Federal Investment Enables Development of a Child and Youth Advocacy Centre in Peel Region

BRAMPTON, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Oct. 24, 2014) - Department of Justice Canada

Today, Minister of Justice Peter MacKay announced $249,195 in funding for the Catholic Family Services of Peel-Dufferin to develop a Child and Youth Advocacy Centre (CYAC) in the Peel Region.

The funding is being used by the organization to create a CYAC that would serve young victims of crime and their families. Among other activities, the funding supports the identification of challenges facing families in the region who are impacted by child abuse, and the engagement of key community partners including child protection services, child and youth mental health professionals, victim services, police, and others.

Child Advocacy Centres (CAC) or Child and Youth Advocacy Centres (CYAC) help child and youth victims and their families navigate the criminal justice system. They provide a safe, child and youth-friendly environment where a coordinated team of professionals work to meet the specific needs of each person. The work of a CAC or CYAC multi-disciplinary team can greatly reduce the emotional and mental harm to child and youth victims involved in the criminal justice system.

Quick Facts

• The funding will be provided as follows:
  
  
  • 2012-2013: $64,311
    
    
  • 2013-2014: $132,929
    
    
  • 2014-2015/2015-2016: $51,955
    Total: $249,195
    
    
• The funding is being used by Catholic Family Services of Peel-Dufferin to:
  
  
  • engage community partners;
    
    
  • clarify and develop specific roles for partners in the development of a CYAC;
    
    
  • identify how to address the region's specific needs for a CYAC;
    
    
  • develop a "made-in-Peel" framework for the CYAC that responds to the specific needs of victims in the region;
    
    
  • promote the development of a CYAC within the Peel Region and build awareness among the public;
    
    
  • determine the next steps and process for the integration of a CYAC into the Safe Centre of Peel family justice centre;
    
    
  • create an evaluation design to measure outcomes; and
    
    
  • train staff and develop leadership.
    
    
• This funding is being provided by the Government of Canada through the Department of Justice Victims Fund. This fund provides financial support to projects and activities that give victims of crime an effective voice in the criminal justice system. These projects may encourage the development of new approaches, promote access to justice, improve the capacity of service providers, foster the establishment of referral networks, or increase awareness of services available to victims of crime and their families.
  
  

Quotes

"Our Government is committed to providing coordinated services that respond to the specific needs of young victims of crime. I am always deeply impressed with the great care that Child and Youth Advocacy Centres take to create an environment where young victims feel safe and where they can begin an often difficult healing process. The Catholic Family Services of Peel-Dufferin will provide much needed personalized services for victims of domestic violence and for children and youth who have experienced abuse. I am pleased to announce this funding that will further their efforts to explore the development of a CYAC to serve young victims of crime and their families in this region"

Hon. Peter MacKay, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

"The establishment of a Child and Youth Advocacy Centre in Peel Region is a critical next step in improving our collective response to child and youth victims of abuse, violence and crime."

LaRee Walters-Boadway, Manager of the Safe Centre of Peel and co-lead of the Peel CYAC development project

Related Products

- Backgrounder: Federal Victims Strategy and Victims Fund

- Backgrounder: Child Advocacy Centres

Associated Links

- Department of Justice Canada's Policy Centre for Victim Issues

- Department of Justice Canada's Victims Fund

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