Statement by CCCYA president Del Graff on the elimination of the Ontario Child Advocate's office

TORONTO, Nov. 15, 2018 /CNW/ - Canadian Council of Child and Youth Advocates (CCCYA) president Del Graff issued the following statement on elimination of the Ontario Child Advocate's office, and shifting responsibility to the provincial ombudsman's office.

It is not acceptable to eliminate the Ontario Child Advocate's Office, and the individual advocacy support for vulnerable young people whose voices must continue to be heard. The independent Ontario Child Advocate's Office is an expert in child advocacy and conducting investigations, and to lose this specialized expertise for the children and youth of Ontario is a travesty.

The independence of the Ontario Child Advocate is critical to ensuring the rights of young people are upheld by Government systems who serve them. The Office has been an example to the rest of the country in amplifying the voices of young people, and in engaging young people with them to do this valuable work. On behalf of the CCCYA, I strongly encourage the Government of Ontario to reconsider if this decision is in the best interests of the children of Ontario.

-- Del Graff, president, Canadian Council of Child and Youth Advocates

The Canadian Council of Child and Youth Advocates is an association of government-appointed children's advocates, ombudsman and representatives from 10 provinces and two territories: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Québec, Saskatchewan, and Yukon. Advocates are independent officers of the legislatures in their respective jurisdictions.

SOURCE Canadian Council of Child and Youth Advocates

Media inquiries may be directed to: Tim Chander, Communications Manager, Office of the Child and Youth Advocate of Alberta, 780-638-4064, [email protected]