Print this pageThe Office of the Child and Youth Advocate has responsibility to promote the rights of children and youth in relation to Government legislation, policies, protocols, practices and reviewable services to children and youth, both at an individual level and at a systemic level.
Systemic advocacy involves working towards broad changes in policy, practice and legislation that will benefit many children and youth.
Systemic advocacy happens throughout all roles and responsibilities of the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate to include systemic reviews and systemic investigations.
Systemic issues are issues that:
- Affect more than one child or youth;
- If not addressed, are likely to re-occur; and
- Typically require a change to policy, regulation or legislation to resolve.
Systemic issues come to the attention of our office in many ways, including:
- Individual advocacy casework
- Children, youth and their families
- Professionals
- Government departments
- Community organizations
- Members of the public
- Media
Our Office monitors trends of systemic issues identified by or brought to the attention of our office.
Individual and Systemic Reviews and Investigations
The Child and Youth Advocate may review and investigate individually or systemically any matter that is referred from any source concerning:
- a child or youth who receives or is eligible to receive a reviewable service;
- a group of children or youths who receive or are eligible to receive a reviewable service; and
- a reviewable service for children and youth.
These reviews and investigations examine through a child-sensitive lens the rights, interests and well-being of children or youth who are receiving or eligible to receive reviewable services. Generally, systemic investigations will focus on identifying and analyzing a series of recurring circumstances or trends for the purpose of improving the responsiveness and effectiveness of one or more reviewable services.
Please see our Publications and Media.