Children’s Aid Societies (CAS) emerged in the late 19th century amid growing concern for children who were orphaned, neglected, or mistreated. From these roots, independent, provincially funded yet non-governmental agencies took shape, tasked with investigating abuse and neglect, protecting vulnerable children, supporting families, and overseeing child welfare interventions under provincial law.
Despite its protective mandate, CAS has faced serious criticisms over the decades—including allegations of placing children in unsafe environments, failure to adequately supervise children in its care, deficient child protection investigations, and other systemic failures. In the last number of years, hundreds of ex-Crown Wards have come forward describing systemic abuse, neglect, and trauma while in the care of CAS.
For over 25 years, Beckett lawyers have represented survivors who were abused while in the care of CAS and other child protection agencies across Ontario. We have worked with survivors who were harmed in foster homes, group homes, and other placements arranged by CAS, as well as those sexually abused by employees, foster parents, and others entrusted with their care.
Our work has helped uncover systemic failures, including the lack of proper screening of foster parents, poor oversight of placements, and the mishandling, or outright ignoring, of sexual abuse reports. These cases have exposed how vulnerable children were left in unsafe environments, sometimes even after CAS had received clear warnings.
These cases are not just about financial compensation, they are about holding child protection agencies accountable for failing the very children they were mandated to protect, and ensuring those failures are not repeated.
Children’s Aid Societies are independently operated organizations that serve specific geographic regions. While they share a common mission under the broader child protection framework, each CAS is separately governed. Some go by the name “Children’s Aid Society,” while others may be called “Child and Family Services” or “Indigenous Child Welfare Agency” reflecting First Nations communities.
If you were sexually abused while in care, there may be grounds for a legal claim against the agency that was responsible for you at that time.
For some survivors, considering legal action against an abuser can be a meaningful part of the healing journey. Whether or not to pursue a claim is a deeply personal decision, and there is no single path that fits everyone. Having accurate information can help you make the choice that feels right for you.
