Complaints, Compliments & Feedback
Providing anti-racist, anti-oppressive, intersectional quality service for children, youth, and families is very important to us. If you have a concern or complaint about the services you have received from our agency, we want to hear from you. Our hope is to work together to resolve your concern and improve our service.
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Complaint Process:
The first step in resolving any concern or complaint is to talk to the caseworker who is working with you as they would have the most in-depth knowledge to answer your questions or work with you to resolve the concern. You have the option of requesting the Service Manager to join you and the caseworker to resolve the concern/complaint.
If your concern has not been resolved or you remain dissatisfied with the outcome, you have the option of speaking with the Senior Service Lead who will work with you, the caseworker, and Service Manager to resolve the concerns.
Following this process, if you remain dissatisfied with the outcome, you have the option of speaking with the Senior Lead – Service Excellence and Professional Standards, the Director of Service and then the Executive Director, all will work with you to resolve your concern/complaint.
If your concern/complaint is regarding a previous involvement with our agency, you can submit your complaint/concern here and it will be directed to the appropriate person to respond.
At any point in time during the above process, or if your concerns has not been resolved to your satisfaction, you can request a formal review of your complaint using the following options:
The Panel consists of a senior manager and a service manager who have not had direct involvement with your case or complaint, as well as a member of the Board of Directors. To engage in the Internal Complaint Review Process, you must complete and submit the form to the agency, either in person, by mail, fax or email. Click here for more information or click here to download the form.
There are some matters that can be reviewed by the Review Panel and some that cannot.
Matters we can review:
- Services you have sought or received
- Parts of the plan of care for your child
- Concerns about your child’s placement in the care of the Society
Matters we cannot review:
- Issues that have been decided by the Court or that are before the Court
- Policies and procedures mandated by law
- Matters that are subject to another decision-making process under the Child and Family Services Act or the Labour Relations Act
- Issues raised by a person who has not sought or received service from the Society
When we receive your written complaint, the Society will, as soon as possible and within seven days, determine whether or not it is eligible for review, in light of the criteria above.
- If your complaint is not eligible for review by the Panel, you will be notified in writing, within seven days. You will also be given the reason(s) for the decision.
- If your complaint is eligible for review by the Panel, you will be notified in writing within seven days to schedule a date for a meeting. The meeting will be scheduled within 14 days of the written notice, or at a mutually agreed upon date You will also be given the name of a contact person at the Society who can answer your questions about the process.
- You may bring a support person(s) to the meeting.
- Within 14 days of your meeting with the Review Panel, the Panel will send you its decision and the reasons for its decision in writing.
- If your concerns are still not resolved you will be directed to the Provincial Child and Family Services Review Board.
Note: Alternate formats to initiate a complaint and receive feedback are available. You can inquire with any staff person about your options.
You can also make a complaint to the Child and Family Services Review Board at any time. This means that a complaint can be made directly to the Child and Family Services Review Board either before or during involvement with the Children’s Aid Society’s Internal Complaint Review Panel.
To submit an application to the Child and Family Services Review Board, complete Form 2: Application about Complaints Against a Children’s Aid Society (available here CFSRB: Forms & Filing | Tribunals Ontario) and send to:
Child and Family Services Review Board
15 Grosvenor Street, Ground Floor
Toronto, ON M7A 2G6
Toronto Area: 416-327-0111
Long Distance: 1-888-777-3616
TDD/TTY: Call the Bell Relay Service at 1-800-855-0511
Email: cfsrb@ontario.ca
Website: tribunalsontario.ca/cfsrb/
The Ontario Ombudsman’s Office can also take complaints about services received from a Children’s Aid Society. The Ombudsman has created dedicated units of specialized staff to answer questions, address concerns, conduct investigations, and review complaints:
Office of the Ombudsman of Ontario
483 Bay Street
10th floor, South Tower
Toronto, ON M5G 2C9
Toll-free (inside Ontario only): 1-800-263-1830
Outside Ontario: 416-586-3300
TTY (teletypewriter): 1-866-411-4211
Fax: 416-586-3485
Email: info@ombudsman.on.ca
Website: ombudsman.on.ca
Your feedback important to us and helps us to improve our service. We want to hear about your experience working with Simcoe Muskoka Family Connexions.
Please fill out the confidential online feedback form below to provide us information that will help us in servicing children, youth and families in the future. If you would prefer, you can print off a copy of the Confidential Feedback Form and drop it off in the secure boxes in any of our branch office locations.
If you have any specific questions or comments about any service you have received, please don’t hesitate to contact us. If you wish to make a formal complaint, please see We Care about our Service.
