Media Release: Child and Family Services of Grand Erie
January 19, 2022
Townsend and Brantford – As Brant Family and Children’s Services and The Children’s Aid Society of Haldimand and Norfolk move closer to their amalgamation date of April 1, 2022, results of stakeholder consultations and planning are becoming more concrete. With guiding Vision, Mission and Value Statements in place, the Boards of Directors of both agencies are now excited to announce that the name of our new amalgamated agency is Child and Family Services of Grand Erie.
Much work has been accomplished in the area of Re-Branding with the assistance of Interkom Inc. along with input from key stakeholders including board, staff, youth in care, resource families, volunteers, and community partners. We would also like to express our sincere appreciation to Jody MM Hill, an Illustrator/Graphic Designer from the Tuscarora Nation of Six Nations of the Grand River, who was a significant contributor to the final logo design.
We believe the symbolism incorporated into the logo is compelling and representative of the vision, mission and values embraced for the new agency. The Child and Family is at the centre. The Tree and Indigenous Sweet Grass form a protective circle, wrapping around the Child and Family we are here to serve and help. The Rainbow Colours represent inclusivity, the many people who constitute ‘family’, and the numerous people it takes to support a child. The Roots represent stability and connection. The Sweet Grass honours the Indigenous teachings from which many of our best practices have been developed, as well as our commitment to truth and reconciliation. The Circle represents shelter, safety, connection, caring and holistic practice.
Moreover, we are also pleased to announce that, following an extensive search and candidate interview process, Ms. Sally Johnson has been engaged to lead our two agencies through the final steps of amalgamation and serve as the inaugural Executive Director of Child and Family Services of Grand Erie. Ms. Johnson has served as Acting Executive Director at Brant FACS since July 2021 and Ministry Appointed Supervisor the year prior. She brings the skills and aptitudes needed to build on the successes achieved by the individual agencies over the past 100+ years, and ensure the new agency remains sustainable for the future. These include: a collaborative and supportive leadership style, the ability to think strategically and foster strong relationships with key stakeholders and partners, excellent communication skills, governance experience, a commitment to Equity and Truth and Reconciliation, significant experience with amalgamations, and a deep knowledge of Ontario’s child welfare sector. We hope the communities we serve will join us in welcoming Sally to this new role and look forward to our continued work together.
The Board and staff at both agencies would like to thank all community stakeholders for the support shown along our amalgamation journey. The consultative process will continue through the next months with implementation planned for April 1, 2022. We would also like to thank the Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services for their support throughout this process.
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For more information, please contact: Sally Johnson, Executive Director, Brant Family and Children Services & The Children’s Aid Society of Haldimand and Norfolk – 519-753-8681 x 222
Jo-Anne Flood
Chair, Board of Directors
Brant Family and Children Services
Graig Mannell
President, Board of Directors
The Children’s Aid Society of Haldimand and Norfolk
