Access and Privacy Rights for Children, Youth and Families

May 14 is Youth in Care Day in Ontario. It is a day recognizing the bravery and resilience of current and former wards of the province or a children’s aid society.

There are currently about 12,000 children and youth in the care in Ontario. Growing up in foster care or group homes, they must navigate unpredictable and challenging circumstances. Youth in Care Day acknowledges their strength in the face of adversity and their contributions to our province.

These days, the rights of young people are very much top of mind at the IPC, as we prepare for our expanded mandate under Part X of the Child, Youth and Family Services Act.

As of January 1, 2020, children, youth and families will have the right to access and request correction of their personal information held by children’s aid societies and other service providers. They’ll also be able to file privacy complaints with our office.

Today and in the coming months, our office is rolling out resources for individuals and organizations to assist them in finding their way in the new access and privacy landscape.

Among them is a guide for service providers to help them understand their responsibilities as well as answers to frequently asked questions about Part X.

We’re also hosting a Reaching Out to Ontario event in Waterloo at the end of the month, which includes a session on the responsibilities of child, youth and family service providers under the new law and a webinar and Q and A session on June 6. We hope you’ll join us, but if you can’t make it, the webinar will be available on our YouTube channel.

There is more to come. Look for updates on our website and follow us on Twitter for the latest IPC news.

Brian Beamish
Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario

Resources:

Part X of the Child, Youth and Family Services Act: A Guide to Access and Privacy for Service Providers 

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About Part X