AYN STILL WAITS TO GO HOME

Two years ago, this beautiful 9 year old child with autism was stolen from her family by Child Protective Services in Abbottsford, BC, Canada. In Dec 2012, after 536 days of Ayn being held in captivity, the BC Ministry of Child and Family Development stated that Ayn was never in need of their protection, dad's parenting skills were never in question and she would be soon going home to her family.

This was a picture taken of Ayn not long after she was abducted.

It has now been 731 days since Ayn was abducted from school. She has missed many happy days where she thrived with her family including 2 birthdays, 2 Christmas celebrations, 8 birthday celebrations for her parents and 2 brothers at home while she was living alone in a basement suite of a foster house with paid staff to watch her while the foster parents (very well compensated financially) worked and went about their daily lives.

With constant crying for Daddy, Ayn was given a picture of Daddy, Derek Hoare.

The BC Government is ultimately responsible for this travesty (and many others like it) ~ they are all very aware of and ignoring Ayn's story while collecting thousands of dollars of federal funds monthly to pay for depriving her of the happy family life she has a right to enjoy. Oh, and our Federal Government, including Mr. Harper the Prime Minister of Canada, are very aware of the many children in similar situations being denied their basic human rights with no consideration of justice.

It has now been 195 days since thousands of supporters celebrated the announcement that Ayn was coming home................ she is still waiting for this joyous occasion!

A recent picture we have of Ayn on a visit with her mom, Amie van Dyk.

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.

UNDER THE GUISE OF GOODNESS

by Ron Unruh ©


“It’s pernicious” is what I said.
There seems no better term for what they do,
these snatchers guised as guardians.
A pretext it has become, this protection of a child
when the youngster safe and happy is detached
by strangers.

“It’s insidious” I say to portray the taking of a child
without the knowledge of her parents
frenzied and fuming at the abuse of their child
and their own liberties.
Authorized to squash parental rights with impunity
when due diligence and fairness are derelict
and justice seems a stranger on a democratic soil.

“It’s sinister” I proclaim to parents of all children
because their own fears mount with the mention
of the protectors’ names.
This is not the only child to be taken
for her best interests is the claim.
Free she was and alert although unpredictable.
She seems a stranger now, deeply drugged but controlled.

Pernicious, insidious, sinister do you now agree
are the appropriate descriptors for her abductors.
She is not at home because she wandered, oh but
she is a precious girl, precocious and autistic
and therefore apt to wander.
This is punishment not protection and perhaps she thinks
that she did something terrible. Why not, since the captors
have never inquired about the health of the family.
Strangers to justice they are – these takers.

YOUR PARENTAL RIGHTS WITH CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES

by Mea Jones

The reason MCFD has so much power is that people have been led to believe that they really do care about the best interests of the child. If this were true, however, you would not see horrific cases of injustice such as what happened to the Bayne family (please Google: Paul and Zabeth Bayne and Fifth Estate), nor would you have such monumental injustice as what is occurring right now with a beautiful, sweet Autistic girl named Ayn, who was essentially stolen from her loving, caring and competent father, Derek Hoare.

Ayn has been in MCFD custody since June 2011, in the basement of a foster "parent" who gets paid very well. However, even though the foster parent gets paid very well, they still had another foster child administer drugs to Ayn and Ayn has escaped their custody, and once was found naked wandering on a main street. MCFD has acknowledged Derek is a good dad, and admitted there was no abuse or neglect.

We have blindly given MCFD so much power, yet they are completely unaccountable. Oh sure, the Representative for Children and Youth will get all up in arms when there is a freak murder or someone dues in foster custody. But MCFD doesn't really mind because the upshot of this uproar is always to get more money and power and sympathy for MCFD and those poor "overworked" social workers.

If parents knew how easy it is to lose their children, forever, and what the fate of the vast majority of children in MCFD custody really is (horrific, with a much greater chance of abuse/death than parental care), they would be shocked. The truth is, any nasty person, any social worker - for that matter - can call MCFD anonymously and make a false report and you could easily lose your child or baby forever. And this is an experience that is worse than a child's death.

So, the next time you read about how kids are getting taken away from their parents because they smoke or the kids are too fat or the parents aren't deemed intelligent enough, instead of cheering the "child protectors on, ask yourself this: if the government is such a great parent how come so many of the kids in their custody get murdered, abused in every way, grow up to be homeless, drug addicts, suicidal and incarcerated in such huge numbers?

Parental rights? You have none. Do some research and see what they've done to Derek Hoare and his daughter, Ayn. All in the best interests of the child. Right.

Blogger's note: I would suggest further reading on this subject and specifically “children’s rights” with this article by Ray Ferris who is a retired child-protection worker and the author of The Art of Child Protection

Ray Ferris: A British Columbia myth about the best interests of children http://www.straight.com/article-624596/vancouver/ray-ferris-british-columbia-myth-about-best-interests-children 

DEREK ASKS US ALL, " PLEASE WALK WITH ME IN THIS BATTLE"

So where to even begin.... as I am sure most would understand the last 8 ½ months have been beyond nightmarish. Tortuous does not begin to describe this either, the reality is that I have dedicated my life to my kids. I have dropped everything to ensure their happiness and development and to have this culminate in an attack by my own government, who has taken no time to understand my children or my family yet claim some authoritarian power over it is monstrous. To make matters worse this is being done under the guise of “help”. They throw around phrases like “child’s best interest” as if they empower them with some dictatorial aura, yet have no idea what those words even mean.

We are now 8 ½ months in..... 263 days..... and my daughter has yet to see an autism expert. The closest she came was a tertiary glance by their resident expert on day 45, who told them to not treat my child as a psych patient. I have requested the assessment, input and opinion of an autism expert since the very beginning, yet we continue to wait. How quickly they rushed to have her drugged and put into a psych ward, yet still have yet to enlist the expertise of an expert in her known, diagnosed condition... autism. I have spent dozens and dozens of hours trying to explain the situation to them, trying to explain how to appropriately treat a child with autism, to try to get them to understand the concerning behaviours of autism and how it was this terrible mistake was made.

Within the first six months Ayn had already had 4 different social workers, this fact has been used as a consistent excuse by MCFD who justifies their inaction and ignorance with a claim of “staffing issues”. And while I try to be empathetic to the daunting task faced by each new worker to get caught up to speed, the reality is that my child and family continues to languish whilst this persists. And rather than pick up where we left off with the previous social worker they simply want to begin anew, of course each time however we are further along in the unabating process.

MCFD continues to arrive to the variety of meetings uninformed, operating under a blanket liability protection which does not hold them to any standard of quality.

What I am about to type will require qualification and I will be drawing up an elaborate timeline of this whole ordeal to do so; however the reality is that MCFD has not done anything in terms of an investigation or a plan of care since Sept 20th, nothing. On Sept 26th they were granted a 22 day interim order to give them time to complete an investigation (which never happened), we are still operating under that interim order to this day... that is 159 days.... on a 22 day order. Now is the painfully slow judicial process to blame? No not really, it would be nice if the wait times were not as long as they are, but that is no excuse for MCFD to literally have done nothing in terms of my daughters care or keeping me informed of her well being. I have faced: broken promises, lies, threats, stonewalling, willful ignorance, silence... ohhh the silence.

Now as per the restrictions on my speech in regards to the Mar 2nd Mediation, I will try to elaborate on my understanding therein. Sect 24 of the CFCSA is quite clear that anything “obtained” in mediation must not be disclosed, so in essence anything NEW which was disclosed at mediation cannot be disclosed, except under a few circumstances which I likely do not meet, except arguably “d) if the disclosure is necessary for a child’s safety”. However until I get some further clarification on that point I will refrain from such disclosure. Now that does not mean I have to shut up or that anyone else does either, as a matter of fact screaming from the rooftops is one of the few recourses left available to us and I intend to use it.

With that said I am facing an escalating battle not an improving one, one which is taking place on many different fronts; my time on FB will be limited, my time in front of cameras or in print will be on the rise, and the time I need to spend studying will also continue to be pressed only to the limits of my fatigue. I ask for everyone’s help spreading the word about this and keeping up a dialog on how it is we got to this point and what we can do to inform others of what is happening, not simply in regards to Ayn, but to the “child protection system” which has strayed so far from its goal to now become an imposing threat to the safety of children and not the heroic saviour they would like to cast themselves to be. If the populace knew how this worked it would not be tolerated, and in fact will serve as a clear exemplification of why the granting of such powers under blanket liability protections is a terrible and dangerous thing.

So please please please, walk with me in this battle, in whatever capacity your individual talents endow. We have been setting up groups to facilitate this movement, and will need all the help we can get; what it will take is simply communication and coordination between everyone.

We love our kids, and we as their parents need to advocate for them.... to treat an issue as serious as the removal of a child(ren) with such casual disregard is not tolerable, my child is not a number....

Her name is Ayn... she has hopes, dreams, fears and loves.... I am one of them and I will not let her down.

I HAVE TO RANT TODAY!

by Kendra Pettengill

Do they impose a gag order before the mediation begins or after you have completed it? What could possibly be the consequences of refusing to agree to one...let's see..they have already taken your child away, failed to meet a single court date by law...made promises and then took them back, failed at every turn to negotiate in good faith, and set a final court date another year away, meaning you have probably lost your child for at least 2 years. Have they ever given a valid reason for removal in the first place? Have they ever stated what their overall goal here is, or is it simply to torment the family?

This entire thing is so beyond the pale of logic, reason, intelligence or any other rational thought process that it leaves one wondering as to the actual motives behind the entire thing. In the entire space of time since this began I have still yet to hear their actual reason for removal that could in any way be validated by legal or moral precedent. I have yet to hear one request by MCFD as to what might be done by any party to right the ship. I cannot even say they are drawing a line and then arbitrarily moving that line so that Derek can never meet it...I haven't heard of a line at all, ever in this case. Derek is simply left in limbo regarding his own child to flounder and flail about with no goal, purpose, or goalposts to meet or even shoot for in the future. The only terms for this are torture and torment. These are some sick sadistic *&^%$ who seem to get off on this crap.

I still stand amazed and stunned at the cruelty of my fellow human beings and our impotence to put a stop to it, no matter how hard we try or how badly we may want to change things. A single day never passes that I do not think, "There has to be a way" there has to be a method to reach someone in ultimate power that would demand answers.

So Derek is left at every step, hoping he is doing the right thing, wishing he had formal guidance to know so, and praying it will all come out in the end, no matter what miss-steps might be taken.

Meanwhile there are MCFD pulling strings attached to his arms and laughing at how they can make him twist and turn in agony, and apparently getting the biggest kick out of it, while they mumble under their breath, "don't ever $#% with us again Derek, do you understand now who has the power....we thought you might. Hahahahhaha".

It is humanly impossible to come out of this process whole or unscathed. It is the ultimate proof that the mandate of MCFD is to inflict as much damage as possible because this process can never ever be for the good of any child or family, even if there is real abuse, as the abuse from MCFD is much deeper and lasting.

I am not even related to this family and I feel wounded, damaged, as I too have a child on the spectrum, and they have in affect made every single one of us stop, pause, consider, worry, and fear that we may be next...if we dare challenge their authority to interfere in our home, challenge the school or make demands for our children that should be guaranteed by the law, or simply decide to care for our children outside the accepted iatrogenic paradigm. They have affectively made over 1 million people look over their shoulder every day, because they can take our child and they never need to justify it, validate evidence, or answer to a higher authority. They just repeat the mantra to government and media, sssshhhhhh we can't talk about it, protecting the child, the best interest of the child....trust us, we are the experts, we know what is best for your child, you, your family, society, we are in control here. And everyone is so hoodwinked that they must have a valid reason, that things must go on in secrecy for our own good, that even reasonable and learned judges simply rubber stamp the MCFDs rumors, heresy, and take their word for it, no matter how little real evidence, and simply believe that case workers are actually concerned about the welfare of the child.

All I can say is bless you Derek and Godspeed, because you are up against Evil.

I AM TRYING TO UNDERSTAND

Every day I come to this blog to change the date and the day count for this unbelievable story. I keep thinking this can't go on much longer but it looks like MCFD plans will have me doing this until day 611. I am a very passionate advocate for those on the autism spectrum and this little girl has stolen my heart. Not a day goes by, likely many hours everyday, that I don't think about her and her family and pray that they will soon be reunited.

On June 16, 2011 Ayn, then 9 years old, was "legally kidnapped" from school. I say "legally" because that would be the claim of this Ministry of Children and Family Development, the Provincial Government of British Columbia, Canada. I say "kidnapped" because she was abducted from school by people she did not know, against her father's wishes; taken to a house she did not know and then to a hospital she did not know where she was heavily drugged to control her behavior. The hospital did release Ayn with a written report for a clean bill of health, no signs of neglect or abuse.

I am trying to think if I have ever known a 9 year old child who would not be very frightened in this situation and lash out at those they would perceive to be attackers. Would a child understand why this was happening, why school staff would let it happen, why their parent didn't stop this? I don't think so. And, this little girl is autistic and would have  greater difficulty and certainly not be able to communicate her fears any other way than behaviorally.

Months ago her abductors, MCFD, told her parents they would be sending her home. They have never stated just cause for the aprehension, just that they thought her dad might be overwhelmed having 3 children, 2 of them being autistic. However, they made this assumption without having ever observed Ayn in her home with her Dad and brothers. Had they done so, they would have seen a very happy home where all children were thriving with their very devoted, loving full time at home Dad. Of course if they have been listening the past 8 months, they would now know the latter facts to be true.

I am thinking it is safe to assume that their knowledge of autism was very limited as well. One would have hoped that by now, 8 months later, they would have consulted with specialists and had become very knowledgeable about autism and particularly how it affects Ayn's ability to communicate, to understand what is happening. But alas this must not have happened yet, otherwise they would not be still holding her in custody and they would not be punishing her for having meltdowns. Any punishment would be wrong, but in this case the punishment was to deprive her of a visit with her mother who she hadn't seen for months. This punishment has lasted a month, the length of time it took for them to reshedule a visit. Ayn's mom has been told she will be able to visit Ayn on March 6 unless of course she has a meltdown, then she will again receive the same punishment. The question is are they telling Ayn ahead of time about this visit? Those who are familiar with autism would be thinking that the meltdown would be a result of Ayn not being able to deal with the emotions she is feeling, unable to communicate, not understanding why she has to wait etc. MCFD staff have been told that it would be best to not tell Ayn ahead of time about the visit, just let her enjoy the happiness the visit will bring to her. We can only hope they will do this. Here is an excellent resource for those with questions about autism wanting to understand what autism is about and how they can be supportive https://sites.google.com/site/fragileworldonthespectrum/

Now, in the past 8 months, Ayn's parents have done all they were asked to do by MCFD. Dad work tirelessly on a porposal he was asked to prepare and submit. He received to recognition of receipt of this porposal. With every rare opportunity to meet with MCFD there is hope that a happy ending is near. On Day 222 Ayn's parents finally had an opportunity to speak at a case conference, a judge present. Not only did they still not hear a reason for Ayn's abduction but trial dates were set to begin next December for a duration of 69 days. Yes, and that will bring the length of Ayn's custody time to 611 days. To this date she has had several visits with her mom, none for months now and none from any other family member. her brothers miss her terribly. To understand her dad's reason please read http://freedomforayn.blogspot.com/2011/10/dereks-decision-re-visiting-ayn-in.html For those who understand autism and how it plays out in Ayn's life dad is doing the best thing he can do for his daughter.

This week Ayn's parents had opportunities to meet MCFD in mediation. It would seem that they will not be allowed to speak about these proceedings but we do know that it was a nightmare. This is very sad news indeed and brings me to continue to ask "HOW CAN THIS BE HAPPENING IN ABBOTSFORD, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA and WHY???"

Are you a parent and if so what would you do in this case?
Do you have a child with autism and if so what are your thoughts?
Are you a specialist in the field of autism; what would your advice be?
Are you family or friend to Ayn and her family, what are your observations?

A “MESSAGE” TO A MOM WHO IS HEARTBROKEN

A Mother’s heart is broken and she reaches out for comfort, hoping someone will hear her. In the very early hours of the morning, unable to sleep, Amie van Dyk is overcome with the pain of not being able to see her little girl. It is heartbreaking to want to reach out to comfort her from thousands of miles away and to be able to offer no more than words of hope that her daughter will soon be returned.

Ayn was taken from her family eight months ago by people whose hearts can only be filled with hatred. Who else would hurt a child like this and cause so much pain and suffering to a family who loves and cares for their children.

Five days ago Amie was looking forward to spending an hour and a half with Ayn. Everyone’s spirits were lifted because after months of waiting, visits that had been stopped with no explanation would finally resume – we would know that Ayn is okay, that she had a brief time to hug her mom, to laugh and play. Imagine the excitement Ayn would be experiencing after not seeing her mom for months. Ayn is autistic and was surely having difficulty communicating her feelings and emotions on Tuesday while at school anticipating this visit. Of course we don’t know what caused a meltdown in school. The response was to send Ayn back to the home where she has been kept against her will for 8 months and to cancel the visit with her mom which was to happen in just 2 hours. So again Ayn would be punished and we are left to imagine how this played out..............

Today, five days later Amie shares with us the only response she has had in 5 days:

“I’m sorry your visit didn’t work out for last Tuesday. Because of the circumstances for the cancellation of the visit I would like to talk to the Social Worker before going ahead and planning another visit. I’ll let you know as soon as possible what the plan is.”

How does MCFD not realize how much pain and suffering they are deliberately inflicting on this family? They have to know, as do others in the BC Government, we try to tell them frequently enough. Can they all be this hateful and uncaring? This is the elected government of British Columbia, they all know what is going on and no one is responding to thousands who are crying for their help in ending this travesty of injustice. We know that this is not the first family they have tried to destroy, we hope and pray it will be the last.

A Mother’s heart is broken and she reaches out for comfort, hoping someone will hear her. In the very early hours of the morning Amie van Dyk is overcome with the pain of not being able to see her little girl. It is heartbreaking to want to reach out to comfort her from thousands of miles away and to be able to offer no more than words of hope that her daughter will soon be returned.

Then to our rescue comes someone with some comfort and a prayer:

Verses from Philippians 4:6, 7 from a bible version called the “Message”. "Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's peace, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life."

God hears these silent prayers. "God in Heaven, I ask that you will comfort Amie with your love at this moment. You see her brokenness and her sorrow. You understand how helpless she is to help Ayn whom she loves so much. Because these are your children, do for them what they cannot do for themselves. Interrupt, Intercept, change the minds of the Ministry personnel, and bring Ayn home to her family. Meanwhile, settle Amie's heart with a deep peace that she cannot even explain apart from you." Amen

Thank you Ron........................

 Hoping and praying that you'll both be sharing happy times together very soon.

NOT THE UPDATE WE HOPED FOR

Yesterday, until mid afternoon Pacific Time, many lingered on the facebook group page https://www.facebook.com/groups/justiceforayn/  waiting to hear what we all hoped for – the news that Ayn would soon be taken home where she should be.................... However, we were not going to get the news we had all prayed for. Here is Derek’s message to us last night.

We arrived early for the case conference which was set to begin at 10:45. It started a bit late, likely closer to 11. The meeting is in an informal setting at a round table where all parties are to discuss the situation as it stands, what the hang ups are and how we can move forward from here. Time is very short so all points are made in extreme brevity, I tried my best to outline some of my frustrations and concerns.

I did not walk away with any greater understanding of MCFD's position, though they were questioned about it many times. My understanding of the "conference" before entering was that it was my chance to finally get the judicial process to the point where I can argue my position before an unbiased judge. In that it was successful, there was alot of pressure to put off the trial and wait until after mediation. However, I was adamant that I wanted that opportunity.

It was very emotional for me, I cried several times, and tried to get them to see the harm they were doing to a beautiful girl and her loving family. My lawyer requested a brief recess towards the end to try to reduce my emotions, upon my return I did get them to agree to a trial. With that we set off to the court clerk to find some available dates.... well my lawyer did, I went outside where my emotions again poured out rather embarrassingly. A group member did happen to pop in and was right there to let me cry on their shoulder.

I then went in to sign off that I had received my dates (yet another pink slip); but this one was different it was the finishline, win or lose it will be the end. So here they are: Oct 23rd- pretrial, Dec 7th- Trial begins, Jan 30th 2013 second trial date, Jan 31st third, Feb 1st fourth, Feb 14th fifth, and finally Feb 15th completion (this could elongate mind you). So now finally we can see the end of the judicial process, a year away but we can see it. This does not mean that the ministerial process is over but that the oversight of the courts has reached its point where a trial is set to determine the justifiability of this.

I am meeting with the new SW on Wed, where I do hope to discern where this process is headed from here in terms of the ministry, I hope to continue where it had left off but as of yet I am still in limbo.

I do know that are going to begin drafting a counter proposal to offer me, but I have to wait weeks longer for that to complete, it is "hoped" that it could be done by Feb 24th, a week prior to my Formal mediation which is scheduled for March 2, I believe.

So tonight I ponder what to do and where to go from here, lots of possibilities lie before me and I am sorting through it all. Will be posting more and am hopeful that I'll get lots of input and advice from everyone.

 

BLOGGER'S NOTE: For the coming year Ayn and her family are going to need as much support as possible to do what needs to be done to ensure Ayn is returned home as soon as possible. Please show your support by joining our facebook support group https://www.facebook.com/groups/justiceforayn - just joining the group is an indication of your support. If you want to actively participate in the group as well, you will be warmly welcomed.

You could also show your support by commenting below which I am sure Derek will appreciate reading. Thank you.

A CALL TO PRAYER FOR AYN VAN DYK

Please join us as we gather here in prayer to ask for an abundance of blessings for all who are in charge of Ayn’s care. May the Lord’s love guide those who are responsible for making the decision that Ayn be taken home to her family as soon as possible.

When you come here to share a prayer would you invite a friend, who will then in turn invite a friend, each sharing a prayer. Let’s begin an ongoing prayer vigil that will extend around the globe until Ayn is home again.

A CALL FOR PRAYER FOR AYN VAN DYK

by Laurie Hatton

who inspires others to join her in prayer...........

I believe in the power of prayer. I believe in a loving God who cares about us and our pain. I know that many others have been praying for this situation since it unfolded, or since we became aware of this need. This document lists some things to pray about & gives you the opportunity to record your prayers in the comments section for this dear girl, her family, and the system that has removed her from her loving home. Here are a few things that I am praying for. I ask you to join in agreement with me for a miracle in this case:

Pray for Ayn – that she would be well cared for, and that God would spare her from the negative effects that often come with children being removed from their families. Ask that God would spare her from the many potential side effects of the drugs she is being given (against her parent’s wishes).

Pray that Ayn will come home very soon! The legal process is very lengthy & not designed to give parents the opportunity to challenge unnecessary removals in a timely manner, or for judges to rule in favor of a return to the parents until many months or years after the child has been taken. MCFD can make the decision today, and return Ayn. Pray God will soften the heart of the Director of MCFD who can make things right. Her 10th birthday is on December 14th & it would be wonderful if she could celebrate at home!

Pray for Derek Hoare (Ayn’s dad), Amie van Dyk (Ayn’s mom), Wyatt & Lyric (Ayn’s brothers), as well as her extended family (aunts & uncles etc), who love & miss her very much! Ask God to give them strength & wisdom to deal with this. Pray that they will experience and feel God’s presence and love.

Pray for Mary McNeil, the staff and social workers who work at MCFD in British Columbia, and at CPS or CAS organizations around the world. Pray that they would truly have the best interests of families and children at heart. Pray they will have good policies & procedures, and that they will be followed for the child’s well-being.

Pray that the proposal Derek has written & is planning to submit to MCFD today will be accepted. Pray that money will be raised to pay for a lawyer and/or expert witnesses to testify if this case actually goes to trial. Pray that a great lawyer with a heart will offer to do pro-bono work and help out.

Please feel free to add your prayers for Ayn & her family below in a comment, or to quote favorite Bible quotes that come to mind when you hear about Ayn or this call to prayer. Blessings upon you for taking the time to be informed about this situation, and doing what you can to help.

I know Matthew 18:20 (NIV) says

“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

And James 5:16 (The Message) states

“The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with.”

I invite anyone to record their prayers below in a comment.

Obviously you may pray directly to God on your own, or at your local place of worship. Many of us have been doing this for months. However, by typing our words & sharing them here, some may pray more who wouldn’t normally know what to pray.

I also hope people will share the link for this blog & invite others to join us. I feel there is power in coming together and sharing our petitions we are raising before God. It will be our way of praying with each other, and asking God to intervene for Ayn.

A CHRISTMAS THAT'S GONE FOREVER.............

I'm sure it goes without saying that I have been hurting over these holidays... my boys have been hurting, my ex has been hurting, the family is hurting. I do hope Ayn was able to find some happiness today, I hope she was sufficiently distracted to recall the nightmare she is trapped within. I cannot, in fact I would not even if I could, I need to know this feeling. 

Each Christmas around the world people gather together for gift giving and great meals; they tell stories, share laughter and embrace those they hold dearest. These are days I do not get back.... ever. I can and will be having great celebrations upon Ayn's return however these days are gone...nearly 200 now. On its face it would seem that the worst thing about this is having your child taken but it isn't. The worst thing is being powerless to get them back, it is the indifference shown by a powerful bureaucracy and how it disregards care and logic for policy and salaries. 

There is no reason for keeping this girl from her family, but they don't care, they have her and this is simply their function so they perform it. To them this is just how it is, they feign kindness, they feign caring... but the reality is they do not even know Ayn, they do not even care to know her.... how is it they can then claim to know what is best?? 

Child Protection Services is not a person, it is a faceless abstract created by us, the people for whom it supposed to serve. We create and fund these entities under the notion that children need to be protected... but that is where it ends for most of us... with a notion. We do not read the laws, we do not learn the policies, we do not examine audits; in short we do not take the time to see if it is working. We rest on the assumption that because its purpose was pure and its function is good that everything must be ok.... well its not ok. And if I could give people anything this Christmas it would be courage to change these things. 

I don't think people ever sat and imagined what would happen if this institution we created to protect children became so bureaucratic and policy driven that it did not take the time to actually thoughfully examine what might be best for a family. they get over 1 000 000 000 dollars a year here in BC.... they still have never bothered to determine how my daughter behaved in the home, nary a question to that effect. Do we understand what that means, when an organization that powerful can remove children without even having to consider how the child was in the home. And yet it continues to be funded it and we continue to look away.... seeking comfort in the original notion... children need to be protected.

I still have two children and now I have the knowledge that there exists this institution which can march in and kidnap your child at the whim of someone who does not even know you... this is not something that sits well... When they took my daughter I didn't know what to do, I only knew that it was wrong. I love my children and would never harm them, I have sought to learn the most I can about their disability and to try to understand them and how best to treat them.... but they still took her anyway. They did not spend an hour of thought on my daughter or my family but felt that they had the authority to do this to people. I am fairly certain that they cannot keep her forever, but that may be simply me turning to another institution and the notion under which it was founded... Justice.

On this Christmas I hope everyone holds their loved ones closely and focuses on the happiness which they can bring to one another. 

I have spent the past few days giving some much needed attention to my boys Wyatt and Lyric, whom I would like to thank so much and to let everyone know how proud I am of them, they have both shown such great strength and character in the midst of all this strife. 

And to all of you who have supported me throughout this, I know I have thanked you all so many times and I do not want it to lose its lusture but please know that it has meant so much for me in this battle that there are others still out there for whom child protection is more than just a notion. That you all can put a face on those children and take some of your time to help fight for them is a wonderful thing... and hopefully it means that we as a people have not reached a point of apathy where we will sit idly by as noble concepts get ripped to shreds.

Please have a Merry Christmas everyone, do not lament in my sadness, find it as a reason to share your joys and loves with others whom you find worthy of it. Cherish them and each moment you have together. Time is fleeting but our love does not have to be. Thank you so much everyone, enjoy your holidays. I am going to go and hug my boys and look at pictures of my baby girl.

This little girl needs to be back

in her daddy’s arms.

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.

A NOTE TO MCFD

We know you are reading this blog along with thousands of others. Having you visit this blog may be good because you realize what we are all thinking about Ayn still being in custody, now 190 days! 

There must be someone among you with a conscience who will risk doing what their heart is telling them to do ~

PLEASE TAKE THIS LITTLE ONE HOME!

Ayn has been a good girl in custody paying for the crime (which has yet to be stated) long enough.

Do the right thing now and she will be home to celebrate Christmas with her family.

Read what some have said here http://freedomforayn.blogspot.com/2011/12/should-ayn-be-home-for-christmas.html and give Ayn van Dyk the best Christmas present she could get.

PLEASE TAKE HER HOME!

DEAR SANTA

I was thinking about all the kids writing letters to Santa and wondering if Ayn wrote a letter............ I didn't have to ponder long about what she might write. Maybe something like this...............

Dear Santa,

Please Santa help me. I only want 1 thing for Christmas this year; I hope you have time and can maybe find the right person to help you. I have been away from home for 188 days and I don’t know why those people took me from school. They let me go back to school but they won’t let me go home with my Daddy. I know my daddy loves me very much and misses me and can’t come to get me yet. I didn't do anything wrong Santa and neither did my Daddy, why are those people punishing all of us? Please Santa I really want to go home. I miss my Daddy and Mommy, my brothers Wyatt and Lyric, my Uncle Kim and my Grandma. Please Santa will you help me get home for Christmas, home to stay. Thank you Santa.

Love Ayn van Dyk

I wonder if Santa will be able to make this wish come true? Is there anyone out there who works for MCFD who can give Santa some help with this? Can you help Santa make Ayn's Christmas Wish come true?

A FATHER'S PAIN

Blogger's Note:

How can anyone continue to endure such pain? How can anyone continue, without cause, to inflict this kind of pain on another human being, a dad and his daughter?

Thousands are reaching out to Derek Hoare and his daughter Ayn in the hope that they can make a difference and end their pain and suffering. Why can’t MCFD, the BC Government officials see to it that this ends NOW by taking Ayn home to her family where she belongs?

There are too many questions. We need answers and positive action.

Sharing with you Derek's effort today to express his grief ................

I miss her so much, not sure why these past few days have been so emotional, nothing seems to set it off in particular... just washes over you. Or more like it begins in your chest as a tightness and then diffuses throughout you. Comes and goes... and off to a terrible start today.... dreamt of her again, woke very upset, took 10 minutes just to write this.

And why is it that when we are upset, instinctually we hold our breathe, or stop breathing.... and then proceed to gasp when we can

I still hear her voice and I can close my eyes and see her.... this is just a nightmare

..................gonna be a rough day

..................................it hurts like it was yesterday

terrible.

weird, I don't really know why it is so potent now either, I think it is because now with the proposal out of the way I have time in front of me, and can see the time behind me, and it is so terrible.... i just miss her so much. And when I am busy doing things to get her home it is like I am with her or distracted or something, and now there is just a void filled with pain

THERE ARE TWO SIDES TO EVERY STORY

How often have you said or heard it said, “There are two sides to every story!” Most of us likely have life experiences that would indicate this to be true most of the time. I think we can be pretty sure that there are two sides to the story about Ayn Van Dyk being abducted from school, drugged and placed in foster care for now 165 days.

We know one side of the story and if you don’t yet you will by the time you read “PLEA FOR AYN”, Derek’s updates and other blog entries here. But this is only one side of the story and you may not be believing it without hearing the other side of the story.

This is a true story.

Child Protective Services takes a child into custody we suppose, and have always believed, because the child needs protection. However this would not seem to be so in this case as CPS has left the two sons of Derek Hoare (one who is autistic) in his capable and loving care. They have no questions about his parenting skills or the safety of the boys.

Yes, Ayn did wander away to a neighbours yard several days before she was abducted from school by CPS but that couldn’t be the reason for their concern as she has wandered from foster care more frequently (twice in a month) than she did from home and she was not removed from the foster home. Actually one time she wandered while in respite care from the foster home. The second time she climbed out a small bathroom window in the foster home. At the time she was unsupervised while bathing so when she ran on the main street she was naked. The bathroom window was not locked as her father had advised would be necessary to ensure her safety.

We do know a bit about events of concern while Ayn has been in foster homes but we do not know the other side of the story yet. Even after 165 days, MCFD has not been forthcoming with their side of the story as to why Ayn is not at home with her family. Nor has Ayn's father or anyone else been able to speak on behalf of the family or Ayn. Perhaps this might happen on January 23 - Day 222 of Ayn's captivity!

This is a true story and truly an unbelievable story.

A child is suffering and being kept from her family. Her 10th birthday is in 17 days on December 14 and Christmas is 11 days later; two very special occasions for this family when they should all be celebrating together.

It is truly an unbelievable story.

Would someone, anyone, at MCFD please have the conscience, empathy and courage to step forward and do the right thing for this innocent little girl and her family?

We are all waiting to hear the other side of the story!

Let's bring the laughter and love back into this little one's life!

THIS IS NOT JUSTICE

by Ron Unruh

Justice does not mean treating everyone the same way but rather treating people appropriately. Neither Ayn Van Dyk who carries her mother’s surname nor her father Derek Hoare who is her primary caregiver and legal custodial parent, have been treated appropriately by the social workers and their immediate supervisors. That is, it means little that they hold meetings with Derek to mediate the parameters of a possible or an eventual return of this girl to her father’s immediate care, when the presenting issue was the Ministry’s avoidable removal of the child from his care and his home. That was inappropriate treatment.

To look after one’s own child should not require special pleading of human rights language but it definitely has in a case like Ayn’s, an autistic child of nine years of age, soon to be ten. To be made to bear personal responsibility for autistic manifestations at a public school and for a characteristic wanderlust from one’s backyard that warrants a physical apprehension and removal by strangers and a separation from the family who give meaning to her life is beyond scandalous. It is wicked. It is the epitome of incompetence.

Fair-minded people find no justification in the mission and policy of the Ministry of Children and Family Development, for seizing this particular child, defaulting to a hasty drug behavioural control program, placing her in environments and with people with whom she is unfamiliar, and distressing her so she carries a photo of her father everywhere and kisses that image in lieu of the real face, and is tortured by the knowledge that she can’t be with her dad and her brothers whom she adores.

This is not appropriate treatment and it is therefore not justice.

A Public Information Release - Ayn Van Dyk

By Ron Unruh in Help Bring little Autistic girl back to her daddy ·

A Public Information Release Ayn Van Dyk November 11, 2011

On June 16, 2011 Derek Hoare experienced the unthinkable shock of learning that his nine year old daughter Ayn had been removed from her school by the Ministry of Children and Family Services (MCFD). He was informed that the action was designed to ease his load of responsibility but in fact it created an intolerable burden. Four and one half months have passed since their separation. It is crucial for readers to know that Derek continues to provide care for his two sons, one of whom is also autistic and he has never complained to anyone about the complexities or problems of raising three children, two of whom are severely autistic. He has done this cheerfully for years and all three children are happy and thriving.

Ayn will celebrate her tenth birthday on December 14th but not with her family. When she was born and Derek saw her for the first time, his heart was hers. Since that day in 2001 Derek has given all he is for her. He is not accused of harming her. In fact his life has been dedicated to nurturing and understanding her. Ayn is autistic.

Ayn 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. On June 12th she climbed a backyard fence and stopped in a neighbour’s yard to play but she could not be found until three hours later. Ayn is not out of control. She is a wonderful caring child. Being autistic, she does have 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 in foster care, Ayn asks for her father constantly and she continues to affirm that he is coming. She is confident that her daddy would not abandon her. Yet the Ministry of Children and Family Development continues to keep her from his care and custody. On Oct 18 the MCFD sought court approval for temporary custody for 90 days. In Derek’s communication with MCFD he is met by repeated procedural delays. It is yet to be determined whether a court trial will be required to settle this case. The Case Conference is scheduled for January 23, 2012.

When Ayn was living in her father’s home she was in no greater danger than her disability naturally initiates or expects. Since Ayn was apprehended following her absence from her family premises, it is a conspicuous observation to note that while she has been in Ministry care she has been heavily medicated (drugged) and yet has twice escaped in the past four months. Her second escape occurred during her bathing time and she was later found naked and wandering near a main street. She was recovered and returned to foster care. It is reasonable to query why the MCFD can absolve the caregivers for inadequate safety precautions while maintaining a punitive posture to Derek and Ayn.

It is of interest to note that the Ministry’s own policy document states "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). CFCSA stands for Child, Family and Community Services Act.

Derek is angry and in pain and yet discounts his own agony because in his mind Ayn is all that matters in this case. She does not deserve to experience this traumatic interruption to normalcy. She does deserve to be treated as a significant citizen with rights. She shouldn’t have to be troubled with thoughts of whether she did something very wrong or whether her family does not want her any longer. 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. So now they wait, past Ayn’s December 14th birthday, past Christmas and New Year, for a “Case Conference” in which Derek will still not have opportunity to argue for Ayn’s return. Instead he 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. MCFD could give Ayn back to her daddy right now.

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. They love her so dearly.


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