Child & Youth Advocacy Centre

Toronto's first Child & Youth Advocacy Centre (CYAC) opened on October 1st, 2013. The goal of a CYAC is to ensure that children and youth who are victims of abuse, and their families receive the very best child-focused investigation, treatment, support services, and advocacy under one roof.

The CYAC is a true partnership between the community, private and public sectors. All partner agencies have committed staff and resources to planning and implementation; the federal and provincial governments contributed funds to the project and the concept has already received significant donations from various Toronto-based foundations and donors.

The CYAC is located at 245 Eglinton Ave East, 2nd floor. Specialized child abuse investigators from the Service and the following community partners have worked together to make the CYAC possible:

• Boost Child & Youth Advocacy Centre

• The Hospital for Sick Children, Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect (SCAN) Program

• Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto

• Children’s Aid Society of Toronto

• Jewish Family and Child

• Native Child and Family Services of Toronto

• Ministry of the Attorney General, Victim/Witness Assistance Program

• Radius Child & Youth Services

The objective of the CYAC is to provide a seamless response to child abuse victims in a "child-friendly" environment. The Centre has brought together dedicated and specially trained police, child protection workers, medical and mental health experts. Victims and their families can access crisis support, specialized assessment, treatment and court preparation.

TPS CYAC Investigative Mandate

• Physical assaults, or neglect occurrences when the victim is under 16 years of age and the suspect is a caregiver, parent or a person in a position of trust or authority.

• Sexual offences when the victim is under 18 years of age, the suspect is known and the offences are not within the mandate of the Sex Crimes Unit, investigative office.

• Investigators also collaborate with the Division and/or Homicide in the event of a suspicious death of a child under the age of 16.

Duty to Report Child Abuse

Everyone has a responsibility to report suspicions that a child is or may be in need of protection to a Children’s Aid Society.

The Children’s Aid Society of Toronto. Visit their website at: https://www.torontocas.ca/ or call 416-924-4646.