Reports, Cases and Submissions

After giving a presentation at a group home, our staff were conducting private conversations with the residents, as we normally do.

Issues: Children’s aid society; Group home; Quality of care; Rights (Good care)

A young person in a youth justice centre complained to us that he was being routinely strip-searched by staff after every visit he had with his lawyer.

Issues: Youth justice facility; Rights (Safety)

Three months after he turned 18, a young man told us he had been forced to rely on social assistance because he had never been registered for “Ready, Set, Go” funding, which supports young people transitioning out of care.

Issues: Children’s aid society; Voluntary Youth Services Agreement (VYSA)

A staff member from a youth residence contacted us, concerned that a youth with special needs and physical disabilities wasn’t receiving adequate support, such as grab bars in the shower and railings on porch stairs.

Issues: Duty to report; Disability; Rights (Identity)

The Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services has requested comments on a regulatory proposal related to amendments to Policy Directive: CW 003-23 — Preparing Youth for Successful Transition from the Care of Children’s Aid Societies.

The Standing Committee on Social Policy is currently considering Bill 188, An Act to amend the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017 and various other Acts, also known as the Supporting Children’s Futures Act, 2024.

In the fall of 2019, 16-year-old “Mia” had at least two critical concerns: Finding somewhere to sleep from one day to the next and a way to finish high school.

The Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services has requested input on proposed regulatory amendments to Ontario Regulation 155/18 under the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017, which would outline additional provisions for searches of staff, visitors and young persons on the premises of youth justice facilities.

After he suffered a traumatic brain injury, an eight-year-old boy in the care of a northern children’s aid society (CAS) was airlifted from his home community to a rehabilitation hospital in southern Ontario.

Issues: Children’s aid society; Rights (Fairness)

A youth who was turning 18 called us for help when plans for her to enter a transitional housing program and complete her final semester of high school fell through.

Issues: Children’s aid society; Rights (Good care); Rights (Fairness)

A 16-year-old complained that staff at his group home weren’t helpful to him after his personal belongings, including a laptop, were stolen or damaged by other youths living in the home.

Issues: Group home; Rights (Good care); Rights (Safety)

Every five years, the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services is required to formally review the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017 (the CYFSA) and to report publicly on the review’s findings.

A mother contacted our Children and Youth Unit because she was concerned that her son might have been hurt by a staff member in a group home.

Issues: Children’s aid society; Group home; Rights (Safety)

The Office of the Children’s Lawyer contacted us on behalf of a 17-year-old who was trying to get the cost of braces for her teeth covered by her children’s aid society (CAS).

Issues: Children’s aid society; Voluntary Youth Services Agreement (VYSA); Rights (Good care)

Investigation into the adequacy of measures undertaken by Johnson Children’s Services Inc., Anishinaabe Abinoojii Family Services, and a Southwestern Ontario children’s aid society to ensure the safety of “Misty”

Investigation into the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto’s response to child protection concerns involving “Brandon” between December 31, 2015 and October 26, 2018

A 13-year-old in the care of a children’s aid society (CAS) contacted us when he didn’t hear back from his CAS about making arrangements to see his mother.
 

Issues: Children’s aid society; Rights (Good care)

A concerned adult contacted our Office on behalf of a youth who was denied a Voluntary Youth Services Agreement (VYSA) by a children’s aid society (CAS). VYSAs are available to 16- and 17-year-olds who have left home because of concerns about their safety, and who are in need of child protection services.

Issues: Children’s aid society; Voluntary Youth Services Agreement (VYSA)

A 14-year-old youth needed our help getting identification documents to register for school and access health care, after he was removed from his home by a children’s aid society (CAS) over safety concerns.

Issues: Children’s aid society; Rights (Get help)

Investigation into the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services’ implementation of the decision to close custody and detention programs at Creighton Youth Centre and J.J. Kelso Youth Centre.

A youth sought our help with retrieving belongings she had left behind at her family home after experiencing physical abuse at the hands of her stepfather.

A 16-year-old complained to us that her children’s aid society (CAS) had refused to allow her to enter into a Voluntary Youth Services Agreement (VYSA) after she had left her home due to the abusive behaviour of her aunt.

Issues: Children’s aid society; Voluntary Youth Services Agreement (VYSA); Rights (Get help)

A youth in care sought our help in filing a complaint about staff at her residential placement.

Issue: Rights (Get help)

A mother complained to our Office that her son’s school didn’t notify the local children’s aid society (CAS) about allegations he made to his teacher that his grandmother had hurt him.

Issues: Duty to report; Rights (Safety)

A 14-year-old in care told us her worker was insisting that she go to school in person, even though her preference was to continue to attend school online.

Issues: Children’s aid society; Disability; Rights (Good care); Rights (Identity)

After a youth living in a treatment home complained that his request for a service dog was refused, we followed up with his CAS worker.

Issues: Disability; Rights (Identity)

A 13-year-old in a group home complained that staff were forcing him to talk to them and share his feelings, rather than respecting his privacy.

Issues: Group home; Rights (Good care); Rights (Safety)

A Black 16-year-old complained that her CAS worker was dismissive of her requests for hair and skin products that met her cultural needs, making her feel like she was being treated differently because of her race.

Issues: Children’s aid society; Black youth; Rights (Identity); Rights (Get help); Rights (Fairness)

A youth revealed to us that her concerns about being physically restrained at her group home were not being heard.

Issues: Group home; Physical restraints; Death and Serious Bodily Harm Report (DSBH); Rights (Safety); Rights (Get help)

Our Office checked on a youth after we heard she was hurt when her group home staff physically restrained her self-injurious behaviour.

Issues: Group home; Physical restraints; Death and Serious Bodily Harm Report (DSBH); Rights (Safety)

Our staff reached out to a youth after we learned that he had his arm broken while being restrained by staff at his group home.

Issues: Group home; Physical restraint; Police involvement; Disability; Death and Serious Bodily Harm Report (DSBH); Rights (Safety)

Our Office made inquiries when we learned that a children’s aid society (CAS) asked the police to bring back a youth who had left her foster home without permission to return to her family home.

Issues: Children’s aid society; Police involvement; Death and Serious Bodily Harm Report (DSBH); Rights (Get help); Rights (Fairness)

A whistleblower came to us with several disturbing allegations about a group home serving children and youth who are medically fragile or have other vulnerabilities.

Issues: Group home; Quality of care; Rights (Good care); Rights (Safety)

A woman who had been granted full custody of her niece – with the support of a children’s aid society (CAS) – contacted us after waiting four months for a certified copy of the original court order, which she needed in order to apply for a health card and other important items for the girl.

Issues: Children’s aid society; Rights (Your file)

A woman sought our help after her two foster children disclosed to her that their former foster parent had been physically and verbally abusive toward them.

Issues: Children’s aid society; Duty to report; Quality of care; Rights (Get help); Rights (Fairness)

After her second suicide attempt, a 15-year-old girl contacted us from the hospital.

Issues: Children’s aid society; Disability; Rights (Get help)

A 16-year-old youth complained to us that staff at his group home threatened to lock the refrigerator after he helped himself to food at night when he was hungry.

Issues: Group home; Rights (Good care); Rights (Get help)

A woman worried about the health and safety of a young relative complained to us that the local children’s aid society (CAS) had done “nothing” in response to her concerns.

Issues: Children’s aid society; Quality of care

A 16-year-old who has a developmental disability and lives in a group home contacted us to raise questions about his rights.

Issues: Group home; Disability; Rights (Get help)

A 13-year-old racialized youth complained to us after her children’s aid society (CAS) called the police to transport her to a new group home – which they did by handcuffing her and placing her in the back of a police vehicle.

Issues: Children’s aid society; Police involvement; Rights (Identity)

A 16-year-old youth living in a group home complained to our Office that staff at the home were not allowing him to contact certain members of his family because his mother – his legal guardian – did not want him speaking to them.

Issues: Group home; Rights (Good care)

A 15-year-old emailed us that she was being physically and verbally abused by her mother, and had started to self-harm and even attempted suicide as a result.

Issue: Children’s aid society

A 16-year-old living in a foster home sought our help when she was invited to spend the night at a friend’s house, but her foster care agency denied her request, citing COVID-19 restrictions.

Issues: Children’s aid society; Rights (Get help)

An 11-year-old told us she felt unsafe in her group home after another resident threatened her with a knife.

Issues: Group home; Rights (Safety)

A young person who was serving a youth sentence at an adult correctional facility complained to us that he was not being provided CAS access to services required by his court-ordered plan.

Issues: Children’s aid society; Rights (Good care)

A Black youth living in a rural group home with little access to public transit complained to us that staff would not drive him to get a haircut.

Issues: Group home; Black youth; Rights (Identity)

The mother of a teenager with developmental disability complained to us about an incident involving her daughter at a group home.

Issues: Group home; Police involvement; Disability

A mother called our Children and Youth Unit after her local children’s aid society told her it would not review her complaint due to a lack of information.

Issue: Children’s aid society

A 16-year-old youth in care of a children’s aid society felt that her needs were not being met since she had a change in caseworkers.

Issues: Children’s aid society; Voluntary Youth Services Agreement (VYSA); Rights (Good care); Rights (Get help)

When a woman complained to us about how she and her family were treated by a children’s aid society, we first advised her to contact her caseworker and raise the issue through the society’s internal process.

Issues: Children’s aid society; Rights (Get help)

Unhappy with his placement at a foster home, a 17-year-old asked his children’s aid society caseworker for a placement change, only to be told the home he was staying in was best for him.

Issues: Children’s aid society; Rights (Get help); Rights (Fairness)

A 16-year-old girl living in a group home told us she had asked her children’s aid society worker to initiate a review of her placement because she felt unsafe, but the caseworker didn't follow up with her.

Issues: Children’s aid society; ; Group home; Rights (Safety); Rights (Get help)

A pregnant youth called us for help when she went for an ultrasound and was told her health card was cancelled.

Issues: Rights (Good care); Rights (Get help)

A young person in a treatment group home called us, saying she felt like she had no one to talk to.

Issues: Children’s aid society; Group home; Rights (Fairness)

A 15-year-old who had been in a group home for three years sought our help in moving into a foster home where he could become more independent.

Issues: Group home; Rights (Get help)