Our office provides advocacy for young people who are receiving services from child-serving services through the Provincial government ministries (like education, health, justice, social services, etc.), through other agencies such as First Nations Child and Family Services Agencies, and other government funded health services like hospitals, addictions services or mental health services.
We work hard to help young people speak up for themselves and to ensure that their rights, interests and well-being are being are upheld.
Advocate means to provide a voice for someone or to speak up for someone.
Anyone can call our office. Children and youth can contact us about a concern they have or an adult can get in touch if they are worried about services a young person is receiving.
We know it can be hard to reach out. You might wonder if we will really be able to help with your issue, and whether it’s worth your time. Some things to consider are:
We will work hard to ensure you receive all the services and supports you are entitled to by legislation and policy.
You can expect to connect with one of our Regional Advocates who will listen to your concerns.
Our staff can speak on your behalf or support you to speak up for yourself. We will help you to make sure your voice is heard and work to ensure you receive the services and supports you are entitled to.
We will:
We strongly believe that the voice of young people is important when decisions are being made, especially when those decisions have a BIG impact on them!
You have the right to have your wishes heard when important decisions are being made. We can tell you how to arrange a call or meeting with your worker to discuss your concerns, or we can set it up for you. We will also give you tips on what to say in the meeting. You can also decide if you want us or someone else that you trust to attend the meeting with you.
If your worker does not change their decision, we will explain the next steps that can be taken and can help you through the appeal process.
You might still have to move, but at least you will have had the opportunity to present your case and discuss your concerns.
You have the right to have contact with your family members, as long as it is safe to do so. While it is not always possible to have visits, you have the right to make a request and be heard. That doesn’t mean that you’ll always get what you want, but it does mean that you have a right to express your views and get a good explanation about any final decision.
We can give you tips on what to say and help you to voice your concerns to the worker. If the worker does not change their decision, we will explain the next steps that can be taken and can help you through the appeal process..
You still might not get to visit but you will have had the opportunity to present your case and discuss your concerns.
Yes, you have the right to have contact with your family members, as long as it is safe to do so. We can tell you how to arrange a call or meeting with your worker to ask about visiting your siblings. Or we can call on your behalf. We will ensure a visit gets scheduled or, if it is not possible, we will ensure you get a good explanation of why a visit cannot happen.
We know that having the right worker is something that’s important to most young people. If you feel that your worker is not listening to you, not working with you to resolve certain matters, or simply doesn’t ‘get you’, then we can assist you in having your concerns heard.
We can help you to arrange a meeting with your worker to express your concerns. We can either support you during the meeting, present your concerns on your behalf, or not even attend. Remember, it’s your meeting, so it’s your decision!
If you feel that things are still not fixed, we will explain further steps that may be taken and if you would like, continue working with you until you feel there’s a satisfactory outcome.
You might not always get a new worker, but you will have had the opportunity to present your case and discuss issues that are important to you!
The short answer is maybe. It will depend on what you want, what your foster parents can accommodate, and what your worker thinks is best for you. You might be entitled to receive support past your 18th birthday, but a few different rules apply. We can discuss all of the options with you.
Every young person in care who is age 16 or over is expected to have a clear, individualized transition to independence case plan in place. This plan includes where you’ll live as well as other supports needed to make the transition to adulthood successful.
Many things, including where you live, are negotiable and it is very important that you have input into decisions made about you. Everyone involved (you, your foster parents, the worker, and whoever else you think should be involved) should be talking about where you will be living and making plans that you are comfortable with. If you have any questions or concerns, at any point in the process, we can listen, help you sort out what you might want, and figure out how to best share your views with the adults involved.
If you’re having problems in your group home, facility or other residential placement, a good first step to take is to try and resolve the issue with group home or facility staff.
If you are unable to resolve the issue with staff or don’t feel like they are listening or hearing your opinion, the next step would be to take your concerns to the group home or facility supervisor or program manager. A supportive person, like your worker, would be able to support you in this conversation. Letting your worker know about any issues is a good conversation to have so they know how you are feeling and if you are unhappy.
If you don’t think that anyone is listening to your concerns or supporting you to be heard, give us a call. We will listen, provide you with some information on why the rules may be in place, and figure out how to best share your concerns with the staff or your worker.
Our office does not have lawyers and we can’t appoint lawyers for court. However, we are familiar with numerous legal resources. You can call us to discuss your situation and we will provide you with contact information for a resource that may be able to help you.
Call 911 if the abuse is happening in the moment. You can also talk to an adult you trust, call the Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868 (or text 686868), or call our office. We will ask you questions to better understand the situation and will provide you with contact information for a child protection agency or the police in your area.
There are some situations, like physical or sexual abuse, in which all Saskatchewan residents (including us and yourself) must legally report the abuse to the proper authorities, such as a child protection agency or the police.
Contact us to learn more about Section 10s and how they work. We will ask you questions to better understand the situation and can help you figure out why you were not eligible.
We can tell you how to arrange a call or meeting with the worker, and give you tips on what to say, to advocate for yourself. We can also call on your behalf.
If the worker still denies you, we will explain the next steps that can be taken and can help you through the appeal process. You still might not be eligible for services, but at least you will have had the opportunity to present your case.
You have the right to have your basic needs met. We can give you tips on what to say to the workers to advocate for yourself. We can also speak to them on your behalf. We will ensure you get an appointment and the glasses you need or, if there are barriers (like lack of funding), we will help find solutions. We will ensure you get a good explanation of why there is a delay.
If you are unhappy with where you’ve been placed, or if you’re having problems in your group home, we can listen to your concerns and help you think of ways to solve any issues you may be having.
You have the right to have your wishes and concerns heard. We can tell you how to arrange a call or meeting with the staff, your caregiver and/or your worker to discuss your concerns, or we can set it up for you. We will also give you tips on what to say in the meeting. You can also decide if you want us or someone else that you trust to attend the meeting with you.
If your worker does not agree to a change in placement, we will explain the next steps that can be taken and can help you through the appeal process.
You might not get to move to a new placement, but at least you will have had the opportunity to present your case and discuss your concerns.
You have the right to participate in social and recreational activities, even if you are in care. While we cannot provide the funding, we can provide you or your foster parent with information on various funding options, including what is available under the policies guiding services to young people in care. We can also speak to your worker on your behalf to determine what options are available.
While you have the right to have a say in medical decisions that are made about you, workers also have to consider the impact on your health and development. We will ensure the worker gets the advice of medical professionals and considers your views and best interests. If you are still required to have the procedure completed, we will ensure you get a good explanation of why the decision has been made and that you have supports in place to help you through the procedure.
We will ask you questions to better understand the situation and gather information on what lead to you attending half days.
If you are having a hard time learning, we can work with the teachers and school officials to get you the supports you need. If there are barriers to you attending (like not having a bus pass and it’s too far to walk), we will help find solutions.
If your actions and behaviours (like not getting along with teachers) or other students’ actions and behaviours (like bullying) are the reason you cannot attend full time, we will work with you and school officials to develop plans to address these issues. While you have the right to an education, you (and other students) also have the responsibility to act and engage in an appropriate manner to ensure a positive school experience for everyone.