Author: nativechildagencies

Orange Shirt Day is a day when we honour children and youth who attended Residential Schools in Canada.

Orange Shirt Day began when six-year old Phyllis Jack Webstad attended St. Joseph Mission Residential School located in Williams Lake, BC, Canada in 1973. It was her first day and she was wearing her new shiny orange shirt that was bought by her grandmother when the institution stripped her, took away her clothes and replaced it with a school uniform.

Association of Native Child and Family Services Agencies of Ontario (ANCFSAO) is encouraging everyone to get involved by:

• Wearing an orange shirt on September 30^th to show your support that “Every Child Matters”
• Sharing Phyllis’ story: https://www.orangeshirtday.org/phyllis-story.html
• Reading and learning more about the history of Residential Schools

Today, September 30^th, wear an orange shirt to honour Residential School System survivors, victims, and their families.

Siblings from Dokis First Nation are here to teach you about smudging and what the Seven Grandfather Teachings mean to them. Liam, Alivia, and Robert offer a prayer, and Danette Restoule, Elder-in-Residence of ANCFSAO, offers a word of wisdom.

The Association of Native Child and Family Services Agencies of Ontario (ANCFSAO) is thrilled to announce that MCCSS has issued a policy directive under section 42 of the CYFSA approving the use of HEART and SPIRIT as an alternative to SAFE and PRIDE. This policy directive came into effect on July 7, 2020 after the program was piloted with both Indigenous and non-Indigenous agencies.

Ontario ICWB (Indigenous Child Well Being) agencies and Children’s Aid Societies may now use this program as an alternative to SAFE and PRIDE.

Click here to learn more or to register your agency!