Reviews
Reviews
Another Set of Eyes
While gaps in services are not always evident when a young person is harmed, our lens as a review and oversight body often reveals critically important challenges and opportunities for improvement.
Why Our Reviews Matter
Through our reviews we identify not only individual challenges, but we also see patterns and trends that we are able to bring to the attention of government policy and decision-makers, as well as the public, spurring change and accountability.
In 2024/25, RCY received
reports of injuries and deaths of children and youth in BC.
of these injuries were critical (life-altering) injuries.
of the reports were deaths.
RCY Annual Report, 2025
How We Do This Work
The Ministry of Child and Family Development, Indigenous Child and Family Service Agencies and Health Authorities are required to report injuries and deaths to RCY when a young person is receiving what are called ‘reviewable services’. These include child welfare services included in the Child, Family and Community Services Act, youth justice services under the Youth Justice Act and mental health and addiction services.
Our reviews look at what happened to the young person and whether the service they were receiving played a role in the harm they experienced.
We collect information on age, gender, home communities, Indigenous identity, types and frequencies of injuries, and services received. This gives us unique insight into young people’s diverse experiences and helps determine where we focus our attention.
Spotlight on Reviews
We received 16 reports of injuries experienced by Ruth who was 17. Her partner had repeatedly been assaulting her and she had been sexually exploited. Ruth was in the care of the Ministry of Children and Family Development and had been in a series of group homes.
RCY was concerned and we decided that action was needed as soon as possible. We advised the Provincial Director of Child Welfare of our concerns and made several recommendations regarding Ruth’s safety. This intervention led to changes that improved safety for Ruth and strengthened responses for other young people in similar situations.
The Difference We Make
When a child or youth is critically injured or dies while receiving government services, RCY reviews the circumstances to assess whether the system’s response contributed to the harm and what action is required. These reviews guide immediate advocacy, escalation to senior officials, or further investigation to help prevent future harm.
“The work we do makes me realize mistakes can easily be overlooked. That’s why it is so important to have more people looking at the experiences of kids.“
– RCY Reviews Analyst
