Sign and follow your agreement

Before you sign an agreement with a Children’s Aid Society (CAS):

• speak to a lawyer, if possible
• read it carefully
• ask CAS or your lawyer any questions you have
• make sure that you understand it

You should know how:

• you or CAS can end the agreement, and
• what happens if you don’t follow the agreement.

Agreement between a parent and CAS

Your agreement gives you time to work on things that you or the CAS worker was worried about. For example, to make your home a safe place or to improve your parenting skills.

If you’ve agreed to home visits as part of your voluntary services agreement, you should prepare for these visits. They can be planned in advance, or they can happen at any time. You should make sure that:

• there is food in the fridge
• the floors are clean and there isn’t garbage lying around
• your home is safe for your child, for example, cleaning supplies, knives and medicines are kept in a place your child can’t reach
• your home has smoke and carbon monoxide detectors that work
• the children’s rooms have suitable furniture, such as a crib for a baby

If your home is a mess, it may look like caring for your child is difficult for you. A CAS worker must keep notes about what they notice in your home. This information can be used in court later on.

At the end of the agreement, CAS may have no worries about your child and close their file. If they still have some, they may start a court case or ask to extend your voluntary services agreement

Agreement between youth who are 16 or 17 years old and CAS

A young person can end a voluntary services agreement whenever they want to. If they don’t end an agreement with CAS, it automatically ends when they are 18 years old.

If a youth had an agreement when they became 18, they can join a continued support program. This program is for young people aged 18 to 20. The program offers them financial and other support, such as services from a CAS worker.