Can I Leave Home?

Scenario: Isabella's Story

I am a 16-year-old girl named Isabella. I currently live with my parents and my 3 siblings. I used to have a really strong relationship with my parents, however recently my parents and I have not been getting along.  They constantly argue and disagree with my academic choices, my friends and lifestyle choices. They keep invading my privacy and enforcing rules that I cannot live by. I feel like I’m old enough to make my own decisions and I feel very limited by my parents rules. I have a boyfriend that I love very much but, my parents do not approve of him. My boyfriend and I work and attend school and we feel as though we are able to support ourselves financially. For that reason, I really want to be move out from my parents's home. 

How can I do this? Am I eligible for Emancipation?

We do not have laws on “Emancipation” in Ontario. In some U.S. states, there are emancipation laws which let someone 16 years and older apply to a court, to be free from the custody and control of their parents or guardians. However, there are no such laws in Ontario.

When can I decide where I want to live?

In Ontario, at 16 years of age or older, you can generally decide where you want to live and you do not need a legal guardian. You can live with someone else against the wish of your legal guardian.

If you do choose to move in with your boyfriend, is it not against any laws of Ontario and you do not need permission from your parents.

Do my parents have to support me?

Your parents do not have to support you if you are 16 years or older and have left home of your own free will.

However, If you are 16 years or older and you were forced to leave home, your parents may still have to support you. For example, you are entitled to support if you left home because you were kicked out without a very good reason, or if you were abused, or if your living situation at home is unsafe, unbearable or impossible.

What can I take when I leave home?

You have a right to take all of your personal property with you whether you bought it yourself or it was given to you as a gift. This includes all of your identification such as health cards, birth certificates, and passport. These documents are very important and you and should take them with you. If your parents are refusing to let you take your own property you can contact the police or a lawyer for help. Sometimes a family member or friend can help pick up your property for you.

There is A LOT to think about when deciding, whether to leave home, such as how you will support yourself financially, where you will live, and where you will go to school.

For more information on Leaving Home, consult our pamphlet on Leaving Home, as well as our YouTube video on Leaving home. 

RESOURCES:

Kids Help Phone - http://www.kidshelpphone.ca/

416-973-4444 / 1-800-668-6868 (outside Toronto).

Children’s Aid Society - 416-987-7725 in Toronto

To locate your local CAS, visit the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Society’s website at www.oacas.org

FindHelp211:

Information about community, government, social and health issues

Dial “211” from inside the Toronto area, or visit www.211Toronto.ca

Outside GTA, check the local Blue Book or visit www.211Ontario.ca

TO CONSULT A LAWYER:

Justice for Children and Youth:

415 Yonge Street, Suite 1203

GTA (416) 920 - 1633

http://www.jfcy.org/ 

The scenario for this post was written by Deqa Abdi, a JFCY volunteer on the PLE Team.  The legal info was written by Lauren Grossman, a first-year law student at U of T who is volunteering at JFCY through her law school’s Pro Bono Students Canada program. All info was reviewed by a JFCY staff lawyer. The comic was by Adrianna Pahuta.

Taylor wants to leave home...

Scenario:

Taylor M. is from Grimsby, a small town in Southern Ontario. He is 17 years old, and will be graduating from high school in three months. After graduation, he plans on going to college to become a certified electrician.

Last winter, Taylor's parents got a divorce. They now live in separate homes. Since the divorce, Taylor has been living in both of his parents' homes. He spends half of his week in his mom's house, and the other half in his dad's apartment.



http://internetcafedevotions.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Student-and-Backpack.jpg

Over the past several months, Taylor has grown tired of living in two separate homes. It is interfering with his studies and social life. Although he would feel more comfortable living in only one of their places, he doesn't want either parent to feel like he or she is less important than the other. 

Taylor has thought about moving away from home. He has an older friend who he could stay with for the next year or two. Taylor feels like this might be his best option, seeing that he is finding it very difficult to live with each of his parents.

When can Taylor decide where to live?

In Ontario, at 16 years of age or older, you can generally decide where you want to live and you do not need a legal guardian. 

However, if Taylor’s parents have a court order that deals with custody, his parents can get into trouble with the family court if they help Taylor to ignore the order by not seeing or living with one of the parents. In order to avoid this it would be good if both of Taylor’s parents could agree to let him live with his friend.

Can Taylor apply to be “Emancipated” from his parents?

We do not have laws on “Emancipation” in Ontario. In some States in the U.S.A., there are emancipation laws which let someone 16 years and older apply to a court, to be free from the custody and control of their parents or guardians and to be responsible for their own support. This process does not exist in Ontario.

Do Taylor’s parents have to financially support him?

If Taylor was forced to leave home, his parents may still have to support him. For example, he would be entitled to support if he left home because he was kicked out without a very good reason, or if he was were abused, or if his living situation at home is unsafe, unbearable or impossible.
 



http://www.crowncanada.ca/files/c3project/canadian-money.jpg

From the info we have from Taylor it does not appear that those situations apply.  He merely prefers to live away from his parents, which would likely mean that his parents do not have a legal obligation to provide financial support. 

 

However, it certainly does not hurt for Taylor to talk to his parents about whether or not they may assist him financially if he leaves home.  If they wont support him, then Taylor will need to plan for a way to support himself and this may affect his decision to leave home in the first place. 

For more information on Leaving Home, consult our pamphlet on Leaving Home, as well as our YouTube video on Leaving home: 

 You can also refer to past blog posts on this subject:

http://jfcy1.blogspot.ca/2010/11/leaving-home-part-ii-youve-decided-to.html

http://jfcy1.blogspot.ca/2010/11/leaving-home-part-iii-social-assistance.html

RESOURCES:

Kids Help Phone - http://www.kidshelpphone.ca/
416-973-4444 / 1-800-668-6868 (outside Toronto).

Children’s Aid Society - 416-987-7725 in Toronto
To locate your local CAS, visit the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Society’s website at www.oacas.org

FindHelp211:
Information about community, government, social and health issues
Dial “211” from inside the Toronto area, or visit www.211Toronto.ca
Outside GTA, check the local Blue Book or visit www.211Ontario.ca

TO CONSULT A LAWYER:

Justice for Children and Youth:
415 Yonge Street, Suite 1203
GTA (416) 920 - 1633
http://www.jfcy.org/ 
Legal Aid Ontario – www.lao.on.ca
416-598-0200 / 1-800-668-8258 (for young people under age 18 only)

Lawyer Referral Service – 416-947-3330 / 1-800-268-8326
Referrals to lawyers; 30 min free advice.

This scenario was written by JFCY PLE Team Volunteer Stefan Venier, who is now a law student at the University of Windsor.  Legal info by JFCY. 

Video: Leaving Home

Check out this new video that deals with legal issues that can arise when youth leave home.  

Click on the link below to learn about the legal and practical issues that Terence must consider as he decides whether to leave home and live on his own at the age of 16. 

To read more about leaving home legal issues in Ontario, check out this JFCY pamphlet, as well as our past blog posts here and here.

A special thanks to the volunteers from the YouTube Subcommitte of the PLE Team for their efforts in making this video: Arif, Terence, Lucas, Tracy, Cydney, and Chrsitine, as well as JFCY staff lawyer Andrea.

To view the JFCY YouTube channel click here.

Some useful re-reading...

Since the PLE Team and its supervising lawyer have been taking a few weeks of vacation, we suggest that you check out some of our most popular blog posts from the past:


Acting your age: Borrowed and fake I.D.


Wizarding Law 101


Leaving Home: When can i decide where to live?


If you are still craving more JFCY info while we are away, also check out our FACEBOOK page.

And check back for more new blog posts at the end of the month!

Applying for social assistance at ages 16 and 17

Christine is 16 years old. She lives with her mother in Toronto and her father lives in Vancouver with his family.  Christine's mother suffers from an alcohol addiction, and usually when she is drunk, she gives Christine physical punishment. Also, Christine's mother is abusing Christine emotionally, talking to her with coarse language and calling her offensive names.  In addition, although Christine’s mother has a job she works at twice a week, she spends her low wage in alcohol and rarely spends it on food. Usually, there is nothing to eat at home.  Christine has tried to talk with her father about living with him, but he always tells Christine that she can not live with him because he has his own family and there is not enough space in his house for her.  Christine attends school full time and she wants to live alone, because she feels unsafe at home. But she has no income to support her financial needs.

Christine does not know how to get financial support.

LEGAL INFORMATION

Ontario Works (OW) is a provincial agency run through municipalities that provides social assistance, including financial benefits and help finding employment.  If you are 16 or 17 years old and you have left home, you can get financial assistance (money) from OW under special circumstances, but if you are under 16 years old and you are not a single parent, you usually cannot get social assistance on your own.

If you want to get social assistance, an Ontario Works worker will usually check that your parents will not let you live with them at home or that it is harmful for you to live there. Also, the Ontario Works worker will want to be sure that your parents will not support you in your financial needs.  In addition, you will need to show that you are a full-time student in high school or another training program.

Christine meets all of these requirements.  So, if Christine needs money to live alone, she might be able to get social assistance (money) from the Ontario Works program.

What kind of assistance will Christine get?

If Christine qualifies for assistance, she will get a monthly allowance. The amount Christine will get can help her to pay for basic expenses such as rent, food and clothing.  She can also get assistance to buy prescription drugs.

Also, Christine might be able to get community maintenance benefits to help her pay the cost of setting up a new place to live (for example, money for a last month's rent deposit).

How Does Christine Apply?

If Christine wants to receive social assistance, she needs to complete an application and to have an interview with an OW worker who will ask Christine for information to show that she qualifies for assistance.  This will include talking about the things discussed above, like finding out more about why Christine isn’t living with a parent.  When Christine goes to the Ontario Works office, she will have to have a number of documents with her.  Christine can show evidence of her circumstances by getting a letter from her guidance counselor, or another professional (like a social worker) who is familiar with her situation.

Christine has the right to apply to Ontario Works for social assistance.  That means that she can apply even if someone tells her she is ineligible when she goes to apply.  If she is turned down, she should ask for the decision in writing, so that she can try to have the decision reviewed by someone else in the OW office. This is called a "request for internal review". If Christine is turned down, it will be helpful for her to talk to a lawyer, who can help her with the internal review request.  It is important for Christine to act quickly if she is turned down, as there are short deadlines for a review or an appeal (which is like a review of a review).

This information only applies to someone who is 16 or 17 years old – if you are 18, different rules apply, even if you are still a full time student.

To learn more about leaving home, check out this JFCY pamphlet

To learn more about social assistance, including Ontario Works, check out CLEO’s guide to social assistance.  Or, check out this government of Ontario website.

If you are 16 or 17 and living on your own in Ontario, and you are having trouble applying for or receiving OW, you can contact a JFCY lawyer.  Call JFCY at 416-920-1633, or toll-free from outside the GTA at 1-866-999-5329. 

Thanks to Lina Maria Sanchez, a PLE Team Member and JFCY volunteer, for writing this post. Lina Maria was a lawyer in Columbia before moving to Canada.  Legal information was reviewed by JFCY.

Leaving Care at 16 or older

Jenny's scenario

When Jenny was 13 years old, she was removed from her parents' home, where she was experiencing physical abuse. Her teacher had noticed that she had been coming to school bruised and depressed. Her teacher had a legal duty to report the issue to the Children’s Aid Society (CAS), and after investigating, CAS apprehended Jenny.  An "apprehension" happens when CAS believes that a child is being harmed or is at risk of harm and so the child is removed from his or her home.   

Jenny has been in the care of Children’s Aid ever since because it was decided in court that it was not safe for her to return to her parents. At the end of the court case, the Judge decided that Jenny would be a Crown ward.  Being a Crown ward means that Jenny’s parents are no longer legally responsible for Jenny and that she is not allowed to live with them.  Instead, the “Crown” (this means the government) is legally responsible for Jenny, and CAS is responsible for her care.  If someone becomes a Crown ward, there is the potential for that person to be adopted.

Jenny is now 16 years old and she is wondering when she will be able to leave CAS and move out on her own.  She loves her foster family very much; however, she feels as though she is old enough to live on her own and become an independent young adult. 

Jenny has two different options for moving out.  


First, she can apply to terminate the court order that makes her a Crown ward.  With this option, Jenny would no longer have a relationship with CAS at all.  She’d be completely independent.  This is challenging because since Jenny is under 18, she will need to be in school full-time.  There are many life skills required for independent living, like cooking, cleaning, budgeting, and finding a place to live.  If Jenny wanted to move out on her own, she would have do consider whether she was ready to do these things on her own.  


Second, Jenny’s other option is to ask CAS to change her placement from her foster home to "independent living", allowing her to receive a living allowance to live on hew own, but still continue to have a relationship with CAS and get support from them.  She would have to talk to her CAS worker about whether this is a possibility available for her.

When Jenny is 18, her legal relationship with CAS mayend and she will have the opportunity to be completely independent.  However, since Jenny is a Crown ward and has continuously been in care since she was 13, she will probably be able to enter into an Extended Care and Maintenance agreement with CAS.  Under this agreement, Jenny will be able to continue to receive care until she is 21 as she transitions into independent living.  For example, Jenny will receive emotional support from her CAS worker, and she will also receive financial support from CAS to help her live independently and continue her education.  If she does not want to or is unable to stay with her foster family, Jenny may be able to use this support to move out and find her own place to live.  

Jenny has thought about her options a lot and has decided that she is probably going to wait a couple more years until she is ready to take that huge step and actually move out  of her foster parents' home. Jenny, her foster parents, and her CAS worker have already discussed possible new living arrangements, education, as well as money for her to live on when she does eventually move out.  When the times comes for Jenny to move out, her foster parents are going to help her throughout her transition. Jenny has never lived by herself before and she knows that it may be stressful and hard at times, but she feels as though it will definitely be a great new experience for her.

Leaving child protection services, or receiving services from child protection agencies again once you’ve left voluntarily, can be a very complicated and challenging issue.  Factors like how old you are now, how old you were when you entered care, and how long you were in care for or whether you were out of care at certain points all matter in determining what services you may be eligible for once you are 16 or older.  It is a good idea to contact a lawyer if you have specific questions about your situation and your rights.

Transitioning out of care is a very challenging time for many Crown wards or other youth in the care of CAS.  Recently, the provincial Advocate for Children and Youth partnered with young people in and from care to hold hearings designed to address issues facing Crown wards in Ontario.  JFCY participated in these hearings, along with many other organizations working with youth (in addition to many youth who are/were in care).

For more general information about involvement with child protection services and leaving home, see these JFCY pamphlets:

Child Welfare Court Guide

Leaving Home 

See also our earlier blog post on leaving home

Thanks to JFCY volunteer and PLE Team Member Deqa Abdi for writing the scenario set out in this blog post.  Legal information is by JFCY.

The Criminalization of Homelessness

Can I See Your ID? 

The Policing of Youth Homelessness in Toronto

A report was released this week that explores "the relationship between homeless persons – in particular, street youth - and law enforcement officials". 

Authors of the report: O'Grady, Bill |  Gaetz, Stephen |  Buccieri, Kristy

JFCY Street Youth Legal Services lawyer, Johanna Macdonald, is quoted extensively throughout the report.


For more info, check out The Homeless Hub website or read the full report.   Let us know what you think.

Leaving Home Part III: Social Assistance

Leaving Home will be a series of blog posts providing information to youth who have questions about their rights and responsibilities about leaving home. These blog posts offer general information only. For particular issues specific to a personal situation, contact JFCY to speak to a lawyer.

Today's final intallment answers some questions about available social assistance for youth living on their own.
 
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Can I get Ontario Works (“OW”, “welfare” or “social assistance”) to live on my own?
If you are under 16 years of age, you are not entitled to receive social assistance as a single person. However, if you are living with an adult, such as a friend’s parent, they can ask to have the Child’s Tax Benefit and Ontario Child Benefit paid to them to help support you. They can also ask the Ontario Works office for help to support you.

If you are 16 or 17 years old, you can apply for social assistance from Ontario Works (OW) under special circumstances.

You might have to show the OW worker that your parents will not let you live at home, or that it is harmful for you to live there. The OW worker must be sure that your parents cannot or will not support you financially. You can ask your OW worker to not contact your parents if there are safety reasons, e.g. if your parents have physically abused you or threatened you with harm. You might also need to provide confirmation of your circumstances, such as a letter from a guidance counselor.

OW will need to know who you are living with and whether they are financially supporting you. This may affect your eligibility. You may also have to participate in family counseling (exception: if your parents have abused you).

You will have to attend school full time or be in an approved training program, unless you have a serious medical or psychological problem that makes this impossible. Anytime you miss school or the training program, you must have a justified reason for doing so or your OW will end. If you are suspended or expelled from school you may be cut off from social assistance.

If you believe that the reason you were suspended or expelled was not fair, you should appeal the decision. You can call Justice for Children and Youth to find out how to appeal the decision.

If you are 16 or 17 years old and have a child, you can receive OW. You may be required to participate in a program approved by OW to help you complete high school, develop job skills and/or develop your parenting skills.

What does Ontario Works pay for?
OW payments are for shelter, food, clothing and other basic needs. When you move into a new place OW can also help you cover extra items, such as last months rent, furniture and moving costs. If you need prescription drugs, OW will also pay for those except for a small dispensing fee (which some drug stores will not make you pay). If you live in a hostel or youth shelter, you can apply for a personal needs allowance only.

Do I have a Right to apply for OW?
You have the right to apply for benefits even if you are told that you may not be eligible. If you are turned down, you should ask for the decision in writing so you can ask for a review of the decision by someone else in the OW office. If they turn you down again you can appeal the decision to the Social Benefits Tribunal. Your request for a review or an appeal must be in writing. There are short deadlines for reviews and appeals so make sure you act on it as soon as possible. For further information on Social Assistance, visit the website for Community Legal Education Ontario at: www.cleo.on.ca/english/pub/onpub/online.htm

For advice or help with a review and/or an appeal, contact your local community legal clinic or Justice for Children and Youth.
---------

For more information on Leaving Home, consult our Legal Information Pamphlets section or click on the below link:
Leaving Home

---------------

RESOURCES:

Kids Help Phone - http://www.kidshelpphone.ca/
416-973-4444 / 1-800-668-6868 (outside Toronto).

Children’s Aid Society - 416-987-7725 in Toronto
To locate your local CAS, visit the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Society’s website at http://www.oacas.org/

FindHelp211:
Information about community, government, social and health issues
Dial “211” from inside the Toronto area, or visit http://www.211toronto.ca/
Outside GTA, check the local Blue Book or visit http://www.211ontario.ca/

TO CONSULT A LAWYER:

Justice for Children and Youth:
415 Yonge Street, Suite 1203
GTA (416) 920 - 1633
http://www.jfcy.org/

Legal Aid Ontario – http://www.lao.on.ca/
416-598-0200 / 1-800-668-8258

Lawyer Referral Service – 416-947-3330 / 1-800-268-8326
Referrals to lawyers; 30 min free advice.

Leaving Home Part II: You've decided to Leave Home...Now What?

Leaving Home will be a series of blog posts providing information to youth who have questions about their rights and responsibilities about leaving home. These blog posts offer general information only. For particular issues specific to a personal situation, contact JFCY to speak to a lawyer.

Today's blog peice answers some questions about what happens after you have decided to leave home.
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What can I take when I leave home?
You have a right to take all of your personal property with you whether you bought it yourself or it was given to you as a gift. This includes all of your identification such as health cards, birth certificates, and passport. These documents are very important and you and should take them with you. If your parents are refusing to let you take your own property you can contact the police or a lawyer for help. Sometimes a family member or friend can help pick up your property for you.

Can I go to school if I am not living at home?
Yes. The law requires you to attend school until you are 18 years old or have graduated from high school. If you are 16 years old and have withdrawn from parental control then you can attend school in the school board district where you live and you will have all the same rights as an 18 year old. If you are 16 years or older, and living on your own, you do not need a legal guardian to register for school.

The school will need proof of your new address and you may have to show some proof that you have withdrawn from parental control. For example, they may ask how you are supporting yourself. You should call Justice for Children and Youth if the school is refusing to enroll you.

Can I get a job when I leave home?
Yes, you may work and keep your own wages. However, you are required to be in school if you are less than 18 years old and have not graduated from high school. There are laws that limit the places and times of day that you can work. For example, you cannot work during school hours. Minimum wages can differ, depending on where you work, and whether it is full-time or part-time or summer work.

For questions about your employment rights you can:

• call the Employment Standards Information Centre of the Ministry of Labour at 416-326-7160 or 1-800-531-5551, or
• visit their website at http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/

Can I rent my own apartment?
Yes. It is against the law for a landlord to refuse to rent an apartment to you because you are 16 or 17 years old. It is also against the law to refuse to rent to you because you are on social assistance provided by Ontario Works (OW). If you are on OW, your worker will have the right to approve where you live. To find out more about your rights and responsibilities as a tenant, contact:

• your local community legal clinic,
• the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario at 1-866-245-4182 (website: www.acto.ca), or
• Justice for Children and Youth.

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For more information on Leaving Home, consult our Legal Information Pamphlets section or click on the below link:

Leaving Home

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RESOURCES:

Kids Help Phone - http://www.kidshelpphone.ca/
416-973-4444 / 1-800-668-6868 (outside Toronto).
Children’s Aid Society - 416-987-7725 in Toronto
To locate your local CAS, visit the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Society’s website at www.oacas.org

FindHelp211:
Information about community, government, social and health issues
Dial “211” from inside the Toronto area, or visit http://www.211toronto.ca/
Outside GTA, check the local Blue Book or visit http://www.211ontario.ca/
TO CONSULT A LAWYER:

Justice for Children and Youth:

415 Yonge Street, Suite 1203
GTA (416) 920 - 1633
http://www.jfcy.org/

Legal Aid Ontario – www.lao.on.ca
416-598-0200 / 1-800-668-8258

Lawyer Referral Service – 416-947-3330 / 1-800-268-8326
Referrals to lawyers; 30 min free advice.

Leaving Home Part I: When Can I decide Where I want to Live?

Leaving Home will be a series of blog posts providing information to youth who have questions about their rights and responsibilities about leaving home. These blog posts offer general information only. For particular issues specific to a personal situation, contact JFCY to speak to a lawyer. Today's blog peice is about when a youth can decide to leave home.

When can I decide where I want to live?
In Ontario, at 16 years of age or older, you can generally decide where you want to live and you do not need a legal guardian.

You can live with someone else against the wish of your legal guardian, The person you choose to live with will not be charged with a criminal offence as long as they do not assist you in leaving home.

If you are under 16 years old, (or if you and your parents live in another province where the age for leaving home is 18 years), your parents can contact the police to have you returned home if you are living in a place that is not safe; in other words, a place where you are at risk of physical, emotional or sexual abuse. The Children’s Aid Society can also take you into care and place you away from home.

Can I apply to be “Emancipated” from my parents?
We do not have laws on “Emancipation” in Ontario. In some States in the U.S.A., there are emancipation laws which let someone 16 years and older apply to a court, to be free from the custody and control of their parents or guardians and to be responsible for their own support. This process does not exist in Ontario.

What if I am under 16 and can’t live at home?

If you are under 16 years of age, the local Children’s Aid Society (CAS) may be legally required to take you into their care if they believe that you are in need of protection. For example, if your parents kicked you out and you have no place to live, or you are being abused. They may place you with a relative, in a foster care home, or in a group home.

If you and your parents cannot get along, but you are not in need of protection, you may be able to get a Temporary Care Agreement with CAS. This means you can stay in a foster home or a group home for a while and then return home when things are better.

If you had to leave home and are staying with a person who CAS believes you are safe with, CAS may allow you to stay with that person.

What if I’m over 16 and can’t live at home? Do my parents have to support me?


If you are 16 years or older and you were forced to leave home, your parents may still have to support you. For example, you are entitled to support if you left home because you were kicked out without a very good reason, or if you were abused, or if your living situation at home is unsafe, unbearable or impossible.

Your parents must make sure that you have food, clothes and a place to live. Otherwise, they must provide enough money to get these necessities for you. The amount of support you will get is based on your parents’ income, not on what you need. In general, your parents must provide support until you are 18 years old or longer if you are enrolled in a full-time educational program.Your parents do not have to support you if you are 16 years or older and have left home of your own free will.

You can apply for a Legal Aid Certificate from Legal Aid Ontario to pay for a family lawyer to help you claim support from your parents.

In general, the Children’s Aid Society (CAS) will not be available to help you if you leave home after you turn 16. However, there are some situations in which CAS may help 16 and 17 year olds on a voluntary basis. You should call your local CAS to see if the situations apply to you.

For more information on Leaving Home, consult our Legal Information Pamphlets section or click on the below link:
Leaving Home

RESOURCES:

Kids Help Phone - http://www.kidshelpphone.ca/
416-973-4444 / 1-800-668-6868 (outside Toronto).

Children’s Aid Society - 416-987-7725 in Toronto
To locate your local CAS, visit the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Society’s website at www.oacas.org

FindHelp211:
Information about community, government, social and health issues
Dial “211” from inside the Toronto area, or visit www.211Toronto.ca
Outside GTA, check the local Blue Book or visit www.211Ontario.ca

TO CONSULT A LAWYER:

Justice for Children and Youth:
415 Yonge Street, Suite 1203
GTA (416) 920 - 1633
http://www.jfcy.org/
Legal Aid Ontario – www.lao.on.ca
416-598-0200 / 1-800-668-8258

Lawyer Referral Service – 416-947-3330 / 1-800-268-8326
Referrals to lawyers; 30 min free advice.