What To Expect


First Contact

Our intake specialist answers all first contacts to our office – whether they are by phone, email, mail, fax or in-person. Contacts made by children and youth are our priority. After you contact us, the intake specialist will ask you a few basic questions. They include:

  • the name of the young person concerned (if you are an adult)
  • the young person’s date of birth
  • your name
  • contact phone number, email and/or address
  • your general area of concern

The intake specialist will then forward your information to the staff member who can best help you.

Working with an Advocate

If you are calling about a personal matter, the intake specialist will direct you to one of our child and youth advocacy specialists. This specialist will explain more about our office. They will go over how we can help. They will also explain your right to confidentiality. The advocacy specialist will confirm you or the child/youth would like his or her help. The advocacy specialist will then:

  • listen to your concerns
  • ask questions to fully understand the situation
  • discuss the importance of the young person guiding the work
  • discuss what we can do to help

Individual Advocacy Driven by the Child or Youth

We welcome all referrals and inquiries. However, our individual advocacy work is typically guided by the young person involved, according to his or her capacity.

Sometimes an adult raises a concern about a specific child or youth with us. If this happens, we then try to contact the young person directly.

A young person who wants our support will then begin working one-on-one with the advocacy specialist. Together, they will come up with an advocacy plan. The plan could simply include providing information. It could also take another form of individual advocacy.

Sometimes we determine that a child or youth doesn’t have the capacity to guide the advocacy work. If this is the case, our office will work with the adult to decide how we can provide support.

Other Assistance

The intake specialist may decide your request should go to another member of our team. This could happen if:

  • you have a concern about a broader issue
  • you would like to discuss a review of a critical injury or death
  • you would like to request a public presentation

The intake specialist will always direct you to the right person.