Where are we now and where do we need to be going?

1. A look at the Diversity and AOP Committee at the Children’s Aid Society of Brant Where are we now and where do we need to be going? Prepared By: Leigh Savage – Children’s Aid Society of Brant March 2011

2. What is Anti-Oppressive Practice (AOP)? • AOP “….looks at the use and abuse of power not only in relations to individual and organizational behaviour, but also in relation to broader social structures such as health, education, political, economic, media and cultural systems (Clifford, 1995, 9.7) • Seeks to understand how social structures and institutions create and perpetuate the oppression and marginalization of those who are not part of the dominant group identity (i.e: white, male, heterosexual, Christian, able-bodied) • Seeks to eliminate social injustice perpetuated by these structural inequalities at the individual, group and institutional levels (i.e. bias that is built into the structure of organizations, institutions, governments, or social networks) • Seeks to share power and create collaboration between those who are marginalized and those with privilege to become allies Slide adapted from: Ontario Child Welfare Anti-Oppression Roundtable, November 2010

3. Why Is This Discussion Important? • There continues to be over-representation of marginalized groups within the system: • Aboriginal youth (0-19) represented less than 3% of the total child population in Ontario (Census 2006), but 14.4% of the numbers of children in care (OACAS, 2008) • In an Ontario urban centre, where the Black population totals 8%, Black youth represent 65% of the youth in group care • Child welfare has been called the poor women’s social service system Slide adapted from: Ontario Child Welfare Anti-Oppression Roundtable, November 2010

4. Structural Biases in Child Welfare Child “A” (aged 5-9) • No dependence on social assistance • Two parent family • Three or fewer children • White • Owner-occupied home • More rooms than people Odds of CW involvement are 1 in 7,000 Child “B” (aged 5-9) • Household head receives income support • Single parent family • Four or more children • Mixed ethnic origin • Privately rented home • More people than rooms Odds of CW involvement are 1 in 10 J.Jones (1994) Slide adapted from: Ontario Child Welfare Anti-Oppression Roundtable, November 2010

5. The Iceberg Understanding Personal versus Structural Levels of Oppression Above the Waterline: The Personal Level How people treat one another At the Waterline: The Unconscious Level Below the Waterline: The Structural or Systemic Level Power – Privilege - Status Slide adapted from: Ontario Child Welfare Anti-Oppression Roundtable, November 2010

6. Previous Recommendations: • Since the Diversity and AOP Committee began in 2007, several recommendations have come forward which focus on specific steps as to what Brant CAS can do to become a more inclusive organization • Recommendations have been received from staff, community members and stakeholders. • Diversity Survey – 2008 • Position paper – 2008 • BharthiSethi’s research practicum – 2008

7. What Has Been Done? • 2-day training on AOP was offered for all staff by Dr. Gary Dumbrill and Dr. June Yee - 2008 • Mentorship program – 2009 • Reference manual – 2010

8. Where Is The Committee At Now? • Since the committee began, 3 consistent concerns have been raised by members which has been a stumbling block for the committee to move forward: • Lack of knowledge and skill in understanding and addressing oppression • Many members have said that they don’t feel competent enough to take on a leadership role within the committee because they don’t feel as though they have the skills and knowledge to carry forward the next steps • Even if members feel that had the skill and knowledge, they simply didn’t have the time to take on another task above their daily obligations. • In 2010 the Terms of Reference was completed which has provided focus and direction. • More conversations about social justice taking place at the table to help the committee to ‘unpack’ social domination and structural injustice

9. Where Do We Need To Be Going? • Recommendation #1 – Adapt a framework for organizational change • Recommendation #2 – Designate leadership

10. Recommendation #1 – Adapt a Framework For Organizational Change • In 2010, the Provincial Child Welfare Anti-Oppressive Roundtable produced the Anti-Oppression Framework for Child Welfare • The framework was created through a province-wide consultation process (109 participants from 44 agencies) with those who work in child welfare • The framework focuses on a shift in organizational culture with the intent to provide more inclusive services to families involved in the child welfare system • Framework was presented and endorsed at the December 2010 Local Directors (LD) meeting

11. AO Framework – What Is It? • 5 recommendations were received through the consultation period: • AO in child welfare requires a change of culture reflected in the agency’s work, along with a focus on changes in the outcomes of child welfare • AO should not be an add-on to the organization, it should be embedded in the values, mission, policies, processes and practices in all levels of the organization • AO is both a process and outcome where progress is measurable as demonstrated change within the organizations work • Agencies need to create a culture of openness and safety when implementing AO work • More data on who we are serving and what we are doing in child welfareis necessary in order to be able to come up with better solutions Slide adapted from: Ontario Child Welfare Anti-Oppression Roundtable, November 2010

12. Why a Framework? • Recognizes and builds on existing capacities • Provides a tool to identify factors that support the status quo and identify processes to support systemic change • Combines an organizational change process (leadership) with an evaluation model (accountability) • Recognizes that individual, group and institutional activities must be linked to measureable systemic outcomes Slide adapted from: Ontario Child Welfare Anti-Oppression Roundtable, November 2010

13. Recommendation #2 – Designate Leadership • According to the Diversity Tool Kit created by the Child Welfare Secretariat (February 2008): • “…the gold standard of diversity organizational change requires that the values of equity, inclusion and cultural competence be entrenched in every aspect of the organization’s operations” (p.19) • The report continues to suggest that for an organization who is dedicated in achieving culturally competent services, that they “use a diversity professional or other expertise to guide the planning and development of the strategy, and to serve as the catalyst for ensuring diversity issues permeate the organization in an integrated and strategic manner” (p.23)

14. Leadership As Quality Assurance • AO framework focuses on process and outcome evaluation through an AO lens • Recommending a shift in philosophy to include qualitative measurement – hearing directly from the voices who receive service (direct or indirect) • QA provides the opportunity to measure the quality of service being provided while also allowing the space to evaluate current practices in place. • QA provides the opportunity for the organization to reassess and alter services in a way that is more anti-oppressive while taking into consideration the feedback from the stakeholders.

15. Clinical Supervision Quality Assurance Quality Assurance AOP Clinical Counselling AOP Direct Practice AOP AOP AOP Signs of Safety Family Group Decision Making Community Based AOP AOP AOP IMPACT: Enhanced service delivery being offered through an AO lens while ensuring child safety

16. Never doubt that a small group of committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has ~ Margaret Mead ~