Derek Hoare 2011

I went to an amazing Pre race dinner tonight. It was my very first autism event. I can't wait to tell everyone about it tomorrow (after the half marathon) I spoke to a few people and told them the story of Ayn. This little girl stole my heart over a year ago. Here is her story





Derek Hoare 2011 ~ this story about a little girl that was removed from her father's care simply because they felt he was overburdened. As a parent of a special needs kids I find this appalling. I want to be sick. The damage and the fear this separation must be causing this father and his daughter AYN (who is super cute BTW) we all know how hard parents of autistic kids have to work to get their children to form bonds. My heart aches for this family. so please. spread the word, increase the pressure, and pray...

There is a facebook page set up  for updates and there is a link to the petition for Ayn as well

Ayn's Facebook Page

today Ayn's dad goes into court

Today, the forces of darkness are being challenged. The hearing is set for today.I can only pray for wisdom and discernment for the judges and re-post her father's plea for her return. 

My name is Derek I am a single father of three wonderful young children, aged 9, 10 and 11; my youngest two have both been diagnosed with severe autism. Though a constant and challenging struggle, I have done my best to protect and nurture them, as I love them so much and have dedicated my life to their achievement of happiness. My youngest child is a bright and beautiful little spitfire named Ayn. She has and is blossoming so well here at home and has come so far to overcome her obvious disability, she does however continue to struggle and outburst when in other environments, particularly at school. Ayn is naive and unaware of the dangers that exist in the world at large, so when on Sunday June 12th she escaped the backyard we were very worried for her safety. With each passing moment the likelihood that something terrible had happened increased, as Ayn should stand out from other children easily and should have been quickly spotted. Fortunately Ayn was discovered two doors down playing in a neighbours backyard, the neighbour had taken an afternoon nap which provided Ayn with the ability to play undisturbed. The challenges I have faced in caring for my daughter have been encompassing and life altering, these challenges are very dynamic and new challenges arise as fast as the old one depart. Now with her discovery of the neighbours nearby trampoline and pool, she will undoubtedly seek to return there, vigilance will be required to face this new found challenge, but it is one which I must now face just as I have with each prior challenge and as i would have to with our future challenges as well. As it stands today I may never get that opportunity. On the morning of June 16th two workers from CPS arrived at my home to request that I "voluntarily" give Ayn over to them (she was at school at the time), if I refused they would simply coercively remove her. There should be no illusions here when someone approaches you and says "give me your child or i'm taking her" you should not pretend that any such choice would be done "voluntarily". Within hours of her removal Ayn had hospitalized and drugged with powerful neuroleptics, one of which at double the maximum daily dose. Her whereabouts has been concealed from me, due to me refusing to sign the voluntary agreement. And I will not be given the opportunity to argue before an impartial court as per why this was a wrongful removal for months. After twelve days of hospitalization, in which the hospital noted "no bruises or evidence of physical abuse and her body status showed no evidence of neglect" , and "Initially there was some suspicion of ADHD along with autistic aggression, but this dissipated as Ayn improved...". The hospital insisted on discharging her (june 28th), she is now in foster care awaiting further hospitalization as the Ministry has waitlisted Ayn for a longer term residential based psychiatric assessment. My little girl is autistic, she does not require a psychiatric assessment, I am aware that she does not understand the dangers that lurk, I love her and I protect her, when Ayn has a tantrum at school it is me they either call in to calm her or send her home to, when she is injured it is to me whom she turns because she "needs a bandage". The greatest successes this little girl has had were nurtured in the home, she loves it here, she loves her brothers and she loves her Dad, It is my firm belief that if our system of child protection has reached a point where a happy thriving child who was not abused and in no need of medicating, can be coercively removed from their family, forcibly medicated within hours, denied access to that family punitively, and the family is given no redress for months potentially years; then we are indeed facing a serious systemic problem. A problem which unfortunately is not confined to my city or province, nor even my country, for these acts are playing out around the world. Please help me get my little girl back and to address this issue in such a way that it never affects another family again.

I would be forever in your debt, 

Derek (July28th)

 The preceding was updated on the 28th of July, and with a meeting on the 29th at my home with a social worker from the MCFD, came many new developments. I hesitate to sound overly optimistic, but what a difference: a day, the public spotlight and an experts opinion can make. Though I still lack a firm commitment from the Ministry, they have informed me that Ayn's case has now been reviewed by their resident autism expert. This expert has advised them against placing Ayn in the psychiatric facility, why this expert was not introduced to this case earlier is unknown. In addition the Ministry has ironically informed me that all they would like to see is for Ayn to have proper supports in place, something which I have been advocating for years now. With these supports in place she can come home... reason to rejoice? Perhaps, but without a firm Ministerial commitment to this I cannot relent in my quest for her return. Nor will I relent in my advocacy for the reformation necessary to prevent these systemic failures from ever effecting another family as it has mine. And I ask the same of all those whom have chosen to support Ayn, myself. and all those families facing this threat in the future.  Please join us in ensuring Ayn comes home promptly and a positive reformation of the very system which allowed and endorsed these unjust actions. (Aug 1) 

 iconoclast_ensues@yahoo.com

http://www.facebook.com/groups/152278868178942?ap=1

www.justiceforayn.com

www.justiceforayn.ca

MF Alert: Canadian 9-year-old forcibly given psychiatric drugs, over family's wishes — MFI Portal

MF Alert: Canadian 9-year-old forcibly given psychiatric drugs, over family's wishes — MFI Portal

How have we come so far? How did we allow this to happen. our most vulnerable population special needs kids and young children have been torn from parents and assaulted with drugs. Scarier still this is not an isolated case. There are many children who have been placed in Ministry care and as a result have been harmed further.

This poor baby. alone, scared and confused. clouded and neglected for. How my heart hurts for this precious girl and her father who loves her terribly.

When you kiss your kids goodnight tonight and say your prayers take just a moment to say an extra prayer for Ayn and her father. All things are possible through prayer. For HE can and HE will. his plan is in motion our job is to pray so that the evil of the world , the darkness, cannot win

other options for helping Ayn

If letter writing is not your thing consider tweeting for Ayn- tweet with me @AynLoves or @Justice4Ayn Join the Facebook group http://www.facebook.com/groups/152278868178942
Sign the Petition http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/bring-ayn-van-dyk-home/
Give to the Freedom Fund http://apps.facebook.com/fundrazr/activity/7b63658d1ed44042b6c67b5a4119adcf

this was a posted comment on the page so i figured I would repost it, just to make sure people see it

Abbotsford News - Support grows for Abbotsford dad trying to get back his autistic daughter

Abbotsford News - Support grows for Abbotsford dad trying to get back his autistic daughter

The more I read the more upset I get. This child was taken almost a MONTH ago. She spent 18 days crying. Dad just got his first report on her. days without seeing his child. the findings all stating no neglect, no abuse, no mistreatment found. yet they still hold Ayn. can you imagine what this must feel like for this man?

The story of Ayn

Ayn is a 9 year old girl with 2 siblings, a loving father, and autism. She was removed from her father's care because child services felt he was overburdened. This poor baby is now up all night, over medicated, having major behaviors and is still not home with dad. How can these things happen in this day and age. It isn't ok. If you have a second check out his blog 2 posts down. Here is also the form letter for the campaign to help Ayn by writing letters. lets get it moving people and get this girl home.

Date:

Dear ____________

I would like to bring to your attention please an urgent matter which was recently brought to mine.  A little girl, Ayn van Dyk, has been coercively removed from the protection of her father Derek Hoare by the Ministry of Children and Family Development, on June 16th 2011 in Abbotsford, British Columbia.  Though I understand that the separation of powers disallows you to interfere in a Judicial matter, your attention to this matter is due, and any ministerial awareness you can bring is deserved.  Ayn is still a Canadian citizen, who should have the rights there in, she has been removed from her home and as of July 01 still awarded no contact with her family. No allegations of abuse exist, the Ministry believes that Mr. Hoare though a good, loving father, is overwhelmed with his three children, two of whom are autistic. And that the least disruptive measure possible to ensure Ayn is protected is removal from the home. It is with little investigation into the matter which the Ministry has done this, as they have not yet spoken to relevant parties concerning Ayn's behaviour in the home.  

Mr. Hoare and others have stated that Ayn was showing great improvment in the home, yet continued to struggle in a school setting, due to her frequent aggression, she was placed in isolation on a limited school day, and Mr. Hoare was brought in frequently to diffuse Ayn's outbursts or bring her home, where she was calm and constructive.  This child has demonstrated a clear ability to thrive in the home in an unmedicated state, and hence medication is clearly not required for this girls stabilization. Yet deemed not suitable for the foster care system Ayn has been placed in a "specialized hospital" for evaluation and stabilization. Please stand up for the rights of this little girl, she very likely will not undergo any medicating willfully. And has thus: been removed from a loving home, with ever changing and adapting safety measures in place, and been placed in a facility, where she may live through coercive medicating.  

Love, understanding, consistency and stability are very critical to an autistic child's development, to have her endure this experience, let alone the continuation of it, cannot be good for her well being.  Logically if this girl was thriving in the home she should be returned and given proper education and behavioural supports when outside the home, where she was volatile and uncooperative. Families of autistic people everywhere have to protect their children throughout their development, and I believe it is with their loving and willing families first with whom they should reside.  If the Ministry is indeed concerned about Ayn's safety at home or behaviour in the school, coercively removing her and instutionalizing her is an abhorrent reaction to such concern.

With respectful urgency,