New report from OCYA highlights previous recommendations still not addressed

The recently released Annual Report of the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate identifies two new issues that require attention by the ministry: children 10 years of age and younger living in staffed facilities and vulnerable children and youth coming in to care and not receiving the mental health services required. “I believe the Ministry of Human Services can and should take more concrete action on the recommendations made in my reports that will improve services and outcomes for vulnerable children,” said Del Graff, Child and Youth Advocate, in a news release. “I remain hopeful of seeing significant progress in this area and am committed to keeping these issues in front of the ministry as we move forward in our work.” In his opening comments in the report, Graff notes that “we have made a number of significant recommendations through our reports that would improve services and outcomes for children and youth involved with the child intervention system. However, the response to these recommendations has been limited.” Those recommendations include addressing systemic issues which have led to a disproportionate number of Aboriginal children in care.