2016/2026: How a Children’s Aid Society Left Vulnerable Families Exposed to the World
W5 Investigates: How a Children's Aid Society Left Families Exposed An investigative reconstruction — The difference between a portal and a public website 📌 PROLOGUE: A Board Portal That Wasn’t In the world of child welfare, privacy isn’t just policy—it is a legal and moral obligation. But what happens when an organization entrusted with protecting vulnerable children allegedly "mistakes" a public website for a secure internal system? An investigation into the Family and Children’s Services of Lanark, Leeds and Grenville (FCSLLG) revealed that highly sensitive case information was stored on a publicly accessible WordPress website—without password protection. The consequences were severe: a $75 million class-action lawsuit, a $5 million settlement, and a court ruling that denied the organization insurance coverage. đź“„ CanLII: 2021 ONSC 3310 – Settlement approval and background At the center of the failur...