Prince Edward Island
Marv Bernstein
BA, JD, LLM (ADR)
Child and Youth Advocate
Office of the Child and Youth Advocate/PEI
https://www.childandyouthadvocatepei.ca/
Mandate
The Child and Youth Advocate has a mandate to:
- Advocate for children, youth and their families, either individually or as a group, respecting reviewable services, by providing them with information and advice;
- Represent the rights, interests and viewpoints of children and youth in receipt of or eligible to receive reviewable services;
- Assist children and youth in their self-advocacy skills in processes where decisions are made that affect them;
- Receive and review any matter in relation to a reviewable service provided to a child or youth, or a group of children or youth;
All children have the right to have their best interests treated as a primary consideration in all decisions and actions that affect them.
Art. 3 – Convention on the Rights of the Child
- Review, investigate and report on matters affecting reviewable services, including the serious injury or death of a child or youth;
- Promote and provide public education and advocacy respecting the rights, interests and well-being of children and youth, including the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as it affects children and youth;
- Monitor implementation of and compliance with recommendations made in the Advocate’s public reports;
- Promote the rights of children and youth in relation to Government legislation, policies, protocols, practices and reviewable services to children and youth;
- Work with others to support and create opportunities for the well-being of children and youth; and
- Undertake or collaborate in research related to improving reviewable services.
Services
Provision of services includes:
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- Anyone can call the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate/PEI, particularly a child or youth, if they have a concern about a child, youth, or group of children or youth receiving or eligible to receive a reviewable service;
- Referrals to our Office are not required;
- All persons contacting our Office receive a friendly, respectful and timely response;
- All persons are welcome to bring a support person to any meeting with our Office;
- We will listen to the concern, ask questions to clarify the situation, and review the steps already taken to resolve the issue. We are available to offer information or referrals to community organizations and government departments to support advocacy efforts on behalf of children and youth;
- We work directly with children and youth to negotiate resolution to matters raised with a reviewable service and we may also formally investigate the concern if required;
- If children or youth are unable to provide direction, we will advocate that they receive the services and quality of care they are entitled to by legislation and policy; and
- The names of all contacts with our Office are confidential.