TORONTO -

Several Children's Aid Societies in Ontario have asked a court to review their funding in an attempt to secure more money so they can properly protect children.

Children's Aid Societies across the province have been facing a $67-million deficit and have long complained about the need for more money to avoid cuts to core services and staff reductions.

They are now using an option to take their case to the courts, asking a London, Ont., court to review the funding decisions made by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services.

The 11 Children's Aid Societies involved in the case allege the government review process was biased and the outcome predetermined.

The province has already appointed a commission to study the workings of the Children's Aid system, and promised to work on a long-term plan to address the funding crisis.

It has also provided $22.5 million in one-time funding in February to keep the doors open at the societies with the most immediate financial challenges.

That's in addition to an earlier lifeline for Payukotayno James and Hudson Bay Family Services -- some of the hardest-hit in the province.

"The future, long-term sustainability of our Children's Aid Society and our child protection system is very much our focus, and that's why we're undertaking this work with the commission and with Children's Aid Societies," said Paris Meilleur, a spokeswoman for Laurel Broten, the minister of children and youth services.

"The judicial review is one tool that is enabled through legislation that CASs have always had access to, and they absolutely have every opportunity to avail themselves of this tool."

Last fall, 37 CASs requested a formal ministerial review of their budgets. They have also sought budget reviews and repeatedly lobbied the government for ways to deal with the funding shortfalls.

Those efforts, they say, have not resulted in sufficient funding for child protection across the province.

"Ontario's Children's Aid Societies have a unique mandate to protect children, investigate allegations of child abuse and neglect, provide guidance, care, prevention and adoption services," said CAS spokesman Marcelo Gomez-Wiuckstern.

"Many CASs are now borrowing money to provide the province's mandated child protection services."

The 11 agencies seeking the court review are in Brant, Chatham-Kent, Durham, St. Thomas and Elgin, Kingston, Haldimand and Norfolk, Huron Perth, Oxford County, Timiskaming, Nipissing and Parry Sound, as well as Timmins.