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Child welfare agencies placing youth in hotels, motels, offices and trailers

Media release, "Ombudsman to investigate child welfare practice of placing children and youth in hotels, motels, offices and trailers" (September 5, 2024) Investigation into the practice of child welfare agencies placing young children and teens in hotels, motels, offices and trailers. Announced …

Secret sale

A man visited a ServiceOntario location to renew his licence plate after he tried to renew it online without success. He was shocked to learn that the vehicle was no longer registered in his name and that ServiceOntario records indicated it had been sold and scrapped. He called us for help in …
A man visited a ServiceOntario location to renew his licence plate after he tried to renew it online without success.

Sticky situation

A man complained to us that he was wrongly charged more than $1,800 for the licence plate stickers on his heavy commercial vehicle. He said the charges should not apply to him, as his vehicles are only used seasonally and not for the full year. Result: We contacted senior officials at the Ministry …
A man complained to us that he was wrongly charged more than $1,800 for the licence plate stickers on his heavy commercial vehicle.

Breathe easy

Tired of the GO trains that often sat idling near his home, a man asked us for help in raising the matter with Metrolinx. He told us he believed the fumes were causing him health issues. Result: We spoke to Metrolinx staff, who confirmed GO trains do not idle for more than 30 minutes at a time. In …
Tired of the GO trains that often sat idling near his home, a man asked us for help in raising the matter with Metrolinx.

Continued care

Issues: Children’s aid society, Rights (Get help), Rights (Fairness) A young woman who had been in the care of a children’s aid society (CAS) sought our help because she was not provided with continued care and support – including mental health supports – after she turned 18, even though she was …
A young woman who had been in the care of a children’s aid society (CAS) sought our help because she was not provided with continued care and support.

Hair help

Issues: Youth justice facility, Rights (Good care), Rights (Identity) A group of nine youths detained at a youth justice centre complained to us that they could not get hair oil. They complained that this left them with dry hair that was prone to breakage. Result: We made inquiries with the centre …
A group of nine youths detained at a youth justice centre complained to us that they could not get hair oil.

Healthy review

Issues: Youth justice facility, Physical restraints, Rights (Safety) A young person in a youth justice centre contacted us after an incident where mechanical restraints were used on him. He complained that he was never assessed by the health care team at the centre after this use of restraints, …
A young person in a youth justice centre contacted us after an incident where mechanical restraints were used on him.

Coming of age

Issues: Rights (Good care), Disability, Indigenous A group home director contacted us about an Indigenous youth with special needs who had been in the home’s care for seven years. The youth was nearing her 18th birthday, and the director was concerned that nothing had been done to ensure that she …
A group home director contacted us about an Indigenous youth with special needs who had been in the home’s care for seven years.

Family care

We stepped in to help an Indigenous man who was struggling to care for the newborn child of relatives suffering from addiction. No paperwork had been done to secure funding for necessary medication, foster care and other resources. RESULT: As a result of our involvement, a Customary Care Agreement …
We stepped in to help an Indigenous man who was struggling to care for the newborn child of relatives suffering from addiction.

Motorcycle mix-up

A man noticed that the driver’s licence he’d had for four years did not indicate that he was also qualified to drive a motorcycle. He told us that DriveTest and the Ministry said his only recourse was to start the motorcycle licensing process all over again. RESULT: After we intervened, Ministry …
A man noticed that the driver’s licence he’d had for four years did not indicate that he was also qualified to drive a motorcycle.

Kept in suspense

A senior sought our help when his driver’s licence was suspended, just seven months after he had gone through an extensive process with the Driver Medical Review Office to get it reinstated. RESULT: When we raised the case with Ministry officials, they clarified that although they had asked the man …
A senior sought our help when his driver’s licence was suspended, just seven months after he had gone through an extensive process with the Driver Medical Review Office to get it reinstated.

Correcting the record

A transgender woman who changed the name and sex designation on her driver’s licence contacted us in frustration after being told that her car insurance would now cost more. She said that in making the changes, the Ministry had given her an entirely new licence number, which was no longer connected …
A transgender woman who changed the name and sex designation on her driver’s licence contacted us in frustration after being told that her car insurance would now cost more.

Support secured

Issues: Duty to report; Disability; Rights (Identity) 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. The youth’s mother and CAS …
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.

Ready, set – redo

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

Routine violation

Issues: Youth justice facility; Rights (Safety) 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. He told us he raised his concern with the facility, but staff maintained that all youth justice …
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.

Group revelation

Issues: Children’s aid society; Group home; Quality of care; Rights (Good care) After giving a presentation at a group home, our staff were conducting private conversations with the residents, as we normally do. Several of these young people raised serious concerns about access to food and …
After giving a presentation at a group home, our staff were conducting private conversations with the residents, as we normally do.

Submission regarding Proposed Policy Directive Updates for Children's Aid Societies

Submission to the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services regarding Proposed Policy Directive Updates to Clarify Data Collection and Reporting Requirements for Children's Aid Societies Respecting the New Youth Leaving Care Policy and “Ready, Set, Go” Program Paul Dubé Ombudsman of …
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.

Submission regarding Bill 188, Supporting Children's Futures Act, 2024

Submission to the Standing Committee on Social Policy regarding Bill 188, Supporting Children's Futures Act, 2024 Paul Dubé Ombudsman of Ontario May 2024 2 Submission to the Standing Committee on Social Policy regarding Bill 188 May 2024 Overview The Standing Committee on Social Policy is currently …
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.

Rights Unrecognized: Mia’s Story

O N T A R I O OMBUDSMAN REPORT Paul Dubé, Ombudsman of Ontario April 2024 Rights Unrecognized: Mia’s Story Investigation into the adequacy of services provided by York Region Children’s Aid Society to “Mia” Rights Unrecognized: Mia’s Story DIRECTOR, CHILDREN AND YOUTH UNIT Diana Cooke MANAGER, …
Investigation into the adequacy of services provided by York Region Children’s Aid Society to “Mia”.

Submission to the Ministry regarding searches of staff, visitors and young persons at youth justice facilities

Submission to the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services regarding searches of staff, visitors and young persons at youth justice facilities Paul Dubé Ombudsman of Ontario March 2024 Submission to the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services regarding searches at youth …
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.