What types of things does an individual advocacy worker do?

We will help your views be heard and make sure your rights are considered when decisions are being made about you. We will ask you what you want or need and will contact Yukon Government departments to find out what they are doing to help you. Government departments are required to let us know what they are doing for you.

Does YCAO advocate for parents?

No. YCAO advocates for children and youth. We encourage parents to access their own supports. Prioritizing their own healing is one of the best ways for parents to support their children.

Does YCAO represent the child in court?

No. YCAO cannot act as legal counsel or interfere with the work of another body, tribunal or court. A family court judge can appoint a children’s lawyer to ensure the interests of the child are upheld.

Does YCAO have to meet the child?

Yes. YCAO strives to meet with the child to get their view. Occasionally, we won’t meet the child if it isn’t in their best interest. When we don’t have the view of the child, we defer to their rights under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Individual Advocacy | YCAO Website

Individual Advocacy

What is Advocacy?

Advocacy means helping ensure that the rights, interests, and views of children and youth are considered when decisions are made about them.

At YCAO, our role is to stand beside young people and make sure they have the opportunity to be heard. We believe children and youth should be active participants in their own lives, and that their voices matter.

Total Number of Advocacy Issues

What does an Individual Advocate do?

Help ensure a child or youth’s views are heard
Make sure their rights are considered in decisions
Contact Yukon Government departments to understand what supports are being provided
Follow up with departments, which are required to respond

What To Expect

When you reach out to YCAO, we’re here to listen and support you every step of the way. Here’s what you can expect from our advocacy process.

• When you first contact YCAO you will be greeted by our Client Services Administrator (CSA). The CSA will ask you for the child or youth’s basic personal information and an overview of your concerns. • The CSA will provide you with an overview of the services YCAO can provide and our advocacy processes. • YCAO does not share our referral source with anyone, however referrers can still choose to remain anonymous.

• The CSA will take the information you provide back to our team: • to ensure the issue meets YCAO’s mandate; • to determine the advocacy issue and the government service(s) involved; and, • to assign an Advocacy Representative (AR) for the child or youth. • After the information is reviewed by the YCAO team the CSA will follow up with you to: • confirm that an AR has been assigned and is moving forward with our individual advocacy process; or, • if the issue is not within our mandate, the CSA will offer other resources or supports that YCAO has identified. • The CSA or AR can let you know what steps have been taken, but cannot share information received in the course of advocating for the child or youth.

• At YCAO, the child or youth is our client. Our ARs strive to meet with every client to get their view, and will meet the child or youth wherever they feel most comfortable. • If it is not possible to meet the child or youth, YCAO will defer to children’s rights under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. • From there, the AR will connect with the government to make sure that children’s rights are being upheld. • Our office strives to work with families, but occasionally we will need to advocate without parental involvement.

YCAO works toward resolving the issue by ensuring the child or youth’s rights, views, and best interests are considered in decision-making. Possible outcomes may include: • improved communication between the child, family, and service providers; • clarification of decisions or next steps; • changes to services, supports, or plans; or, • recommendations to address broader systemic concerns. • Once the issue is resolved, the AR will follow up with the child or youth to ensure they understand the outcome and any next steps

I want to talk to an Advocate

Individual Advocacy

What is Advocacy?

At YCAO, our role is to stand beside young people and make sure they have the opportunity to be heard. We believe children and youth should be active participants in their own lives, and that their voices matter.

Total Number of Advocacy Issues

What does an Individual Advocate do?

What To Expect

When you reach out to YCAO, we’re here to listen and support you every step of the way. Here’s what you can expect from our advocacy process.

1. Intake

2. Review

3. Advocate

4. Resolve

Individual Advocacy: Common Questions

What types of things does an individual advocacy worker do?

Does YCAO advocate for parents?

Does YCAO represent the child in court?

Does YCAO have to meet the child?

Yukon Child & Youth Advocate Office

Individual Advocacy

What is Advocacy?

At YCAO, our role is to stand beside young people and make sure they have the opportunity to be heard.​ We believe children and youth should be active participants in their own lives, and that their voices matter.​​

Total Number of Advocacy Issues

What does an Individual Advocate do?

What To Expect

When you reach out to YCAO, we’re here to listen and support you every step of the way. Here’s what you can expect from our advocacy process.

1. Intake

2. Review

3. Advocate

4. Resolve

Individual Advocacy: Common Questions

What types of things does an individual advocacy worker do?

Does YCAO advocate for parents?

Does YCAO represent the child in court?

Does YCAO have to meet the child?

Yukon Child & Youth Advocate Office

At YCAO, our role is to stand beside young people and make sure they have the opportunity to be heard. We believe children and youth should be active participants in their own lives, and that their voices matter.