Children in Limbo Task Force Sponsors Conference

On October 3, 2003 the SLA, through the leadership of the Children in Limbo Task Force, co-sponsored the American Orthopsychiatry Association's conference "Helping Children Who Live in Toxic Situations" at Metro Hall Council Chambers in Toronto. The event was an overwhelming success, with sold-out attendance and participants attending from across Ontario,as well as Quebec. Some of the proceeds of the event will go towards funding of the CIL Task Force's next publication on collaboration between the Courts and Mental Health Systems in serving children and youth..

The conference would not have been possible without the hard work of CIL members and organizers Gitte Granofsky, Ryna Langer, and Sally Palmer. On behalf of the Alliance, thank you for helping to make this event a success!

Education Task Force - Provincial Election Advocacy

Prior to the Ontario Provincial election, The Sparrow Lake Alliance's Education Task Force prepared a series of questions regarding education, to be used at All Candidates’ Meetings. The material was prepared on the basis of considerable discussion with educators and parents, and represented a distillation of the most urgent issues identified. Materials were distributed to all SLA members for use in their advocacy work, and in asking questions of their local candidates and party leadership.

The Sparrow Lake Alliance and its Education Task Force recognize that education is a crucial issue for children and their well being, and one which affects all families and citizens of Ontario.

There are currently no new SLA publications.

Addressing the Needs of "Crossover Kids"

In late September, the Steering Committee convened a small group of stakeholders to discuss the issues faced by youth who have problems cutting across school, mental health, substance abuse, child welfare, and youth justice – these youth have been termed “cross-over kids” in the youth justice system. We believe this to be a useful descriptor but, most importantly, we believe that our systems are doing a very poor job of meeting the needs of these cross-over youth.

Based on feedback from thi small group meeting, the tentative plan is to organize and host a workshop in the new year in order to understand: 1) more clearly who these youth are: 2) what their needs are; 3) to try to identify how they are “falling through the cracks”; and 4) perhaps to develop specific strategies to deliver services and improve outcomes.

Plans are currently underway for a one-day symposium in early 2004 where an invited group of cross-sectoral leaders will develop a set of formal guidelines and policy recommendations to be brought forward to the new provincial government.

SLA Advocacy & Official Endorsements

Since the time of the annual meeting, the SLA has leant its support and endorsement to two important advocacy initiatives:

1) Joint Statement on Physical Punishment of Children and Youth (facilitated by Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa)

Anchored in national and international research experience, this document clearly rejects the physical punishment of children and youth as both ineffective and harmful. The Statement affirms that positive discipline is essential to raising well-adjusted children, and it cites examples of recognized resources on parenting.

To find out more about the statement and the coalition please visit: www.cheo.on.ca

2) Pay the Rent and feed the Kids Coalition (Toronto, Ontario)

This advocacy campaign is an effort to challenge the provincial government ot raise social assistance rates to reflect the actual cost of living. Too many people in our community are forced to choose between paying the rent and eating, and for those with children, the ultimate choice is often between paying the rent or feeding the kids. Inadequate shelter allowance rates are leading to increased hunger and homelessness.

For more on information on the campaign please visit their site at: www.paytherent.ca

WE NEED YOU!

This section will be dedicated to SLA Members, and we need you to make it a success. Have an idea for an article? Want to write an editorial or an open letter to other SLA members? Or maybe your organization is sponsoring an event and you are looking for a way to get the word out?

Our goal is to make this section of the newsletter as participatory as possible, based on feedback from members on what they want and need from the SLA web site.

Articles, questions and conference announcement can be mailed to: contact@sparrowlake.org

15^th Annual Meeting Update
This year's Annual Meeting has been booked for:

May 7-8, 2004

Bayview-Wildwood Resort

The theme of the meeting will centre around children and youth and the criminal justice system. The program will incorporate policy, clinical, community, and client perspectives on some of the most pressing issues faced by children and youth who come into contact with the law, as well as by those who work in the various sectors that serve them.

Registration packages will be made available online and will be mailed out to active members at the beginning of March, 2004. Please check the Current Annual Meeting page for regular updates.

The Steering Committee is hard at work assembling a roster of speakers and will be making a preliminary program available early in the new year.

Youth Roundtable Discussions
From the family to the system - Youth are dealing with Violence

		Ottawa and Thunder Bay, Ontario November 07, 2003 November 14, 2003
		Voices for Children, in partnership with the Office of Child and Family Service Advocacy, is hosting Youth Roundtable Discussions in Ottawa (November 7) and Thunder Bay (November 14).
		The experiences and information generously shared by youth concerned about violence will assist the Office and Child and Family Service Advocacy in its work and form the basis for a future report published by Voices for Children. For further information please visit: www.voicesforchildren.ca