Federal funding to support child victims through the SeaStar Child and Youth Advocacy Centre in Halifax Français

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Department of Justice Canada

Feb 23, 2024, 13:05 ET

HALIFAX, NS, Feb. 23, 2024 /CNW/ - Canadians expect to live in a society where the criminal justice system supports the needs of victims. This is especially important when those victims, or witnesses of abuse and violence, are children and youth.

Today, the Honourable Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, joined by Andy Fillmore, Member of Parliament for Halifax, announced funding of $625,500 over five years to support the SeaStar Child and Youth Advocacy Centre (CYAC), a project of the IWK Health Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

CYACs provide integrated, multi-disciplinary services for children, youth, witnesses and their families to investigate, assess, and treat suspected violence or abuse. This integrated approach in a safe, child-friendly setting helps reduce the trauma children and youth may experience.

Funding for the Enhancing the Reach and Impact of Child and Youth Advocacy Centre Services in Nova Scotia project will increase SeaStar CYAC's organizational capacity, upgrade software and technology, and allow for a comprehensive program evaluation to be completed. This project will also broaden SeaStar's existing work to foster a strong Atlantic CYAC Network by working together to build capacity, share knowledge and practical resources, engage partners, and strengthen support for the CYAC model across the Atlantic region. Collectively, these efforts seek to create a Nova Scotia where children and youth have hope for their future and are safe from violence and abuse.

Justice Canada is providing funding for this project over five fiscal years (2023 to 2028) through the Child and Youth Advocacy Centre Initiative under the Victims Fund, which provides grants and contributions to support projects and activities that encourage the development of new approaches and promote access to justice.

SeaStar CYAC's innovative, trauma-centred approach brings together different agencies and services — from law enforcement, child welfare, health care, mental health, and the justice system — to ensure that every child has seamless access to the services, support and care they need in their journey toward healing. SeaStar is one of three CYACs in Atlantic Canada and is part of a national network of child and youth advocacy centres across Canada.

Quotes

"The funding announced today reflects this government's commitment to support our most vulnerable, especially child and youth victims, survivors or witnesses to crime. Multi-disciplinary, wrap around services like those provided by SeaStar CYAC are critical to reducing trauma and supporting the needs of young victims. This government shares SeaStar's vision, not only for Nova Scotia, but for Canada, where children and youth have hope for their future and are safe from violence and abuse."

The Honourable Arif Virani, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

"All children and youth deserve to feel safe and secure, especially those who have experienced or witnessed violence. The Government of Canada is providing funding so that SeaStar Child and Youth Advocacy Centre can provide trauma-informed interventions offered in a child and youth-friendly setting. Their essential and multi-disciplinary programs make a difference in the lives of Atlantic Canadians."

Andy Fillmore, M.P.
Member of Parliament for Halifax

"When a child or youth has experienced maltreatment, we know that the way we respond matters. At the SeaStar Child and Youth Advocacy Centre we are working with our partner agencies to ensure that children, youth, and families not only have seamless access to all the care and support they need, but that we are working together in a way that is client-centred and trauma-informed. As this model of care grows across the Atlantic region, we are grateful to Justice Canada for their support of our work and the work of the Atlantic Child and Youth Advocacy Centre Network to improve outcomes for child and youth victims, and their families."

Dr. Amy Ornstein
Strategic Lead, SeaStar Child and Youth Advocacy Centre
Medical Director, Suspected Trauma and Abuse Response Team (START)
Head, Division of General Pediatrics
Professor of Pediatrics, Dalhousie University

Quick Facts
  • The Victims Fund is part of the Federal Victims Strategy, a horizontal initiative led by the Department of Justice Canada that seeks to improve access to justice for victims of crime and give victims a more effective voice in the criminal justice system.
  • Justice Canada's Child and Youth Advocacy Centres Initiative, a component of the Victims Fund, provides funding to victim-serving, non-governmental organizations whose programs and activities are aligned with the priorities of the Victims Fund.
  • Justice Canada's Victims Fund has supported Child Advocacy Centres (CACs) and CYACs since 2010 with a steadily increasing demand to develop and deliver these services across the country.
  • Since 2015, Justice Canada's Victims Fund has committed more than $40 million to support 45 CACs/CYACs at various stages of development.
  • In 2024, Justice Canada published results from a national operational survey of child advocacy centres. The 35 child advocacy centres who responded to the survey reported:
    • They served 10,665 child and youth victims in 2021/2022, of which 7,436 were victims of sexual abuse and 2,913 were victims of physical abuse.
    • Their organizational success was in developing strong partnerships with the professionals in their multi-disciplinary team and confirming the use of the CAC/CYAC model as making meaningful change in their communities and helping to educate and raise awareness to support the children, youth and the families they serve.
    • 91% reported they had received funding from a federal grant and faced challenges securing enough sustainable funding to cover operating costs, such as the costs of facilities and staffing.
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SOURCE Department of Justice Canada

media may contact: Chantalle Aubertin, Deputy Director, Communications, Office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, 613-992-6568, [email protected]; Media Relations, Department of Justice Canada, 613-957- 4207, [email protected]; Nick Cox, Senior Advisor, Government Relations & Issues Management, IWK Health Centre, (902) 225-1781, [email protected]

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Department of Justice Canada