Overview - CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN CARE
Ontario’s Watchdog is here to help children and youth like you
What we do
The Ombudsman resolves and investigates complaints about any matter concerning children and youth receiving services from Ontario children's aid societies, foster homes, group homes, secure treatment facilities and youth justice facilities.
Young people, adults and service providers can make a complaint to us.
Children’s aid societies and residential licensees must notify us of any occurrences of Death or Serious Bodily Harm (DSBH) to a child or young person who had sought or received services within 12 months of the incident.
To help children and youth, we:
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Receive and review complaints
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Conduct investigations
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Review, analyze and follow up on Death and Serious Bodily Harm reports
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Promote and protect young people’s rights
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Meet with children and youth in care, as well as service providers and youth justice facility staff, to inform them about how we can help
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Conduct outreach with community groups and professionals who help young people
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Liaise with and provide advice to the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services
We prioritize our outreach activities to include agencies providing services to Indigenous children and families, and agencies providing services to Black children and families, in recognition that both groups are over-represented in Ontario’s systems of care. Within our Children and Youth Unit, an Indigenous Circle composed of Indigenous staff, along with managers, leads our outreach to Indigenous family agencies and young people. The circle also provides consultative advice on complaints and reports of death and serious bodily harm incidents involving Indigenous youth. We have also established a Black Children, Youth and Families Roundtable.
Our Children and Youth Unit staff will listen, look into how decisions are made in a case, review concerns about the services, living conditions and experiences of young people living in residential care, and help find solutions. If we can’t help directly, we will refer you to someone who can.
Our goal is to improve the services provided to young people and families by Ontario’s child welfare system, and the experience they have – by ensuring they are treated fairly.
It is important to note that children and youth in care have specific rights related to what they are entitled to, and how they should be treated in care. Service providers have an obligation to inform young people about their rights – and assist them to exercise these rights. Please click the “Know your rights” button below for a downloadable brochure and poster listing these rights.
We can help youth answer the following questions, and much more:
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How do I get visits with my family?
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How can I appeal my placement?
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What can I do if I disagree with decisions made about me?
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How can I file a complaint?
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What can I do if someone is hurting me?
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How do I get access to medical or mental health services?
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Why was I restrained?
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What if my placement is too far from home?
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How do I get access to my siblings?
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Why am I not enrolled in school?
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What can I do if my home visits get cancelled?
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How do I get documents about my case?
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What if I think my privacy isn’t respected?
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What can I do if I am prevented from taking part in some activities that are important to me?
Who we help
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Children and youth in care who have problems with their placements, questions, or concerns about their rights.
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Concerned adults such as family members of young people in care, service providers and others.
Review our posters, brochures and videos resources – and read our case stories – by clicking the buttons below to learn more about how we help.
This link opens in a new tabEveryone has a duty to report. If you have reasonable grounds to suspect a child is being abused or neglected – and is or may be in need of protection – contact your local children’s aid society.
Children & Youth Unit
483 Bay Street
10th floor, South Tower
Toronto, ON M5G 2C9
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Toll-free (inside Ontario only): 1-800-263-2841
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Telephone: 416-325-5669
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TTY (teletypewriter): 416-325-2648
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Fax: 416-325-5681
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Email: cy-ej@ombudsman.on.ca
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