Children & Youth in Care Day

April 30, 2024

Each year, on May 14, the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies (OACAS) and the Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada (CAFC) recognize Children and Youth in Care Day alongside children’s aid societies and Indigenous Child and Family Well-Being Agencies (child welfare agencies). Proclaimed into law through the Children and Youth in Care Day Act, 2014, it is a day to recognize the valuable contributions of current and former youth in care to communities across Ontario. It is also a time to acknowledge the strength and resilience shown by these young people in the face of adversity.

May 14, 2024, marks the 10th anniversary of Children and Youth in Care Day. The day was created because of the stories, experiences, and recommendations youth in and from care shared through the My Real Life Book report. The report centred the voices and stories of children and youth in and from care and highlighted their distinct needs.

This year, OACAS and CAFC are continuing the #ForgetMeNot campaign and amplifying the stories of six young people with experience in the Ontario child welfare system, as well as the influential people in their lives who contributed to their well-being and success. We all have a role to play in supporting children and youth in and from care. To remind organizations, service providers, and communities across the province, as well as the Ontario government, OACAS is again asking “Are you there for kids in care?”