Information for Children & Youth
Youth Initiatives
Through its agencies, the General Authority offers and promotes initiatives that provide children and young adults, currently or previously in the care of a Manitoba child and family services agency, opportunities to achieve goals and realize success in adulthood.
Agreements with Young Adults or AYAs (for young adults 18-21 years old). These are requests by young adults for support beyond the age of majority to realize goals as part of a successful transition to adulthood. By law, the General Authority is responsible for the review and approval of AYAs and maintenance and continuations of care and maintenance for permanent wards who require support beyond the age of majority (age 18). A growing body of research suggests that maintaining agency support for youth beyond the age of majority and addressing key areas including education, housing, life skills and an ongoing support network yields better outcomes in adulthood.
We also support Age of Majority Celebrations, offered by CFS agencies to youth in care. These celebrations are for all youth in care who turn 18 to mark this significant milestone in each young person’s life.
Voices, Manitoba’s Youth in Care Network, also provides programming and services for youth in care including peer mentoring, outreach services, leadership programs, scholarships, and opportunities to have a voice in Manitoba’s CFS system.
Access to tuition waiver programs and other financial resources for post-secondary study. There are various supports for young people heading into post-secondary programs, including tuition waivers, scholarships, and other resources to help support youth and young adults during and beyond their transition from CFS care.
Scholarships and Grants
The General Authority supports children and young people prior to their transition to young adulthood. Among the many supports available for achieving education and attaining goals are tuition waivers.
For all scholarships and awards information, speak to your worker first. If your worker needs more information, please call 204-984-9360 and ask to speak with the scholarships and awards specialist at the GA.
Vision Catcher’s Award
This fund was established to assist youth (16-21 years old) in the care of a General Authority agency or service region to develop their strengths, maximize their potential and pursue their career aspirations. Eligible applicants include those:
- Attending a recognized university, college, technical or vocational school
- Participating in an art/theatre/music program or spiritual activity; or playing for a sports team
- Indicating how the award will facilitate their successful transition into adulthood and assist to maximize their potential, develop strengths and/or enhance their talent/skill to further their career goals
Agencies determine the selection process and amount to be awarded per successful applicant. Please contact your worker for more information.
General Authority and the Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada
The General Authority partners with the Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada (CAF), which provides funding for programming and awards for children and youth across Canada. The General Authority, in partnership with the CAF, assists children and youth receiving services from agencies with funds to support school-related expenses, enrichment activities and to assist children coming into care. Funding to the General Authority is generously provided by donations from CIBC and the Ted and Loretta Rogers Foundation.
More information is available on the CAF Website
Ted and Loretta Rogers Comfort Care Transition Program
CIBC Miracle Fund
Ignite the Spark
Futures Forward / Tuition Waivers Programs
A number of post-secondary institutions in Manitoba provide free education for youth in care. Please see the Futures Forward Scholarship Guide for more information. The Futures Forward program brings together a network of community partners to provide assistance to youth and young adults (ages 15 to 29) from all child and family agencies and service regions in preparing for, or continuing their transition from, the CFS system to independence and adulthood. With the goal of improving outcomes for young adults previously in care, Futures Forward provides a number of supports and services related to money management, employment and education, counselling and emotional support, mentorship, and navigating complex service systems. For more information on Futures Forward, please contact the youth service navigator at 204-982-6126 or visit their Futures Forward website.
Child & Youth Resources
Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth
Tracia’s Trust
https://www.gov.mb.ca/fs/traciastrust/
Canadian Centre for Child Protection
https://www.protectchildren.ca/en/
VOICES – Manitoba’s Youth In Care Network
Futures Forward
Kids Help Phone
Toba Centre
Rainbow Resource Centre
https://rainbowresourcecentre.org
Cybertip (report online sexual exploitation of children)
Questions and Concerns
Questions & Concerns
If you have questions or concerns, the following resources may help.
- Voices: Manitoba’s Youth In Care Network. This organization provides support, encouragement, and advocacy to young people in and from care in Manitoba. They can be contacted at 204-982-4956 or by email at info@voices.mb.ca
- The Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth. At any time you have a question or a concern, you may contact the The Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth.The Advocate’s job is to assist children and young people in Manitoba with concerns about their rights or about decisions being made about their lives. You can visit the office in person in Winnipeg or Thompson, or call 1-800-263-7146 or email info@manitobaadvocate.ca
Child in Care Concerns
If you have a concern about your care, there are a number of ways you can ensure that your voice is heard and that positive changes can be made. Child and Family Services will make every effort to help you resolve the issue.
- The first step is to speak with your individual case worker if you have concerns or questions. If the issue is not solved at that point, you can ask to speak with the CFS supervisor. Often, problems can be worked out with your case worker and/or their supervisor.
- If the matter is still not satisfactorily addressed after you speak with both your case worker and supervisor, you have the right to contact the person at the agency who oversees the supervisor.
- After that, you may contact the director of the agency who will work all of you to help you come to a positive solution to the problem.
- The last step in the complaint process, if all other avenues have been exhausted, is to contact the General Authority at 1-800-803-2814, or by email at generalauthority@gov.mb.ca and someone will assist you to help you resolve your concern.
Foster / Group Care Concerns
If you are a child or young person in foster care who has a complaint about your agency, your foster or kinship caregiver is required to help you make a complaint using the steps above.
If you are a child or young person in group care (i.e. group homes, treatment centres and institutions), and you have a complaint about something related to your group care, you have the right to bring the complaint to your case worker or to an adult you trust. Every group care program in Manitoba should also have a notice posted in a conspicuous place, accessible to all residents, which will outline the grievance procedure, including information on contacting the director (via the licensing specialist at 204-945-6964) and The Manitoba Advocate. The policy is available in full in the Facility Standards volume of the Child and Family Services Standards Manual: https://gov.mb.ca/fs/cfsmanual/pubs/facility_standards.pdf (Section 2.4.8).
Under both these processes, children in care have the right to express complaints or concerns about their placement, either in a foster home or a group home. Again, you may also contact The Manitoba Advocate to discuss the issue you are experiencing.