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Ask for a review of your residential placement

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Before you file

  • Are you at least 12 years old?
  • Are you in a residential placement (a foster home, group home or treatment home) and has your placement been reviewed by a Residential Placement Advisory Committee (RPAC)?
  • Do you disagree with your placement?

If you answered "yes" to the above questions, you can ask the Child and Family Services Review Board (CFSRB) to review your placement.

If you want a review of an emergency secure treatment admission, see Ask for a review of an admission to an emergency secure treatment program.

If you want a review of your custody or detention placements, go to the Custody Review Board website.

If you want a lawyer's help, contact the Office of the Children's Lawyer.

Filing an application with the CFSRB

To file an application, call 416-327-0111 or toll-free 1-888-777-3616 and ask to speak with a case processing officer. You can also complete the Form 7: Application for Review of a Residential Placement and mail or fax it to the CFSRB.

After you file

After receiving your application, the CFSRB will notify:

  1. the children's aid society or person who is responsible for your placement
  2. the representative chosen by your community, if you are First Nations, Metis or Inuk
  3. the Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth ("Child Advocate"), but only if you agree.
  4. The Office of the Children's Lawyer, if you don't already have a lawyer.

If you are in the care of the children's aid society, the CFSRB will ask the society to explain in writing why it thinks you should remain in your placement and whether there are any other options.

Within 10 days of receiving your application, the CFSRB will hold a pre-hearing.

The pre-hearing

The pre-hearing is held by phone. At the pre-hearing, the CFSRB will:

  • explain the hearing process
  • define the issues
  • identify the witnesses who will appear at the hearing
  • review the documents and other potential evidence the parties will need to share with each other and the CFSRB
  • set dates for the hearing

After the pre-hearing, the CFSRB will mail two documents to everyone involved.

  1. A summary of the pre-hearing
  2. A notice of hearing, which gives the time and format of your hearing

The hearing

A panel of 1-3 adjudicators will hold a hearing to review your application. All participants will have an opportunity to present oral and written evidence, ask witnesses questions, and make submissions.

CFSRB members may also have questions for the witnesses.

You can bring a support person with you to the hearing.

A hearing can last 2 days or more. All hearings take place in private. Your hearing will not usually take place at your placement.

The decision

The CFSRB must make a decision no later than 30 days after it received your application unless everyone involved agrees to a longer time period.

There are three possible outcomes. The CFSRB can:

  • confirm your current placement
  • order that you be transferred to another placement
  • discharge you from your current placement (without another option)

All participants will receive a copy of the reasons for a decision.

Rules of Procedure

The CFSRB has developed Rules of Procedure that it follows during its proceedings. The rules that apply to an Application for a Review of a Residential Placement are Part I and Part VII.