Children’s Aid Society of Toronto’s 2025-30 Strategic Plan
The Children’s Aid Society of Toronto’s (CAST’s) 2025–2030 Strategic Plan outlines our priorities and commitments for the next five years and sets the direction for how we will deliver on our mandate across Toronto. Beginning in 2025 and beyond, it guides how CAST will strengthen families through an equity‑ and prevention‑focused approach, lead system modernization, and support a healthy and sustainable workforce.
Built around three interconnected Strategic Directions featured below, the Plan provides a clear framework for action and decision making. These Directions are supported by Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), also outlined below, which translate our Strategic Directions into measurable actions and provide a foundation for tracking our progress, strengthening accountability and evaluating impact over the life of the Plan. We are also advancing Agency initiatives that may not be captured through specific KPIs but still support our Strategic Directions. This work reflects our commitment to continuous learning, responsible innovation and long-term sustainability in service of children, youth and families. These initiatives are detailed in the Strategic Plan publication.
For more information, please review the Strategic Plan in its entirety and questions can be directed to communicationsteam@torontocas.ca.
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Our Strategic Directions
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Strengthening Children, Youth and Families
CAST will deliver its mandated protection services through an equity and prevention approach that aligns care and supports with the needs of children, youth and their families.
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Leading System Modernization
CAST will leverage its sector position and skills to advocate for and co-create a more integrated, resourced and responsive child and family services system that addresses cross-sector service gaps that are failing vulnerable children and youth in crisis.
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Empowering Our People, Strengthening Our Purpose
CAST will define success in ways that support staff, strengthen organizational capacity, and advance financial sustainability
Strategic Direction #1: Key Performance Indicators
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Improve experience for child, youth and Foster Parent(s) at Admission.
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Ensure safety planning and consistent risk mitigation is consistently done for all children and youth.
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Prioritize permanency planning and promote reunification of children in Extended Society Care.
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Ensure youth transition to adulthood with essential documentation and financial readiness.
Strategic Direction #2: Key Performance Indicators
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Increase the availability, quality and stability of foster homes available to the children, youth and families we serve.
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Enhance partnerships with other child welfare service providers.
Strategic Direction #3: Key Performance Indicators
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Build future workforce and sector leadership capacity by providing more placement opportunities to undergraduate and graduate social work students.
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Strengthen financial literacy capacity for leadership.
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Build leadership capacity by training management on Collective Bargaining Agreement.
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Establish a culture of accountability and continuous improvement at all staff levels.
Our Organizational Commitments
Our 2025-2030 St
rategic Plan is grounded in CAST’s organizational commitments to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion; Truth and Reconciliation; Anti-Black Racism; and support for 2SLGBTQ+ communities. These commitments guide how we design services, engage with communities, and support our workforce.
Learn more about CAST’s commitment statements here.
Our Commitment to Financial Sustainability
In addition to our organizational commitments, CAST’s Strategic Plan will be implemented with a clear focus on long term financial sustainability. A strong and sustainable organization is essential to fulfilling our mandate and serving children, youth and families across Toronto.
CAST is operating in a challenging financial environment that requires deliberate and responsible action. Through our Strategic Plan, our Agency is prioritizing financial stewardship to ensure we remain viable for those who depend on us. Our financial sustainability is essential to preserving our capacity to focus on child safety, strengthen families, and advocate for system modernization.
“We developed this Strategic Plan through close partnership and consultation with our Executive Team, Board, community partners and staff with a shared commitment to delivering meaningful outcomes. Our priority is not only what we set out to achieve, but how we bring it to life. That means a disciplined and accountable approach to implementation with clear measures in place so we can track progress, evaluate impact and ensure we are delivering real results.”
Lisa Tomlinson, CEO, Children’s Aid Society of Toronto
