Alberta
Terri Pelton
Child and Youth Advocate
Office of the Child and Youth Advocate
Mandate
The mandate of the Child and Youth Advocate is to provide individual and systemic advocacy for children and youth receiving services under the Child, Youth Family and Enhancement Act, the Protection of Sexually Exploited Children Act, and youth involved with the youth criminal justice system, referred to as "designated services". In carrying out this role the Advocate represents and promotes the rights, interests and viewpoints of children and youth. The Office of the Child and Youth Advocate also provides legal representation to children and youth in matters under the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act and the Protection of Sexually Exploited Children Act.
Services
The Office of the Child and Youth Advocate's core services include:
- Advocating on behalf of individual children and youth receiving designed services;
- Providing quality legal services to children and youth receiving services under the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act or the Protection of Sexually Exploited Children Act;
- Providing public education on the rights, interests and viewpoints of children and youth;
- Building advocacy capacity in the community;
- Conducting research related to improving designated services;
- Conducting investigations into systemic issues arising from the serious injury to or death of a child or youth receiving designated services;
- Reporting to Alberta's Legislature on any matter related to the rights, interests and well-being of children involved with designated services.
Terri Pelton
All children have the right to learn about their rights.
Art. 42 - Convention on the Rights of the Child
