Today, we are pleased to share that the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto is now part of the expanded Male Engagement Worker (MEW) Program, led by the Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto in partnership with Catholic Family Services of Toronto.
The MEW Program is a trauma-informed model that supports fathers and male caregivers through counselling, system navigation, and psychoeducational groups. The approach centres accountability, safety and healing, particularly in the context of domestic violence, and intentionally engages men in reflecting on the impact of their behaviour and their role in creating safe environments for children and youth.
Following a successful three-year pilot, the program officially launched this fall with funding from the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. The Ministry’s support has enabled the expansion of this work and reflects a shared commitment to addressing service gaps and advancing supports across the child welfare sector.
“Strong partnerships are essential to delivering better outcomes for children, youth and families,” said Nancy Ansong-Danquah, CEO of the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto. “By working together and intentionally engaging fathers and male caregivers, we strengthen our collective ability to promote accountability, support healing, and create safer family systems.”
Earlier this week, members of our Agency joined community leaders, service providers, and child welfare professionals at a community discussion to mark this next phase of the program. The conversation underscored the importance of meaningfully engaging fathers and male caregivers in the child welfare system, and the role collaboration plays in strengthening safety and outcomes.
We are grateful to Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto and Catholic Family Services of Toronto for their leadership and innovation, and we look forward to continuing this work together in service of children, youth and families across Toronto.
