FAQs:

Ontario Child Benefit

1. How do I apply for child tax benefits? / How do I apply for the Ontario Child Benefit? / Who do I call if I don't receive my cheque?

Ontario Child Benefit (OCB):

Depending on your family income, you may qualify for the Ontario Child Benefit (OCB), if you:

are the primary caregiver of a child under 18;
are a resident of Ontario;
have filed your previous year’s income tax return, and so has your spouse or common-law partner; and
have registered your child for the federal Canada Child Tax Benefit.

There is no separate application for the OCB. If you are an Ontario resident, have registered your child for the federal Canada Child Tax Benefit and you and your spouse/common-law partner have filed an income tax return for the previous year, the Canada Revenue Agency will automatically assess your eligibility for the OCB.

If you wish to determine the status of your eligibility or if you have not received your OCB, please contact the Canada Revenue Agency’s Enquiry Service toll-free at 1-800-387-1193. More information is available on the Canada Revenue Agency website.

Further details about the OCB, such as eligibility criteria, frequently asked questions, application procedures, and an online benefit calculator, are available on the Ontario Child Benefit section of this website.

For more information, you can also call ServiceOntario toll-free at 1-866-821-7770 (TTY: 1-800-387-5559).

Canada Child Tax Benefit:

As the Canada Child Tax Benefit falls under the jurisdiction of the federal government, you may wish to address your concerns with the Canada Revenue Agency. Please visit the Canada Revenue Agency website for information or call their Enquiry Service toll-free at 1-800-387-1193.

2. I am receiving the Ontario Child Benefit and I recently moved to another province. Who do I contact about my change of address?

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) administers the Ontario Child Benefit on behalf of the Government of Ontario. If you need to change your address for your child benefits, please contact the Canada Revenue Agency directly by calling 1-800-959-8281. You can also change your address online by visiting the Canada Revenue Agency website.

3. I am receiving the Ontario Child Benefit and I have changed my bank account. Who do I contact about my bank account?

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) administers the Ontario Child Benefit on behalf of the Government of Ontario. If you have changed your bank account, please contact the Canada Revenue Agency directly by calling 1-800-387-1193. You may also visit the Canada Revenue Agency website.

4. I am receiving the Ontario Child Benefit and I would like to cancel my direct deposit and have my payment sent to me by mail.

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) administers the Ontario Child Benefit on behalf of the Government of Ontario. If you need to cancel your direct deposit, please contact the Canada Revenue Agency at 1-800-959-8281, or visit the Canada Revenue Agency website.

Volunteer and job opportunities

5. How do I apply for a volunteer opportunity with the ministry, one of its agencies or the Ontario government?

Placements with the Ontario government are posted at various educational institutions across the province. You may wish to check your school for volunteer opportunities. At this time, the ministry does not offer any short-term volunteer opportunities. If you’re a teenager, please see the Get Involved! Volunteer! section of our YouthConnect website for helpful tips.

6. How do I apply for a job with the ministry, one of its agencies or the Ontario government?

You may apply for positions through the Ontario Public Service Careers website. This website lists job opportunities in the Ontario Public Service and shows you how to apply.

Summer Jobs:

The Ontario government’s Summer Experience Program provides a variety of summer positions in the Ontario Public Service (OPS), its related agencies, and community groups. Jobs, including bilingual positions, pay minimum wage and are available to eligible applicants. Recruitment for the Summer Experience Program in the OPS, including the Ministry of Children and Youth Services, takes place from April to June.

For more information about the Summer Experience Program, as well as a description of all summer job programs offered by the Ontario government, please visit the Summer Jobs Programs section on the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities’ website.

The OPS offers a wide variety of summer employment and enrichment programs for youth. For more information and web links, please visit the Work section of our ministry's Youth Connect website. Also see tips about finding a job, resumes and interviews on our How do I find a job? Page of the Youth Connect website.

7. How do I apply for a job at an Ontario Early Years Centre?

You may apply for positions directly through any of the Ontario Early Years Centres. See a list of the centres on the Ontario Early Years Centres locations page on this site, or call 1-866-821-7770.

You may also wish to contact child care service providers in your area. To find a child care centre nearest you, see the Search for licensed child care section on the Ministry of Education's website.

8. How do I apply for a job at a child care centre?

You may apply for positions directly through any of the child care service providers in your area. To find a child care centre nearest you, see the Search for licensed child care section on the Ministry of Education's website.

Children’s aid

9. How do I report suspected child abuse / contact my local children’s aid society?

In Ontario, if you have reasonable grounds to suspect that a child is or may be in need of protection, you should immediately report the suspicion and all additional information supporting the allegation to a children’s aid society. This includes reporting any additional grounds to suspect that a child may be in need of protection, even if you have made a previous report to a society. You can learn more information on this site.

You must call the local children’s aid society for the area where the child resides. You can determine the appropriate children’s aid society and find out more by visiting the Reporting Child Abuse section on the website of the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies.

10. How can I request copies of the ministry brochure Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect: It’s Your Duty?

You can review and print the brochure from this site.

You can also request hard copies of the brochure by contacting the ServiceOntario Publications Contact Centre at 416-326-5300 or 1-800-668-9938. You can also order the brochure online at ServiceOntario Publications.

Adoption

11. How do I adopt a child / adopt another family member?

Please visit the Adoption section of this website.

12. How do I find out about adoption disclosure? / How do I locate my birth parents if I was adopted?

If you were involved in an Ontario adoption, you can search for different types of adoption information. If you were adopted in Ontario – or if your child was placed for adoption – you can receive information from your birth and adoption records through the Ministry of Community and Social Services. Please visit the Ministry of Community and Social Services’ adoption information page.

Special needs

13. I have a child with special needs. How do I apply for services from the ministry?

Staff in the local ministry office in your area may be able to assist you with your inquiry. Please call our General Information Line at 1-888-789-4199 or call the regional office nearest you.

Early childhood

14. Where can I find out more about the proposed full-day learning for four- and five-year-olds?

For more information on full-day learning for four- and five-year-olds, please visit the Early Learning section on the Ministry of Education’s website.

Ontario Early Years Centre

15. Can you tell me where the Ontario Early Years Centre in my area is located and what services it offers?

These and many other questions are answered in the Ontario Early Years Centres' FAQ section that can be found on the ministry's website.

Employment

16. Does the Ministry of Children and Youth Services offer co-op or internship placements?

Post-secondary students in co-op programs can receive practical paid experience while earning course credits in placements in the Ontario Public Service. To participate, you must be:

enrolled in a post-secondary school co-op program;
a Canadian citizen or legally entitled to work in Canada; and
18 years of age or older for field positions

The ministry does not maintain a list of placements available in children’s services. Co-op placements in the Ontario government are posted at schools across Ontario. Check for co-op job postings with your school’s career centre and respective co-op office.

For more information, please visit Ontario Public Service careers.

17. Does the Ministry of Children and Youth Services offer summer jobs for students?

The Ministry of Children and Youth Services does hire summer students. Positions available within the ministry will be posted at Ontario Public Service Careers and applications must be submitted directly through that site.

There are many summer job programs and opportunities within the Ontario government. You may be interested in the government-wide Summer Employment Opportunities Program which provides a variety of summer positions in the Ontario Public Service, its related agencies and community groups. These jobs, including bilingual positions, pay either $10.25 or $11.10 per hour, depending on the job, and are available to eligible applicants.

Summer employment opportunities are full-time, temporary positions ranging from 7 – 16 weeks between May and Labour Day. Links to related government websites and more information is available on the OPS Summer Employment Opportunities page.

Applications for these summer programs are generally accepted from February to April and hiring is completed around June. Be sure to check Ontario Public Service Careers and the Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities regularly for updates.

In addition, the Work section of Youth Connect will provide information about various programs that may interest you. You can find helpful tips about resume building, interviews and advice for workplace etiquette.

Applied Behaviour Analysis

18. How do I find out if my child is eligible for the new, government funded Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA)-based services?

Children and youth up to their 18th birthday are eligible for the new ABA-based services if they have a confirmed diagnosis of:

Autism/Autistic Disorder
Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) or
Asperger’s Disorder

The diagnosis must come from a qualified professional such as a family doctor, paediatrician, psychiatrist, psychologist or psychological associate. If you would like to know if your child is eligible for the new ABA-based services, please contact an ABA lead agency in your region.

19. How do I find out if the new, government funded Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA)-based services are provided in my community?

For information about the new ABA services in your community, please contact an ABA lead agency in your region.

Foster Care

20. How do I apply to become a foster parent?

If you are interested in becoming a foster parent, please contact your local children’s aid society. A listing of all children’s aid societies is available at the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies.

General

21. I have a poster or brochure about a product or service for children and families. Will you help me promote my product or service?

The ministry does not endorse or advertise non-ministry services, products or events.

22. How can I get a copy of a pamphlet or brochure produced by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services?

We no longer print paper copies of some brochures but many resources are posted on our website. The following brochures are available to download:

Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect: It's Your Duty

Child Protection Standards in Ontario

Can Your Baby Hear?

Services for Children Who are Blind or Have Low Vision

If you would like to order print copies of these documents, please contact ServiceOntario Publications or call toll-free 1-800-668-9938, or 416-326-5300.

Child Care

23. Who can answer questions about the obligations of my child care centre under the Day Nurseries Act?

The Ministry of Education is responsible for child care. That role was transferred from the Ministry of Children and Youth Services beginning April 27, 2010.

If you have questions about how many children may be cared for by a babysitter, the teacher-child ratio at a centre, temperature, free-play time or nutrition requirements, please contact the Ministry of Education. These kinds of standards and regulations are set out under The Day Nurseries Act to protect the health and well-being of children at day care facilities.

24. I would like to complain about a licensed child care centre. Who should I speak to?

The Ministry of Education is responsible for child care. However, the Ministry of Children and Youth Services investigates complaints and issues licenses for daycare.

Licensed child care programs have to meet and maintain specific provincial standards which are set out in the Day Nurseries Act. The standards help to make sure that the health, safety, and developmental needs of the children are being met.

If you feel that a licensed child care facility may be exposing children to danger, please contact regional office of the local Ministry of Children and Youth Services closest to you and report the name and location of the child care centre.

25. I would like to complain about an unlicensed child care centre. Who should I speak to?

The Ministry of Education is responsible for child care. However, the Ministry of Children and Youth Services investigates complaints and issues licenses for daycare.

In Ontario, caregivers can look after up to five unrelated children under the age of 10 without needing a licence.

If you would like to report an unlicensed care giver who may caring for too many children or leaving children unattended, please contact the regional office of the Ministry of Children and Youth Services nearest you.

26. I would like to open a day nursery/day care/child care centre. Where should I start?

The Ministry of Education is responsible for child care. Please visit that ministry’s website to download the Orientation Package for Prospective Child Care Operators as a first step. This package provides information about licensing requirements and guidelines.

To request additional information related to licensing a day nursery/day care/ child care centre, please contact the Ministry of Children and Youth Services regional office nearest you.