The Child Advocacy Project (CAP) is dedicated to enhancing access to justice for children by providing free legal services to low income families who cannot afford a lawyer.

Volunteer lawyers provide assistance on legal issues that impact upon the health and wellbeing of children and youth. Some CAP programs are set up as partnerships between lawyers and community groups that serve children and youth.

The following are CAP's current pro bono programs. Families must meet eligibility requirements (financial and merit).

Children's Hospital Projects

PBLO's current Children's Hospital Project is located at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children and provides help to patients and families with legal problems. Eligible families access this program through SickKids clinical staff (i.e. social worker, doctor or nurse.)

Click HERE for more information on PBLO at SickKids

Education Law Program

The CAP Education Law Program helps safeguard the public education rights of children and youth across Ontario and ensure due process in education legal matters. The volunteer lawyers who take CAP cases are experienced and trained in Education Law and provide free legal services to:

• Students who have trouble accessing Special Education services;

• Children and youth who face suspension, expulsion, or exclusion;

• Children and youth who are being denied the right to attend school;

• Students who feel unsafe at school.

Click HERE for more information on getting help from the Education Law Project.

To learn more, watch the Education Law Program video seminar. If you are hard of hearing or have no speakers, read the script here.

Unaccompanied Minors

Lawyers from Toronto law firm McCarthy Tétrault volunteer to act as Designated Representatives (DR's) to children and youth who arrive unaccompanied at Toronto's Pearson Airport (and other border entry points.) DR's ensure the wellbeing of minors throughout the immigration process.

A new ruling from Supreme Court of Canada found that a school district and the Ministry of Education discriminated against a student with disabilities.

... read the summary here

The Advocates' Society presents pro bono award, will fundraise for PBLO's Children's Hospital projects this year.

... learn more here