If you are living in a foster home, or a group home, you are considered in the care of Children’s Aid. In this situation you have many rights.
It’s important that you know your rights are! They include:
To speak in private to your family members, as well as to your lawyer or other representative, such as a Designated Representative.
To have some privacy in your daily life and to keep the personal things that belong to you.
To be given: healthy food, clothing, medical care and access to activities that you enjoy, like sports or music activities.
To make sure your culture and religion is respected in the food you are fed and the activities you would like to do.
To not be hit, spanked or physically punished.
To make a complaint if you are not happy about something in the place you are living.
To know what is going on, including decisions about where you are living. You can ask as many questions as you want. You will be given at least one “worker” who you can contact any time that you need.
To attend the court hearing about your Children’s Aid placement if there is one and if you are 12 years or older.
To express your views to your lawyer if you have one. You might have a lawyer from the Office of the Children’s Lawyer. If you do, their job is to represent you, your interests and to explain to you what is happening in the court process.
To learn more about the court process, see this website.
To share what you want to happen in your own life and your placement with Children’s Aid. You will have something called a “care plan.”
The care plan is the document that describes the support that you will get from Children’s Aid. Your voice is important in deciding what your care plan includes! If you have a lawyer from the Office of the Children’s Lawyer, you can also tell them what you want in your care plan.
If some of these things are not happening, talk to your Children’s Aid case worker, your lawyer or another adult who you trust.
Check out this website if you want to learn more about your rights if you are in the care of Children’s Aid.