.
  • Child and Family Wellbeing will continue to service our families/children and youth.

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.

Our staff commitment to ongoing service

Our staff is committed to servicing our community in the best way possible.  At this time, we are continuing to service our community as described above, with both essential and non-essential services. We ask that you continue to be patient with us as we find ourselves in an unprecedented time. We are working very hard with all of our staff to ensure we are present for our community.
We will continue to update our website as new information becomes available. Take care of yourself and your loved ones.

For more information:

For further updates on COVID-19, we encourage you to visit the following sites:
For infection control information and resources, please visit the Public Services Health and Safety Association website.
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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: 

In congruence with recommendations from Toronto Public Health, we have made the decision to temporarily close the following services between March 15th and April 5th:
  • 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).
Furthermore, we have temporarily suspended or limited the following programs until further notice:
  • 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:

For further updates on COVID-19, we encourage you to visit the following sites:
For infection control information and resources, please visit the Public Services Health and Safety Association website.
Read More

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: 

Similar to the flu, the best way to protect yourself is through prevention:
  • 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.

Please visit our website for future updates.

For more information:

For updates on COVID-19, we encourage you to visit the following sites:
For infection control information and resources, please visit the Public Services Health and Safety Association website.
Read More

November 2019

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:

  1. Provides exceptional service to external and internal customers
  2. Solid support for colleagues
  3. Goes above and beyond to make a significant contribution to their team, agency or community
Thank you, Eva for your dedication and going above and beyond to serve the Aboriginal community at NCFST.
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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
We hope you are able to tune in and share the details with all your family and friends. The whole TVOKids team is very proud of this series and excited for you to watch. 
 
Follow us on our Facebook page for more details.  If you are posting on social use #ItsMyParty! and tag @tvo 
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October 2019

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