Young people who grew up in the care of the Ontario government met this past July to launch a new non-profit, provincial organization called Youth in Care Ontario (YICO). The focus of this independent, youth-led organization is to provide much needed opportunities for youth in and from care so they can connect and provide support to each other by sharing their ideas and their lived experiences, and to identify opportunities to positively influence the Ontario child welfare system

This announcement comes after a year of planning and consultations led by Youth in Care Canada (YICC) and Ontario’s Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth. Focus groups were held in a number of cities involving several hundred youth and key child welfare stakeholders were consulted. The YICO founding group includes youth who have been in care of Children’s Aid Societies in Toronto, Windsor, Sarnia, North Bay, Ottawa, Highland Shores, Peel, Renfrew County, Huron-Perth, Durham region and York region.

Vision Statement

An Ontario that values and supports children and youth in and from care.

Mission Statement

YICO strives to improve outcomes for children and youth in and from care through an independent network.

Mandate

Connect children and youth in and from to each other as well as to resources and opportunities.

Influence child welfare practice, policy, perspectives and programming through various methods.

Collaborate with children and youth in and from care and the sectors that affect them, to improve accountability and transparency.

Educate the larger public about diverse lived experiences of child and youth in and from care.

Conner Lowes
Youth in Care Canada

223 Main Street, Box 96
Ottawa, ON K1S 1C4
(613) 327-4317