If you are looking at the Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth website because you are worried about a child, a teen, or your own safety, you are not alone. This resource exists to help protect the rights, safety, and well-being of children and young people in Manitoba, especially when they are involved with government services or systems that are supposed to support them.

This page is written for people who may be in a stressful, confusing, or unsafe situation. You do not need to read everything at once. Take what is useful and leave the rest.

The Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth is a public advocacy resource in Manitoba. Its website is a place where people can learn about the office, how to raise concerns, and how children and youth may be supported when they are not being heard or protected by systems such as child welfare, health care, education, or justice services.

Because the publication date for this update is unknown, it is best to treat this as a standing resource rather than a time-sensitive news alert. The important point is that the Advocate’s office can be a pathway for concerns about a child or youth’s safety, rights, or treatment by public systems.

For survivors of domestic violence, coercive control, or family abuse, children and teens are often affected too. A resource like this can matter because:

• It may help a child or youth be heard when adults around them are not listening.
• It may provide a route to raise concerns about unsafe care, neglect, or system failures.
• It may help families understand where to turn when a child is involved with multiple services.
• It may be useful when abuse, separation, custody conflict, or child protection involvement is making everything feel overwhelming.

If you are trying to protect a child while also protecting yourself, it can be hard to know which door to knock on first. Having a dedicated advocacy office can make the path a little clearer.

This resource may be especially relevant if you are:

• A child or teen in Manitoba who feels unheard, unsafe, or treated unfairly by a system
• A parent, caregiver, or family member worried about a child’s safety or treatment
• A survivor of intimate partner violence trying to protect children while navigating services
• A youth in care, or someone connected to child welfare, education, health, or justice systems
• An ally, teacher, counselor, social worker, or community worker trying to support a young person

The Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth is generally associated with advocacy for children and youth in relation to public services and systems. Depending on the situation, this may include:

• Listening to concerns from children and youth
• Helping identify whether a system response has been fair or safe
• Raising issues about service gaps, delays, or failures
• Supporting children and youth to understand their rights and options
• Looking at patterns that affect more than one child or family

Important note: this office is not the same as emergency police response, and it may not replace immediate safety planning, medical care, or legal advice.

If anyone is in immediate danger, call emergency services now. If calling is unsafe, try to get to a safer place, a neighbor, a trusted friend, a shelter, a hospital, or another public location.

If it is safe to do so, note:

• The child or youth’s name and age
• What happened, when, and where
• Who was involved
• What you have already tried
• Any urgent risks, injuries, threats, or missing supports

You do not need a perfect timeline. Short notes are enough.

If safe, keep copies of:

• Text messages, emails, or voicemails
• Photos of injuries or damage
• School or medical records
• Names and contact details of witnesses
• Any letters or decisions from agencies

If the person causing harm may monitor your phone, email, or accounts, think carefully before saving things in places they can access.

If the concern involves a child or youth in Manitoba, the Advocate’s office may be a place to ask questions about next steps. You can ask:

• Whether your concern fits their mandate
• How to make a complaint or request help
• What information they need
• Whether there are other services you should contact too

A single office may not solve everything. You may also need:

• Emergency services
• A domestic violence shelter or crisis line
• Child protection or child welfare services
• A doctor, nurse, or hospital
• Legal aid or a family lawyer
• School-based supports or counseling
• A community advocate or Indigenous support service

If the person harming you may be watching your phone, email, or internet use:

• Use a safer device if possible
• Clear browser history only if doing so will not create more risk
• Consider using private browsing or a trusted friend’s device
• Turn off location sharing if it is safe to do so
• Avoid saving sensitive contact names under obvious labels
• Create a code word with a trusted person for urgent help

If you are worried about a child being overheard, try to use simple, neutral language. For example: “I need help with a family safety concern” or “I’m looking for support for a young person.”

It is common to feel torn between protecting yourself and protecting your children. Abuse can make every decision feel high-stakes. Please remember:

• You do not have to have everything figured out before asking for help.
• Needing support does not mean you are failing your child.
• Children are often affected by violence even when they do not see every incident.
• Getting advocacy support can be part of protecting your child.

If you are afraid that reaching out could trigger retaliation, ask a domestic violence service or trusted advocate to help you plan the safest way to contact any office.

You deserve to be taken seriously. If you are a young person in Manitoba and something feels wrong, unsafe, or unfair, you can:

• Tell a trusted adult, teacher, counselor, coach, or doctor
• Ask for help contacting the Advocate’s office
• Write down what happened in your own words
• Ask what your rights are and what choices you have

If speaking out feels scary, you can start with one sentence: “I need help and I do not feel safe.”

No. If there is immediate danger, contact emergency services or go to a safe place first.

It may be relevant if the concern involves a child or youth’s rights, safety, or treatment within systems. If you are unsure, you can ask whether your situation fits.

You can still ask for help. Partial information is okay.

Advocacy services are there to hear concerns. You deserve respectful support.

That is okay. A good first step is simply asking. If it is not the right fit, they may be able to point you elsewhere.

Because the source page does not include a publication date in this update, there may be changes to contact details, services, or procedures over time. Always verify the current information directly on the Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth website before relying on it for urgent decisions.

Also, every family situation is different. An advocacy office can be helpful, but it may not be enough on its own if there is immediate danger, active abuse, or a child needs urgent medical or protective intervention.

If you are in immediate danger, call emergency services now.

If you are in Manitoba and need help for a child or youth concern, visit the Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth website and look for current contact and intake information.

If domestic violence is part of the situation, consider contacting a local shelter, crisis line, or victim support service as well. If you want, I can also help you turn this into a short safety plan, a call script, or a plain-language checklist for contacting the Advocate’s office.