Over the past several years, there has been extensive work done by the National Network of Child Advocacy Centres/Child & Youth Advocacy Centres with the support of the Department of Justice Canada to develop Best Practice Guidelines. In order to complete this work, Boost Child & Youth Advocacy Centre coordinated expert working groups for each of the guidelines, with members who have knowledge and expertise with a CAC/CYAC model and experience working with a Multidisciplinary Team. The role of the groups was to review the current guidelines and make any necessary changes based on practice, research and policy. Justice Canada commissioned a literature review, and later an updated version, to ensure the guidelines are based in current research.

The purpose of the National Guidelines is to: promote consistency across the country; assist new organizations as they work toward establishing a CAC/CYAC; and ensure that the integrity of the CAC/CYAC model is retained in response to child abuse cases in Canada. The National Guidelines are broad and general in nature to ensure that they reflect the circumstances of all children, youth and families that may be involved in a CAC/CYAC. It is recommended that centres engage in an analysis of supports and services for specific client groups so that trauma-informed, coordinated support services are based on the complex experiences that impact clients.

The National Guidelines for Canadian Child Advocacy Centres/Child & Youth Advocacy Centres (2021) are available here.

See Evidence Supporting National Guidelines for Canada’s Child Advocacy Centres/Child & Youth Advocacy Centres for the updated literature review.