Catholic Family Services to close Hamilton operations, including child care and programs for young moms

The Catholic Family Services of Hamilton (CFS) is shutting down all operations, causing worry and frustration for clients.

CFS executive director Fivel Flavour confirmed the provider's child-care program, developmental services, counselling, young parent programs, seniors' programs and domestic assault response are completely winding down as of April 30.

CFS is no longer going to operate the manor programs and the provincial agency that funds it is going to have another agency run the programs, so they are not leaving the community or closing permanently," Flavour told The Spectator Monday.

A memo circulated Jan. 30 said that funders are committed to keeping CFS programs running in Hamilton and will select new agencies to serve CFS's clients with a high quality of care."

The memo cited concerns about the ongoing viability" of the organization as the cause of the shutdown.

Current and former child-care and young mom program participants said they rallied over the weekend after being told last week that programs were shutting down.

Flavour said communication confusion" was causing some angst" about the programs' closures after parents were told last week that programs would stop.

A protest was staged at St. Martin's Manor, the site of a CFS facility for pregnant and parenting youth, which also houses residential programs. There is also an online petition to keep the manor open that has nearly 2,000 signatures.

CFS has been providing support for families in Hamilton for more than 70 years.

The Spectator has reached out to the city and province for comment.

More to come ...

Jeremy Kemeny is a Hamilton-based web editor at The Spectator. Reach him via email: jkemeny@thespec.com