Strategic Plan 2021 - 2026

Introduction by Agency Board Chair Chris Goss

"As Chair of Family and Children’s Services of the Waterloo Region Board of Directors, I am pleased to share with you our new Strategic Plan. This plan is the result of months of intensive consultation, work and learning.

Anti-racism, equity, community consultation, family first service delivery, evidence-based practice and support to our incredible staff are key elements of this plan that will guide the Agency into the future.

I invite you to read the detailed descriptions of our values, goals and objectives for the next few years.

The over-representation of Black, Indigenous and racialized children and youth engaged with our agency has been a concern for some time. We will focus on working with our community partners to decrease our involvement with these communities using a model of service that is family-focused and community-focused.

Improving services to ensure they are equitable and responsive to the needs of Black, Indigenous, racialized and 2SLGBTQ+ children and youth will form a critical part of the plan.

We will build a stronger organization by improving the ways the Family and Children’s Services Agency, the Foundation, and the Family Centre work together.

Increasing employee engagement and well-being will continue to be foundational to our work.

I want to express my appreciation to all the staff, volunteers, foster parents and Board members who contributed ideas and helped craft the strategic plan. I would also like to thank our community partners including school boards, children’s mental health services, Women’s Crisis Services, police services, and community organizations located in the Family Centre, who provided input and recommendations. We are excited to present a plan we believe will serve our clients and community well as we work together to provide equitable and effective child welfare services in Waterloo Region."

Link to Strategic Plan in PDF