Children's Services Network

Prior to becoming the "Community Services Coordination Network", the agency was known as the "Children's Services Network".

The Children's Services Network was formed following a broadly based planning process that commenced in 1990, under the leadership of the Area Office of the Ministry of Community and Social Services (MCSS). This initiative known as "Making it Work Better" was created to explore ways in which a collaborative model could be developed, to address issues related to access to MCSS funded residential services for children.

Membership on the "Making it Work Better" group included representation from:

  • Children's Mental Health
  • Child Treatment
  • Child Welfare
  • Juvenile Justice
  • Education
  • Health
  • Funders

Over the course of many months, consensus was reached on a model. By identifying expected outcomes, a set of goals and principles was created and confirmed by each of the participants. The Children's Services Network was built on the foundation of those goals and principles.

Beginning in late 1993, a Board of Directors was recruited, Board Committees were established, and a Board work plan was developed.

In 1995 the Children's Services Network was incorporated.

Community Services Coordination Network

In the mid-1990's the Ministry of Community and Social Services published a policy framework entitled "Making Services Work for People".

Making Services Work for People was the policy framework for services funded by the Ministry of Community and Social Services. This policy framework identified a number of principles, values, and outcomes that were expected.

The Ministry of Community and Social Services in London created a structure for the development of a plan that would respond to Making Services Work for People. The structure included a number of working groups that were comprised of service providers, consumers, stakeholders and MCSS staff, whose task it was to contribute to the development of a model that would achieve the stated outcomes.

In the summer of 1999, MCSS published the Coordinated Access to Services Model that was developed through the Working/Task Groups. A Request for Proposal process followed, seeking agencies to implement the coordinated access to services model in the geographic sites of London-Middlesex, Oxford/Elgin, and Huron/Perth.

The Board of Directors of the Children's Services Network submitted a proposal to implement the coordinated access to services model, across the three geographic sites.

The Ministry of Community and Social Services commenced their selection process in September of 1999. In January 2000, the Ministry announced that CSN was the successful proponent for all three sites.

Consistent with the CSN proposal, planning commenced to formally close the Children Services Network and to open a new organization, with a new name, governance structure, and new Board of Directors.

The Children's Services Network was closed effective June 30, 2000, and the Community Services Coordination Network opened simultaneously.

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