MPP Taylor demands change after Ombudsman report reveals deadly gaps for youth support

HAMILTON – MPP Monique Taylor (Hamilton Mountain), NDP critic for Children, Community and Social Services, released the following statement in response to the Ombudsman’s report on Mia’s story, a 16-year girl whose pleas for help went unanswered as she was forced to navigate the shelter system as a minor:

“It’s devastating to think about a young girl’s pleas for help going unanswered like this. Our system failed Mia, plain and simple. There are supposed to be guardrails to prevent children from falling through the cracks, but under Ford’s mismanagement, those cracks just keep getting wider.

This was preventable. We need to see serious action from Ford to prevent something similar from happening again. We need to see accountability for the fact that it happened at all.

How many more Mia’s are out there right now? How many more young kids are crying out for help? We need to listen to them, and ensure resources and support are available to everyone who needs them.”

Background

The Ontario NDP have been vocal about filling gaps in the system to protect vulnerable children, from calling for a return of the Child Advocate Office to enshrining Katelynn’s principle into law.