WHAT ARE A CHILD’S RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES?

• The right to be safe
• Permanent home, food and clothing
• Age appropriate supervision and positive discipline
• To be treated with affection
• To go to school
• To have medical and dental care
• To be protected against cruelty and abuse

Children have a responsibility to:

• Follow the rules at home, school and in the community
• Talk to parents and other trusted adults about what is going on in their life
• Be respectful of others and property

IF YOU ARE A CHILD OR YOUNG PERSON WHO IS IN CARE OF CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES, YOU HAVE IMPORTANT RIGHTS INCLUDING:

• Meeting or speaking with your social worker on a regular basis
• Being able to participate in decisions being made about you
• Being involved in your care plan
• To have information about you kept confidential
• Knowing who your social worker is and how to contact them

To know more about your rights while in the care of a CFS agency, and the role of the Office of the Children’s Advocate in Manitoba, check out the Children’s Advocate youth rights page. For additional information regarding your rights and how to address concerns while involved with a CFS agency, click on the Concerns & Inquiries page.

Children and youth also have universal rights set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

CONCERNS & INQUIRIES

As a child or young person, you have many rights and responsibilities. If you have questions, the following resources may help:

• VOICES: Manitoba’s Youth In Care Network.
• The Office of the Children’s Advocate. 
• For children in foster care, there is a specific complaint process outlined in Section 21 of the Foster Homes Licensing Regulation. Please contact your CFS agency directly to ask about this process.
• For children in group care (i.e., group homes, treatment centres, and institutions), there is a specific complaint process outlined in Section 33 of the Child Care Facilities (Other than Foster Homes) Licensing Regulation. Please contact the child care facility directly to ask about this process.