Children and Youth
- Adopt a child in Ontario
- Programs and support for children and youth with special needs
- Child welfare and child protection services
- Child Welfare redesign
- Early child development
- Youth and the law
- Mentorship, programs and funding opportunities for youth
- Services and programs for Indigenous youth
Family Responsibility Office
Social assistance
- Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP), income and employment support for adults with disabilities
- Ontario Works, financial and employment support for low-income Ontarians
Community services
What we do
Children and Youth
- Oversee the delivery of child protection services for children who have been, or are at risk of being, abused or neglected
- Help make sure children and youth with special needs, including autism, have access to timely and effective services
- Work with First Nations, Inuit, Métis and urban Indigenous communities to support the healthy development of their children and youth
- Help prevent high-risk youth from coming into conflict with the law, improve their outcomes, and reduce re-offending
- Oversee health screening and intervention programs that support early child development
- Monitor international and private adoption services in Ontario
- Provide policy oversight and funding for the Ontario Child Benefit
Community and Social Services
- Provide financial and employment supports to low-income Ontarians
- Fund services and supports for adults with developmental disabilities
- Collect, distribute and enforce child and spousal support payments
- Supply interpreter and intervenor services for adults who are deaf, deafened, hard of hearing or deafblind
- Collaborate with Indigenous communities on healing, health and wellness programs and services for Indigenous people
- Support survivors of human trafficking, domestic violence and sexual violence
Women’s Issues
- Supports the advancement of women’s equality and safety
Personal information and privacy rules
- Learn how the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services collects, uses and discloses personal information.
Agencies, boards and commissions
The ministry is affiliated with the following independent agencies:
Legislation
The ministry administers the following legislation:
- Child and Family Services Act, R.S.O 1990, c. C.11
- Day Nurseries Act, R.R.O 1990, c. D.2
- Health Protection and Promotion Act, R.S.O 1990, c. H.7
- Intercountry Adoption Act, 1998, S.O 1998, c. 29
- Ministry of Community and Social Services Act, R.S.O 1990, Chap. M.20
- Ministry of Correctional Services Act, R.S.O 1990, c. M.22
- Rescuing Children from Sexual Exploitation Act, 2002, S.O 2002, Chap. 5
- Child and Family Services Act
- Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017
- Deaf-Blind Awareness Month Act, 2000
- District Social Services Administration Boards Act
- Family Responsibility and Support Arrears Enforcement Act, 1996
- Indian Welfare Services Act
- Ministry of Community and Social Services Act
- Ontario Disability Support Program Act, 1997
- Ontario Down Syndrome Day Act, 2016
- Ontario Works Act, 1997
- Services and Supports to Promote the Social Inclusion of Persons with Developmental Disabilities Act, 2008
- Social Work and Social Service Work Act, 1998, S.O 1998, c. 31
- Soldiers’ Aid Commission Act, 2020
Updated: June 10, 2022
Published: December 06, 2018