Frequently Asked Questions

What does SafeHarbor Family Aid actually do?

SafeHarbor Family Aid is a professional child welfare advocacy and consulting agency.

What makes us unique is our insider knowledge of Ontario’s child protection system, built through years of frontline experience at:

  • Toronto CAS

  • Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto

  • Peel CAS

  • Durham CAS

  • York CAS

Our role is to guide families through CAS involvement with clarity, confidence, and strategy.

Are you a legal service?

SafeHarbor Family Aid is not a legal service or law firm — we are a professional child welfare advocacy and consultant service. What makes us different is our deep, insider knowledge of Ontario’s child protection system, developed through years of frontline experience with Toronto CAS, Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto, and Peel CAS.

For legal matters, we refer clients to licensed professionals.

What do you help with?

We help families understand and respond to Children’s Aid involvement — especially in the early stages, where effective support can prevent unnecessary escalation to family court.

We understand how they assess risk, verify allegations, assign eligibility codes, and create service plans.

Our insight into how CAS works allows us to guide families through key areas, including:

  • Understanding your rights and responsibilities

  • Anticipating agency decisions and next steps

  • Meeting safety plan conditions early

  • Preparing for interviews and case conferences

  • Responding strategically to investigations

  • Avoiding missteps that often lead to court

  • Rebuilding trust and control in the process

  • Support letters

Our goal is to prevent unnecessary escalation, especially into costly and stressful family court proceedings. We guide families in the critical early stages — before legal involvement becomes inevitable — helping them regain control and avoid outcomes that could otherwise be prevented.

Understanding our role and services

  • We are child welfare advocates — not legal representatives. While our team holds BSW degrees or higher and has direct CAS experience, we do not perform clinical counselling or give legal advice. We provide advocacy, system navigation, and support services to help families understand how the child welfare system works.

  • We are not affiliated with CAS or any government body. We are completely independent, community-based support service.

  • For legal advice, we refer families to licensed professionals.

  • Our role is to educate and support families involved with the child welfare system. We do not interfere with legal proceedings, court orders, or CAS investigations.

What if I can’t afford your services?

We believe advocacy should be accessible to everyone. If cost is a barrier, ask about our Equity Access Tier ($250) or Guided Consultation Tier ($100). These are subsidized through grants and our community fund. Eligibility is reviewed case by case.

Will you speak to CAS, my lawyer, or school on my behalf?

Yes — with your written consent, we can act as an authorized liaison, helping you communicate more effectively with CAS workers, legal representatives, schools, and service providers. We ensure your voice is represented clearly and professionally.

How do I get started with SafeHarbor?

You can fill out our online intake form or contact us directly by phone or email. We’ll schedule a brief consultation to understand your situation and recommend the most appropriate support tier.