The rise of unlicensed homes for vulnerable kids

Plus, the anguish of losing a child to gun violence and Ford's homeless comments [Get This Offer]( [The Star] First Up [By Andy Takagi] By Andy Takagi Good morning. Here’s the latest on unlicensed homes for kids in child protection, the anguish of a shooting victim’s mother and Doug Ford’s latest problematic comments. DON’T MISS Andrew Francis Wallace/The Star star exclusive [Kids in child protection are being housed in hotels, offices and Airbnbs]( Unlicensed settings, like hotels and office buildings, are increasingly becoming home to children and teens in the care of Ontario’s child welfare agencies. The number of kids in these last-resort placements has nearly tripled since 2021 — and experts say it’s putting already vulnerable children at risk of further harm. [Megan Ogilvie and Amy Dempsey Raven uncover how these unlicensed placements have become so widespread](. - A “human crisis”: That’s what Irwin Elman, the province’s child advocate from 2008 to 2019, called the situation. “The province has a duty to protect these children, but we’re saying to them the best we can do is put you in a trailer or an office space or an Airbnb.” Steve Russell/The Star gun violence [An anguished mother speaks out after her daughter was shot dead ]( Ann Marie Josephs never thought she would outlive any of her children. A doctor had warned last year that she only had months to live with a cancer diagnosis. But, since July, she has mourned her youngest child, Sarah AnnMarie Prehay, who died after being caught in the crossfire of what police have described as a gun battle. [She speaks to Calvi Leon about her struggle to understand the senseless violence](. - A year of shootings: Sarah, who was just 23-years-old, is one of 35 people in Toronto who have been killed in the hundreds of shootings or firearm discharges that have been reported this year. No charges have been laid in Sarah’s death. Andrew Francis Wallace/The Star provincial politics [Doug Ford was scolded (again) — this time for comments on homelessness]( In an off-the-cuff comment on Monday, the premier told homeless people and people in encampments to “get off your a-s-s and start working like everyone else.” Experts said those living in precarious situations often have a difficult time finding or keeping employment, and Ford’s comments don’t address the cracks in Ontario’s social safety net. [Here’s how Ford’s comments have once again landed him in trouble](. - The gift that keeps giving: Ford was already in hot water for his controversial proposal for bike lanes. [His solution, according to the Star Editorial Board, is just plain offensive](. [Toronto Star Archives] Look through the past with the Star Archives. Search your family name to trace your roots, find your birthdate to see what was making headlines or dive into true-crime stories to unravel gripping mysteries. Subscribers get access to 100+ years of the Star. Interested? [Start exploring here](. WHAT ELSE Justin Trudeau talked “unicorns and rainbows” with Stephen Colbert — [and offered a glimpse of what his re-election bid could look like](. Got a query for Lisi? The Star’s advice columnist answers your questions live today at 1 p.m. [Here’s how you can participate](. Toronto’s minimum-wage workers would [need to earn double to afford rent](. [Toronto will revamp its vacant home tax]( after a disastrous rollout. Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem is [“concerned” about renters as their credit card debt skyrockets](. Ontario’s education ministry has ordered a [probe into a TDSB field trip to an Indigenous rights protest.]( [A Toronto cop was demoted for using a Taser and a knee-to-neck restraint]( in a “mistaken identity” arrest. A Toronto police officer described the [“takedown” of a non-violent Brampton teen, who died hours later](. [Jacob Hoggard slapped, choked and called a woman a “pig”]( in Northern Ontario sex assault, the Crown alleged. An accused teen Porsche thief got bail in Peel — [but she now faces charges from Toronto police](. The redevelopment of the St. Lawrence Centre is in jeopardy as [city staff recommends cancelling the $421-million project](. Relatives of long-term-care home residents in Scarborough are [raising the alarm over “dehumanizing” conditions](. POV Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick [Things are tough for Justin Trudeau at home, but the world stage is a different story.]( CLOSE-UP Patricia Homonylo/Supplied TORONTO: Bird carcasses swirl together in the work of Patricia Homonylo — this year’s Bird Photographer of the Year. The collection of hawks, owls and mallards in Homonylo’s photo were all killed by one thing: windows. [Here’s how Homonylo beat out 23,000 submissions while drawing attention to one of the top human-caused killers of birds](. Thank you for reading. You can reach me and the First Up team at [firstup@thestar.ca](mailto:firstup@thestar.ca?source=newsletter&utm_source=ts_nl&utm_medium=emailutm_email=6C53B63A8E3FAD70AD4EF13004527437&utm_campaign=frst_2752). I’ll see you back here tomorrow. Get [thestar.com]( + ePaper edition. Only $1 for 6 months! Save over $100. [Get This Offer]( If you're not enjoying these emails, please tell us how we can make them better by emailing newsletterfeedback@thestar.ca. 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