COULD THIS HAPPEN TO YOUR FAMILY?

ARE YOU AWARE and TAKING NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS?

490 days ago a little 9 year old girl with autism,in British Columbia, Canada wandered away and was very happy when found and returned home! All was well until ............... 3 days later Child Protective Services, MCFD, asked dad to voluntarily give her up to custody to lighten his load. That did not happen! So they abducted her from school and he has not seen or heard from her since and although he was promised regular reports, the few he got probably ended a year ago. 

So she has been living in a foster house in a locked basement apt with paid staff watching her - costing taxpayers thousands of dollars a month. This is crime against a child, punishing her because she is autistic and wandered away for a few hours. Do you punish your autistic child when they wander?

IS THIS HOW YOU WANT YOUR TAX DOLLARS SPENT TO CARE FOR OUR CHILDREN?

There is no concern about dad's parenting abilities or the care being provided since he still has his 2 sons and one is autistic. If CPS felt dad needed help why wouldn't the government of British Columbia (and right across Canada, North America, globally) provide in home support where this little girl is loved and thrives?

Perhaps some answers will be provided in court finally, pretrial hour this month , trial beginning in Dec with last trial date 69 days later in Feb 2013. (these dates were chosen back in Jan 2012!

BE AWARE!

Many, many children with autism wander.............. watch your child carefully or use a tracking device just in case they wander, then you will quickly find them.

MCFD CAN MAKE A CHRISTMAS WISH COME TRUE!

by Laurie Hatton

Should Ayn be home for Christmas & forever? Most definitely!

I sent the following email to various members of MCFD & political leaders earlier this week.

At this time of year, when family is so important, The Ministry of Children and Family Development of British Columbia has been very much on my mind. As a Canadian, and a parent, I appreciate the work you do as the guardians of your province's children in need. The responsibility to be vigilant, and yet just, is truly onerous.

The issue that has brought you to my thoughts so often is the continuing absence of Ayn van Dyk from her home. As you know, Ayn was taken into care on June 16. Since then, information has come to MCFD displaying that while Ayn was sometimes violent and unco-operative at school, she was doing well at home, for the most part. I also believe that you have come to have a better understanding of Autism. Although it took 45 days to happen, when your autism expert reviewed her file, the recommendation for a 6 week or more Psychological Evaluation at P1 was dropped. Ironically, Ayn's brief elopement on June 12th, the very behaviour that seems to have triggered MCFD's involvement, has been repeated at least twice since Ayn was taken into care. On one of these occasions, you will recall, Ayn climbed out an unlocked window and was found naked in the the streets. This is not surprising as “eloping” is common in autism, and Ayn is highly motivated to get home. I am confident that you have had more than enough time to confirm that this girl has autism, does not require protection, and needs to be returned to her father and brothers.

Additionally, you should have a new understanding of Ayn's home life before removal, and of her father, Derek Hoare. He is a determined man who will do almost anything for his children. He will not compromise his principles. He will not knowingly do anything to hurt Ayn, including distressing her by visiting and then leaving her when she very much wants to come home. She would not understand and would perceive this as intentful abandonment. Derek has been very patiently negotiating and working with you to try to get Ayn home. I believe that he was asked to present a proposal for Ayn’s care as a pre-requisite to her return. Having reviewed the proposal he submitted, it is my opinion that he did a remarkable job. Further, I believe it should be approved, and Ayn should be returned this very week. At very least, the consulting part of it should be approved, and thus independent experts can meet Ayn & give their feedback about what is best for her.

It is my understanding that, if new information is received after a child is removed, she can be returned immediately. In addition, if I understand correctly, one or more persons at BC MCFD could make this happen. PLEASE, be that person. Please take the iniative today to make this a reality. Ayn has already missed spending Thanksgiving & her birthday with her family. In truth, she should not have missed any days - not one.

With the holidays less than a week away, and songs like “I'll Be Home For Christmas” on every station, won't you make this a reality for Ayn, and not just a dream? Please don't keep this child apart from her loving and healthy home because of a developmental handicap. Ayn has autism, but she knows what Christmas is. Ayn has autism, but she knows where her home is and who is waiting for her. Won't you please pick up her file and make the call that will change her life for the better? Won't you please send Ayn home for Christmas and forever?
 

Thank you for all the excellent work you do. Wishing you a beautiful Christmas.

DEREK'S NOVEMBER UPDATES

November 13 (Derek's Birthday)

Want to know what hurts the most about today? Ayn knows when my birthday is, Ayn knows when anyone's birthday she has ever heard is, she remembers them all... She knows the date... but she wasn't invited to a party and certainly did not get to host one for me. I love you Ayn. She used to listen to this version of the gummy bear song just because it mentions my birthday and she would pause it right after it says it, and look at me and laugh. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=astISOttCQ0

Admin Note: Ayn's 10th birthday is in 27 more days. What a gift it would be for the family to celebrate this day together with Ayn living at home again. MCFD could easily make this happen, so we have to hope they will see the light, have the empathy needed and do the right thing very, very soon.

November 10

Had an incredibly difficult evening, Wyatt and me decided to tidy up the garage and began to stumble across memory after memory. Over the years I have kept so many of Ayn's precious things; from notes, cards and artwork, to hair, baby teeth and tiny articles clothing. Was unbelievably painful, we spent the evening together, and in many ways Ayn was there too. Eventually along with Lyric we passed out in the living room. This morning has been very hard as well, though no tears have been shed yet. It feels like a death, her beautiful sing song voice echoes in my head.... "Daddy I want a treat!", "Tickle mee Daddy!"....."It's ok Daddy, everything is going to be ok.". So much for no tears. Going to spend a couple hours hugging my son and trying to explain to him how it is that the world is not just a scary place. That though pocked with pain and sadness it is full of joy and triumph as well. I'll be back soon.


Nov. 4

My daughter Ayn was removed from her school by the Ministry of Children and Family Development of B.C. on June 16, 2011. I was told it was to ease my burden of responsibility but this action has had an opposite affect. It has been more than four and a half months since she was apprehended.

On December 14th ten years ago when I laid eyes on her for the first time in the delivery room, my heart was hers. I have given my all for her. I would never harm her, nor have I been accused of such. I have dedicated my life to nurture and understand her.

She has been torn from her family for no apparent reason other than a perception that she was an unmanageable, deteriorating child and that far from the truth. Ayn is a wonderful caring child. It is true that she is autistic and that she has a difficulty explaining what she wants but she has an astute understanding of body language and she has a very strong will. Although Ayn is verbal and possesses a large vocabulary, she still struggles to share with others her desires, fears, and thoughts. Presently, she continues to ask for me and she continues to assert that I am coming. She knows I would not abandon her. Yet the Ministry of Children and Family Development continues to keep her from my care and custody.

On Oct 18 the government sought court approval for temporary custody for 90 days. I refused to consent to this and since this is my continued stance, an effort will be made to determine if trial is necessary or whether mutual consent can be achieved between the parties. This step is called the Case Conference and has been scheduled over 90 days away.... on Jan 23rd. If this is the case, why ask for 90 days? Why even pretend to ask? My reasons for refusal will not be heard. I continue to wait for hearing after hearing, never being given the opportunity to even speak. At the conclusion of each meeting, another one is scheduled and in effect we are shuffled to the back of the line struggling to merge schedules to obtain the next suitable date.

While in care of the Ministry, Ayn has escaped twice in four months. At the second escape she was naked, drugged, wet and wandering as far as the "main street." Police were called and she was located and returned her to caregivers. Information is not provided to me, or, I receive what the MCFD chooses to tell me. I am frequently told, "It is under investigation." However, considering that the first escape incident was months ago one should assume that something is known by now? How difficult can the investigation be about whether in her drugged condition Ayn was being watched under the care of a 15 year old fellow foster child? How much more investigation is required to determine why the window of the bathroom in which Ayn was bathing was not locked?

When the MCFD is purportedly educated to identify emotional abuse, why can abuse be ignored when MCFD is the actual source of that abuse? At home Ayn was in no greater danger than her disability naturally initiates. I am asking that she be returned to my care immediately. If MCFD is obliged to investigate then expedite that inquiry rather than separating us for over four months already with no social worker as yet asking me how Ayn was when she was in the family home, the very place from which she is being withheld. She has been returned to the school where the "deterioration" was observed. She has been returned to the foster care home from which she has twice escaped.

MCFD has offered to me unsupervised access effective immediately and yet MCFD will not return Ayn to me. This is a nightmarish power struggle for our family with an institution whose stated function is family development and whose guiding principles are: "a family is the preferred environment for the care and upbringing of children and the responsibility for the protection of children rests primarily with the parents" (CFCSA 2b) and "decisions relating to children should be made and implemented in a timely manner" (CFCSA 2g).

I have devoted my life to my children and I continue to care for my sons, one of whom is also autistic. I do this cheerfully and have never once complained about the complexities and problems I face raising two severely autistic kids. All three children and most certainly the two autistic children are happy and thriving children and there is nothing to suggest otherwise.

I am angry. I am in pain. I suffer and yet the truth is that this does not matter – Rather, my daughter Ayn is all that matters. This young girl does not deserve this traumatic interruption. Instead, she should be viewed as a citizen in the same sense as you or I, and as the social workers involved in her case and as the different judges who are giving oversight to this process. However, she is being treated like property. The sadness she experiences because of my absence from her is used against me as is my advocacy for her to get proper services. During all this time she sits in a basement wondering where her family has gone and not understanding what has happened or why. She may wonder whether she did something wrong, or whether we don’t want her anymore. She has no capacity to comprehend the Ministry's legal squabble. She knows only that she has been forcefully removed from those whom she loved and who love her and with whom she has be every day of her life before this horror. Is the horror to be regarded as acceptable because Ayn has been placed with various caregivers who are nice people? It is still not commendable that good people do the wrong things. Even caregivers are uninformed as is the public and as am I. So now we wait, past her December 14th birthday, past Christmas and New Year, for a “Case Conference” in which I will still not have opportunity to argue for her return. Instead I will receive a scheduled date when that will happen, a date which in all probability will be a year or more away. Of course this cannot be what our community expected when we created this child welfare institution.

Please help to tell Ayn’s story and thereby help her to come home. She is very special. She is a sweetheart. She needs to be with me her daddy, with her mommy and with her brothers. We love her so dearly. I will never concede, or all of this will have been for nothing and the net result will be a little disabled girl who will never know why or when she could be snatched again.

Derek Hoare
778-240-6373
iconoclast_ensues@yahoo.com
justiceforayn.com

AYN GIVES MY PICTURE A BIG KISS WHILE IN CARE