PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Janyll Canals, Director of the Robin Hood Project at Advocates for Children of New York
2:59:10
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146 sec
Janyll Canals, Director of the Robin Hood Project at Advocates for Children of New York, testified about the challenges faced by survivors of domestic violence in the shelter system, particularly regarding their children's education. She highlighted issues with transportation arrangements and confidentiality concerns for students in domestic violence shelters.
- Confusion about responsibilities for arranging transportation often leads to delays, absences, and unnecessary school transfers for children in domestic violence shelters.
- There have been instances where school staff failed to properly protect the confidentiality of families fleeing domestic violence.
- Canals recommends implementing clear protocols for school and shelter staff roles, and ensuring schools are prepared to support families from domestic violence shelters.
Janyll Canals
2:59:10
Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you about supporting families in New York City shelter system, who are survivors of domestic violence.
2:59:18
My name is Janelle Canals, and I am the Director of the Robinson project.
2:59:21
At advocates for children of New York.
2:59:23
So so police support survivors of domestic violence in the shelter systems, families need their children to be able to attend school and feel safe in their school communities.
2:59:32
However, through our work with sanctuary of families and safe horizon, We have seen survivors in the shelter system face many barriers to accessing educational services for their children based on their housing status, their need for confidentiality, and the need for more school based supports.
2:59:48
Students in shelters and grades K8 through 6 are entitled to Boston so that they don't have to transfer schools when placed in shelter.
2:59:55
However, unlike students in DHS shelters, students in domestic violence shelters are not automatically provided with Boston, and there's all in confusion about the responsibilities of school staff members and domestic violence shelter providers in arranging transportation and entering the confidential PO box location needed for bus routing.
3:00:14
This confusion, Austin, leads to delays, school absences and ultimately unnecessary school transfers due to lack of timely transportation.
3:00:23
Such confusion can also compromise the safety of families and their confidentiality.
3:00:29
Just last week, a school requested a confidential location from a shelter and a family even though the confidential address was not needed in order to provide blessing.
3:00:39
To better support the survivors and their families, the city should encourage New York City public schools to implement the recommendations of the students in temporary housing transportation task force, including creating a protocol that clearly defines the roles and responsibilities of New York City public schools staff and shelter staff.
3:00:59
We have also had cases where New York City public school staff has failed to update a student's profile to limit communication in contact with a potentially dangerous person despite families providing documentation of domestic violence and requesting a notice prior to any disclosure of information.
UNKNOWN
3:01:14
Thank you.
3:01:15
Your time expired.
Sharlena Powell
3:01:18
To to close, we
Janyll Canals
3:01:19
would encourage the city to recognize that supporting survivors and domestic violence shelter domestic violence in the shelter system also means ensuring that New York City public schools are prepared to support these families and have the systems in place in order to make sure children can attend schools safely.
3:01:35
Thank you.
