Official State of Rhode Island website

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State of Rhode Island, Office of the Child Advocate ,

Press Releases

The Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) is an independent, autonomous state agency tasked with the immense responsibility  of protecting the legal rights of children involved with the Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF), to promote policies and practices, which ensure that children are safe, that children have permanent and stable families, and that children in out-of-home placement have their physical, mental, medical, educational, emotional, and behavioral needs met. The OCA functions as the oversight agency to DCYF. 

Press Release - July 25, 2022

In accordance with state law, R.I.G.L. § 42-73-2.3, the Office of the Child Advocate must convene a review panel after notification by the Department of Children, Youth and Families of a child fatality or near fatality. Child Advocate Jennifer Griffith will be convening a new child fatality review...

n accordance with state law, R.I.G.L. § 42-73-2.3, enacted on July 6, 2016, the Office of the Child Advocate must convene a review panel after notification by the Department of Children, Youth and Families of a child fatality or near fatality reported to DCYF. The Office of the Child Advocate

The Office of the Child Advocate is issuing this press release pursuant to R.I.G.L § 42-73-2.3. The Office of the Child Advocate is an independent, autonomous state agency tasked with the immense responsibility of protecting the legal rights of children involved with the Department of Children

The Office of the Child Advocate (hereinafter "OCA") is issuing this press release pursuant to R.I.G.L § 42-73-2.3. The OCA is an independent, autonomous state agency tasked with the immense responsibility of protecting the legal rights of children involved with the Department of Children, Youth and Families, to promote policies and practices, which ensure that children are safe, that children have permanent and stable families, and that children in out of home placements have their physical, mental, medical, educational, emotional, and behavioral needs met.

The Office of the Child Advocate (hereinafter "OCA") is issuing this press release pursuant to R.I.G.L § 42-73-2.3. The OCA is an independent, autonomous state agency tasked with the immense responsibility of protecting the legal rights of children involved with the Department of Children, Youth and Families, to promote policies and practices, which ensure that children are safe, that children have permanent and stable families, and that children in out of home placements have their physical, mental, medical, educational, emotional, and behavioral needs met.

The Office of the Child Advocate is issuing this press release pursuant to R.I.G.L § 42-73-2.3 to announce that the Office of the Child Advocate has re-convened the Child Fatality Review Panel after receiving notice from the Department of Children, Youth and Families of a recent near fatality of a three (3) month old child and another near fatality of a five (5) month old child.

The Office of the Child Advocate is an independent, autonomous state agency tasked with the immense responsibility of protecting the legal rights of children involved with the Department of Children, Youth and Families, to promote policies and practices, which ensure that children are safe, that children have permanent and stable families, and that children in out of home placements have their physical, mental, medical, educational, emotional, and behavioral needs met. The Office of the Child Advocate functions as the watchdog to the Department of Children, Youth and Families.

The Office of the Child Advocate is an independent, autonomous state agency tasked with the immense responsibility of protecting the legal rights of children involved with the Department of Children, Youth and Families, to promote policies and practices, which ensure that children are safe, that children have permanent and stable families, and that children in out of home placements have their physical, mental, medical, educational, emotional, and behavioral needs met. The Office of the Child Advocate functions as the watchdog to the Department of Children, Youth and Families.