Advocacy is about helping to get your voice heard and making sure your rights are respected and you are treated fairly as a young person. This means we speak up for you, or help you speak up for yourself. We understand that sometimes it can be intimidating dealing with government services, so we make sure your voice is heard.

Anyone can contact us with a concern or complaint about children’s rights, and about children’s treatment in government services. This may be family members, guardians, caregivers or professionals. It is important to note that we welcome contact from young people themselves.

You may also want to contact us if you have a request for information about children’s rights, or would like to arrange for us to speak at a conference or workshop.

Yes, you are the expert on your own life. We are always interested in hearing directly from young people about your experiences and concerns.

It is not difficult to connect with us. Call us at (1-888)-753-3888, email us at office@ocya.nl.ca or drop in to our office at 193 LeMarchant Road. No referral is necessary and there is no cost. We are located in St. John’s but provide services throughout the province. So while we visit other parts of the province throughout the year, much of our advocacy work can be done over the phone.

You can expect a safe space where you will receive a friendly and respectful response. We will:

• Listen to you
• Focus on you and the issues you identify
• Explain things in plain language
• Discuss how we can help, and figure out next steps with you
• Talk about confidentiality and what that means
• Always return your call

If you have concerns about a child’s safety you must call the Department of Children, Seniors and Social Development or the police, or call 911 or your local police if it is an emergency. This is the law (see section 11 of the Children, Youth and Families Act)

The Office of the Child and Youth Advocate is not a 24/7 emergency service.

We cannot investigate the following:

• Court orders/decisions
• Decisions of the House of Assembly, Cabinet, or Executive Council
• A matter under appeal, or right of appeal to a court or tribunal until this right expires
• A matter under review of Child Death Review Committee until the review is completed
• A matter subject to a public inquiry under the Fatalities Investigations Act until the inquiry is completed

No. The Office of the Child and Youth Advocate is an independent office of the Legislature and does not report to a government department or Minister. We provide oversight of services to children to make sure their rights respected and met. We have authority to review or investigate government services that provide services and responses to children.

No. Section 21 of the Child and Youth Advocate Act states that the Advocate may require anyone who is able to give information or documentation to provide it when it is relevant to a matter related to children and youth and which is under investigation. There are very few exceptions (for example, solicitor-client privilege), however feel free to discuss this with us. The Act further states that it is an offence for anyone to obstruct, hinder or resist the Child and Youth Advocate in carrying out her functions and duties, or to refuse to comply with a lawful requirement of the Advocate, or to make a false or misleading statement (Section 31). The interview process and your evidence will involve a sworn oath or affirmation.

Your specific testimony is confidential and is not accessible outside of the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate. Our Investigative reports do not identify individuals. Furthermore, the Child and Youth Advocate Act states that when anyone provides answers or evidence for an OCYA investigation, this information is not admissible in evidence against the person in court or at an inquiry or in another proceeding (Section 21.3). The exception is if the person is on trial for perjury.