O N T A R I O O N TA R I O ’ S WATC H D O G OMBUDSMAN REPORT Paul Dubé, Ombudsman of Ontario April 2023 Missing in Inaction: Misty’s Story Investigation into the adequacy of measures undertaken by Johnson Children’s Services Inc., Anishinaabe Abinoojii Family Services, and a Southwestern Ontario …
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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”
Uninterrupted visits
Issues: Children’s aid society; Rights (Good care) 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. The youth had regular weekly visits scheduled with his mother at his grandmother’s house, …
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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.
A Voice Unheard: Brandon’s Story
O N T A R I O O N TA R I O ’ S WATC H D O G OMBUDSMAN REPORT Paul Dubé, Ombudsman of Ontario December 2022 A Voice Unheard: Brandon’s Story Investigation into the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto’s response to child protection concerns involving “Brandon” between December 31, 2015 and October 26, …
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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
Secure resolution
Issue: Group home 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. When we contacted staff at the responsible agency, they confirmed another resident had been …
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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.
Please remain seated
A man studying online for his real estate certification complained to us after he was accused of leaving his seat during a virtual exam and then locked out of the program. He insisted that he had never left his seat, and that a glitch in the virtual proctoring technology had mistakenly identified …
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A man studying online for his real estate certification complained to us after he was accused of leaving his seat during a virtual exam and then locked out of the program.
Conversion confusion
A man who had accidentally submitted incorrect information to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) sought our help when OSAP converted his $32,000 grant to a loan. He told us that because of the mistake, OSAP had concluded that his wife was employed, when in fact she lived in Afghanistan …
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A man who had accidentally submitted incorrect information to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) sought our help when OSAP converted his $32,000 grant to a loan.
Vaccination pass
A university student who was exclusively enrolled in online courses and as an online teaching assistant complained to us that he was “unenrolled” because he did not provide proof that he had received the COVID-19 vaccine. He complained that there was no clear appeal process, and no distinction was …
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A university student who was exclusively enrolled in online courses and as an online teaching assistant complained to us that he was “unenrolled” because he did not provide proof that he had received the COVID-19 vaccine.
Timely help
Issues: Children’s aid society; Voluntary Youth Services Agreement (VYSA) A concerned adult contacted our Office on behalf of a youth who was denied a This link opens in a new tab Voluntary Youth Services Agreement (VYSA) by a children’s aid society (CAS). VYSAs are available to 16- and …
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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.
ID help
Issues: Children’s aid society; Rights (Get help) A 14-year-old 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. The youth looked to his CAS worker for support …
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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.
Lost Opportunities
O N T A R I O O N TA R I O ’ S WATC H D O G Lost Opportunities 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 OMBUDSMAN REPORT Paul Dubé, …
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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.
Strengthening the Designation: A Collaborative Effort
O N T A R I O O N TA R I O ’ S WATC H D O G Strengthening the Designation: A Collaborative Effort Investigation into Laurentian University’s cuts to French-language programming during restructuring and into the administration of the university’s designation by the Ministry of Francophone Affairs …
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Investigation into Laurentian University’s cuts to French-language programming during restructuring and into the administration of the university’s designation by the Ministry of Francophone Affairs and the Ministry of Colleges and Universities
A helping hand
Issues: Children’s aid society; Rights (Good care); Rights (Get help) 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. She told us that she didn’t feel safe returning there without the support …
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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.
Refusal reversed
Issues: Children’s aid society; Voluntary Youth Services Agreement (VYSA); Rights (Get help) 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 …
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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.
Overcoming obstacles
Issue: Rights (Get help) A youth in care sought our help in filing a complaint about staff at her residential placement. She complained about the required forms not being made available, staff lacking knowledge about the complaints process, and not receiving a timely response. After we reached out …
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A youth in care sought our help in filing a complaint about staff at her residential placement.
Duty to report
Issues: Duty to report; Rights (Safety) 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. In response, we contacted the CAS, which agreed to connect with the school …
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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.
Online schooling okayed
Issues: Children’s aid society; Disability; Rights (Good care); Rights (Identity) 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. The youth had mental health issues, including anxiety, and …
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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.
Restraints cause concern
Issues: Group home; Physical restraints; Death and Serious Bodily Harm Report (DSBH); Rights (Safety); Rights (Get help) A youth revealed to us that her concerns about being physically restrained at her group home were not being heard. Our staff learned this while following up with the youth about …
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A youth revealed to us that her concerns about being physically restrained at her group home were not being heard.
A difficult day
Issues: Group home; Physical restraints; Death and Serious Bodily Harm Report (DSBH); Rights (Safety) Our Office checked on a youth after we heard she was hurt when her group home staff physically restrained her self-injurious behaviour. We learned of the incident through a mandatory report known …
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Our Office checked on a youth after we heard she was hurt when her group home staff physically restrained her self-injurious behaviour.
Restraining restraints
Issues: Group home; Physical restraint; Police involvement; Disability; 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. The incident was reported to us …
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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.
Rethinking reliance on police
Issues: Children’s aid society; Police involvement; Death and Serious Bodily Harm Report (DSBH); Rights (Get help); Rights (Fairness) 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 …
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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.
