b'pandemic: Year two transforming peel CAST his past year has been marked by contin- T he Ministry of Children, Community andreport, along with the plan of action, timeline ued upheaval in our communities, dueSocial Services initiated a Comprehen- and responsibility. The Board also chose to to the COVID-19 pandemic. We have allsive Organizational Review of Peel CASinclude several additional items in the work moved through lockdowns to lifting restrictions,in 2021, in response to concerns expressed byplan to improve the agency moving forward. watched new variants emerge, and navigatedour staff. The overall scope of the review en- These items include providing an independent changing guidance on testing, personal protectivecompassed workplace culture, governance, ourombudsperson for staff who do not feel equipment (PPE), and vaccination. Through it all,service delivery model, compliance with thecomfortable reporting issues to management our staff has demonstrated resilience and flexi- Child, Youth and Family Services Act, communi- related to harassment, discrimination, and bility, adapting quickly as circumstances change,ty partnerships, human resources and finance.racism; and the creation of an anti-racism policy, and always keeping the needs of the children,The bulk of the review was conducted by Thewhich will explicitly include anti-Black racism.youth and families we serve at the forefront.Osborne Group, with the workplace culture portion led by the Centre for Conflict ResolutionThe implementation of the work plan is Peel CAS has supported the health and safety ofInternational (CCR). currently underway, overseen by the Board of our employees, volunteers and foster caregiversDirectors. CCR is leading a workplace restoration by providing free PPE and rapid testing kits,When the Comprehensive Review Report wasprocess based on input and participation from adopting a vaccination policy, and encouragingreleased on October 1, 2021, it identified theall staff across the organization. Policies and staff to work from home when possible.key areas of strength in the organization, asprocedures are being reviewed and updated Recognizing that one cannot pour from an emptywell as areas of concern. The agencys strongto ensure best practices are followed. These vessel, our Workplace Wellness committee hasservice delivery model was highlighted, includingprocesses will continue for many months to organized numerous workshops and trainingits focus on collaboration with families andcome as we focus on putting our people first, sessions to support self-care and wellness for ourcommunity partners, a high level of complianceand creating transformative, sustained, positive staff members.with legislation, and use of metrics to evaluatechange. We are grateful to all our staff members and improve service. Issues around thefor their ongoing engagement in this journey Many of our employees told us that theyworkplace culture were noted as the main areasand their commitment to building a better, more appreciated the opportunity to work remotely atof concern, including a need for a more inclusiveinclusive Peel CAS.least some of the time and would like to continueleadership style at the agency, and improving the to do so when the pandemic is over. In Marchunion-management relationship.The full Comprehensive Review Report and 2022, the agency launched a new Flexible Workingthe work plan are available on our website at Policy, enabling our teams to decide the workingThe safety, well-being and inclusion of our staffPeelCAS.org. Updates will continue to be posted arrangements that are most suitable for them and the community we serve are our highestthere in the months ahead as we report back fully remote, a hybrid of on-site and remote work,priorities, noted Juliet Jackson, Peel CAS Boardon our progress toward implementing the work or full-time in the officedepending on their rolePresident. The report has made it clear thatplan.in the organization.while we have focused and delivered on our commitment to excellence in service delivery, No matter where they choose to do their work,we have at times lost sight of the needs and we are deeply grateful for the tireless effortsexperiences of our own dedicated staff - the of our staff, volunteers, and foster caregivers.foundation of our agency. We must do better, Our workers are doing difficult jobs duringand we will do betterthrough concrete, unified, extraordinary times, in one of the hardest hitmeasurable action.regions for COVID-19 in the country. We thank them for their exemplary teamwork, compassion,The first step in taking that measurable action and dedication to improving the lives of children,was the development of a detailed work plan in youth and families in Peel. response to the review report. The work plan was published on our website on January 20, 2022, itemizing all the recommendations in the 6 Peel Childrens Aid Society Annual Report 2021-2022 7'