NationTalk: Edmonton…Terri Pelton, Alberta’s Child and Youth Advocate, has released a summary report of investigation statistics and trends over a 10-year period, beginning with the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate’s (OCYA) independence from government.

This summary report focuses on 634 serious injuries or deaths of young people between April 1, 2012 and March 31, 2022.

Highlights of key themes over the past decade include:

• the over-involvement of systems in the lives of Indigenous young people
• suicide and mental health
• substance use
• transition to adulthood

The summary report includes information on young people receiving services from the child intervention and youth justice systems, or who had received child-intervention services within two years of their death. It is hoped this information will guide the future work of the OCYA, and help improve services for Alberta’s vulnerable young people.

A copy of the summary report can be found under Publications at:

https://www.ocya.alberta.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/OCYA_10-year-investigation-summary-final.pdf

To view progress on our Recommendations:

http://www.ocya.alberta.ca/adult/publications/recommendations/.

The Office of the Child and Youth Advocate is an independent Office of the Legislature, representing the rights, interests and viewpoints of young people receiving designated government services.

-30-

Media inquiries may be directed to:

Tim Chander
Communications Manager
Office of the Child and Youth Advocate of Alberta
780-499-3601
tim.chander@ocya.alberta.ca