Issues: Group home; Quality of care; Rights (Good care); Rights (Safety) 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. These included allegations of physical abuse, hygiene issues …
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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.
Delivered at last
Issues: Children’s aid society; Rights (Your file) 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 …
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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.
Home safe
A group home worker raised health and safety concerns with us after he and a few colleagues contracted COVID-19. He believed they were exposed to a resident who tested positive, and said they had not been provided with personal protective equipment (PPE). We made inquiries with Ministry of …
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A group home worker raised health and safety concerns with us after he and a few colleagues contracted COVID-19.
Exclusion explanation
A personal support worker contacted us in frustration when he and his colleagues were denied “pandemic pay,” despite being in close contact with patients. We provided him with information about the criteria for this pay program, including that it only pertained to employers who received direct …
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A personal support worker contacted us in frustration when he and his colleagues were denied “pandemic pay,” despite being in close contact with patients.
Open and shut case
A woman who was waiting for the Fair Practices Commissioner (FPC – the WSIB’s internal ombudsman) to assist her with a loss-of-earnings assessment and prescription cost refund sought our help early in the pandemic. The FPC’s office was shut down and she was unable to reach them. We contacted staff …
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A woman who was waiting for the Fair Practices Commissioner (FPC – the WSIB’s internal ombudsman) to assist her with a loss-of-earnings assessment and prescription cost refund sought our help early in the pandemic.
Dogged determination
Issues: Disability; 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. She raised the issue with the home, which agreed to develop a new policy regarding service dogs, which they provided to us. …
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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.
Talk or else
Issues: Group home; Rights (Good care); Rights (Safety) 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. He said they threatened to remove privileges, like making calls to his parents or using an iPad, …
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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.
Culture change
Issues: Children’s aid society; Black youth; Rights (Identity); Rights (Get help); Rights (Fairness) 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 …
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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.
Repairing wrongs
Issues: Children’s aid society; Duty to report; Quality of care; Rights (Get help); Rights (Fairness) 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. She had already reported this to the …
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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.
Seeking the right support
Issues: Children’s aid society; Disability; Rights (Get help) After her second suicide attempt, a 15-year-old girl contacted us from the hospital. She said she did not want to return to her family home because she did not feel safe there. She had contacted her local children’s aid society (CAS), …
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After her second suicide attempt, a 15-year-old girl contacted us from the hospital.
The right balance
Issues: Group home; Rights (Good care); 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. He had lodged an internal complaint at the home, but still felt his concerns …
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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.
Keeping watch
Issues: Children’s aid society; Quality of care 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. Our Children and Youth Unit contacted the CAS, which provided us with …
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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.
Right-ing on the wall
Issues: Group home; Disability; Rights (Get help) A 16-year-old who has a developmental disability and lives in a group home contacted us to raise questions about his rights. We spoke to his caseworker, who told us the young man had been informed about his rights when he first arrived at the home …
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A 16-year-old who has a developmental disability and lives in a group home contacted us to raise questions about his rights.
A better way
Issues: Children’s aid society; Police involvement; Rights (Identity) 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. …
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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.
Family feud
Issues: Group home; Rights (Good care) 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. Our Children and Youth Unit …
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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.
Safe slumber
Issues: Children’s aid society; Rights (Get help) 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. She told us her children’s aid society worker was not …
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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.
A cry for help
Issue: Children’s aid society 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. Our Children and Youth Unit connected her to a children’s aid society and the Kids Help Phone crisis line. We …
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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.
Debt free
A man sought our help when he was contacted by a collections agency many years after receiving funding from Second Career – a program now operated by the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development. He was told he had to repay the $28,000 he had received through the program – plus interest …
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A man sought our help when he was contacted by a collections agency many years after receiving funding from Second Career – a program now operated by the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development.
Sorry process
We have resolved several complaints over the past three years about the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), which nominates skilled immigrant workers for permanent residency. The Ministry took steps to address issues of poor customer service and delay in this program. It also worked with our …
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We have resolved several complaints over the past three years about the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), which nominates skilled immigrant workers for permanent residency.
Right to safety
Issues: Group home; Rights (Safety) An 11-year-old told us she felt unsafe in her group home after another resident threatened her with a knife. The Ombudsman’s Children and Youth Unit informed her of her right to have her placement reviewed by the Residential Placement Advisory Committee, and …
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An 11-year-old told us she felt unsafe in her group home after another resident threatened her with a knife.
