Under the Willows

I did a "single mother" search on CANLii. Lots to explore there. The first hit was an appeal to the Human Rights Tribunal related to the right of a child to participate in programs offered by The Lynwood Charlton Centre. If you focus on how that father's child was excluded from participation, you will come to realize how the #familystatus of children in lone parent units is impacted by the genders of their parent/child relationships. I think it is very sad that the child was not allowed to participate in the recreational program.

Wonder if, later, the parties resolved the issue under the willows?

With over three decades professional work experience with children experiencing serious adversity, including poverty, abuse, trauma, neglect, marginalization and deprivation, Dr. Pickering observed in 1994: “Whatever we do in these child service systems -- reducing risk, improving behavior, keeping the children safe, modifying their behavior, medicating their symptoms -- none of it is intentionally about bringing joy, stimulating creativity and imagination or having fun with them.” Sadly, children’s services (which are, by design, focussed on problems and ‘disabilities’) offer few opportunities for children to experience themselves as persons with abilities, of having personal agency, and of being seen to be persons of value. - Dr. Ruth Pickering on "Under the Willows"

My playlist on this theme: