Guest Speaker Victor Santiago

Our Guest Speaker: Victor Santiago

Victor Santiago is a Venezuelan Canadian who came to Canada at the age of 3. He studied biology at the University of Guelph as well as Public Relations at Conestoga College. He has worked at the Public Health Agency of Canada as well as in the Netherlands for an animal genetics company, where he specialized in cross-cultural communications. Currently he is the Community Engagement & Family Recruitment Worker for Family & Children’s Services of the Waterloo Region. His role focuses on establishing positive relationships between the agency and the local community with a focus on bringing in a caring diverse pool of volunteers & care providers to the agency.

 

Mandate of the Family & Children's Services of Waterloo Region

A non-profit community agency

Responsible to strengthen and support families in our community

Legislated under the Child, Youth & Family Services Act (as well as a federal Act) to keep children, ages 0-18, safe from abuse and neglect

Services for youth 18-21

 

Role in our community

A focus on preventative services

Addressing over-representations in care

Family First Approach

Ensure legislated standards are met

Work with families in the least intrusive manner possible

 

Statistics

7,526 Calls related to Child Protection concerns

1,987 Investigations

211  Children in care (Yearly Average)

138 Kinship Service homes (Yearly Average)

93  Foster homes (Yearly Average)

30% of youth (Ontario Average) in care identify as 2SLGBTQIA