The Office of the Child and Youth Advocate has released the 2019-20 Status Report on Recommendations. This is prepared annually and reports on the progress of all recommendations made by the Child and Youth Advocate to date.

As of March 31, 2020, the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate issued a total of 243 recommendations to various government departments and agencies since the office first opened in 2002. Of these recommendations, 80% were implemented, 19% were partially implemented, and 1% did not show meaningful progress as of the end of the reporting period. A total of 44 new recommendations were issued in 2019-20. This number is higher than normal and reflects 33 recommendations from ‘A Long Wait for Change: Independent Review of Child Protection Services to Inuit Children in Newfoundland and Labrador’, and 11 recommendations from the ‘Special Report on Trans Youth’ and the ‘Seen But Not Heard’ report. With 20% of recommendations not completed, immediate attention and effort is required.

The Child and Youth Advocate will continue to follow up with all relevant departments and agencies on any new or outstanding recommendations until the Office is satisfied that all are appropriately addressed.

Jackie Lake Kavanagh, Child and Youth Advocate expresses her gratitude to those who have made changes in the system so that children and youth will receive better responses, and their rights will be better served. The Advocate stated, “Your efforts are incredibly important. They provide tangible improvements in the daily lives of young people in Newfoundland and Labrador.”

This report can be found on the OCYA website.

The Office of the Child and Youth Advocate can be reached by calling (1-877) 753-3888 or emailing office@ocya.nl.ca.

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Media contact
Wilma MacInnis
Office of the Child and Youth Advocate
709-753-3888