As of February 28, 1992, The Children’s Aid Society (CASDSM) has been a designated bilingual agency dedicated to actively offering French language services to the francophone community of the Sudbury-Manitoulin Districts.
Receiving services in French is a legislated right of French-speaking children, youth, and families guaranteed by the French Language Services Act, 1990, and the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017.
Ontario is home to more than 620,000 Francophones, representing the largest French-speaking community in Canada outside of Quebec. We recognize the important role that the Francophone community has played in building this province, and that there was a need for special attention in our vulnerable communities. We acknowledge French-speaking families’ right to receive services in French, and our agency is actively offering equitable and inclusive services in French. CASDSM uses an Active Offer of French-language services (FLS) approach in communicating with service recipients, alternate caregivers, and the general public. CASDSM recognizes service recipients and alternate caregivers of either official language as having the same rights, status, and privileges. As such, service recipients and alternate caregivers are entitled to receive services in the official language in which they are most comfortable, and thus receive French-language services at the initial greeting and at each subsequent point of contact.
To accomplish this, CASDSM provides its staff the resources necessary to provide comprehensive, high-quality child welfare services to its service recipients and alternate caregivers in the official language in which they are most comfortable.
If you have a complaint involving French language services, please visit the following link:
https://www.ombudsman.on.ca/what-we-do/topics/french-language-services
Or please refer to the following Ombudsman French Language Services Unit poster: Problems Accessing Services In French?