Rights
You Have The Right To...
- Know and understand your rights.
- Be and feel safe.
- Be treated fairly no matter your race, sex, culture, religion, abilities, or sexual orientation.
- Have a say about what happens to you and express your thoughts and feelings.
- Be properly fed, clothed and cared for.
- Go to school.
- Receive medical and dental care.
- Participate in social and recreational activities.
- Participate in your religion and culture and speak your language.
- An interpreter if you are not being understood because of language or abilities.
- Reasonable privacy.
- Know and understand the rules, responsibilities and consequences.
- Talk privately with your lawyer, the Ombudsman, your Member of Parliament or an Advocate.
- Be told how to contact the Advocacy Office.
If you are 12 or older,YOU ALSO HAVE THE RIGHT TO:
- Know that a decision is being made about you in court so that you can go there when it happens.
- Ask to have a review or an appeal of your placement.
- Help make your plan of care.
If you are a young person charged with a criminal offence, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO:
- Know why you are being arrested.
- Remain silent and contact a lawyer.
- Call a lawyer AND a parent or adult you trust. The police must give you a number for a lawyer.
- You have the right to call your lawyer as needed.
- Have a lawyer represent you.
- Ask for a Temporary Release (a day or weekend pass).
- Ask the Custody Review Board to review certain decisions regarding your care.
If it doesn't feel fair, maybe it's not right! Call an advocate!
1-800-263-2841 or 416-325-5669
If It's Wrong, Right It!
The Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth. listens, problem solves, mediates complaints, negotiates with service providers or government officials, networks with the community and intercedes on behalf of children, youth or young adults when they cannot speak for themselves.
The Provincial Advocate Office has been in operation since 1978. Under the Child and Family Services Act, it is authorized to protect the rights and interests of children and families who are receiving or seeking services through the Ministry of Children and Youth Services, anywhere in the Province of Ontario. It advises the Minister on matters that concern children and families. Any student in a residential or demonstration school (Ministry of Education) is also entitled to call the Advocacy Office for help.
Clients include:
- Children and families.
- Young persons in conflict with the law.
- Children/youth living in child welfare and children's mental health settings, group homes, foster homes etc.
- Children/youth/young adults who have complex needs, for example, children with intellectual, learning and physical disabilities.
- Children/youth who are deaf, blind or hard of hearing.
Every child/youth in care has rights defined in the Child and Family Services Act (CFSA) and the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA). The Provincial Advocate Office makes sure that children/youth in care know and understand their rights and that the laws that protect them from abuse or harsh treatment are enforced. Advocates empower children and families to make complaints about unacceptable treatment.
Advocates intercede and speak for children and their families who might not be able to get needed services or solutions to problems without help. Advocates also help communities with complex, case situations where more than one government or community agency needs to be involved.
In addition to consulting on cases, the Advocacy Office monitors broad complaints and concerns that affect groups of young people and their families, that can only be resolved by changes to the system. They advise the Minister of gaps in service delivery and recommend solutions.
The Advocacy Office makes every effort to offer advocacy services that are respectful and appropriate to children and families from various cultural backgrounds and lifestyles.
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