Andrew Hayes, Deputy Auditor General
Office of the Auditor General of Canada
March 4, 2026
Good morning, everyone. I’m Andrew Hayes, the Deputy Auditor General of Canada. I’d like to begin by respectfully acknowledging all Yukon First Nations and recognizing that we are meeting on the traditional territories of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation and the Ta’an Kwäch’än Council.
I’m here to discuss the Auditor General’s report on child and family services in Yukon, which was presented to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly earlier today.
The Department of Health and Social Services is responsible for managing and administering the Child and Family Services Act and protecting children from abuse and harm. Protecting and supporting children is a critical responsibility of any government.
We found serious gaps across a range of child protection services, from the department’s response to reports of suspected harm, to completing investigations and following up on the safety and well‑being of children in care. Overall, we concluded that the department failed to provide timely, effective, and inclusive services to protect the safety and well-being of vulnerable children and their families.
In 37% of reports of children at risk of harm, the department failed to assess the need for protective intervention within the mandated 24-hour window. Of the cases that required further investigation, 41% were not completed within the required 30 days.
We also found that the department did not meet key screening and monitoring requirements when children were placed with extended family members or in foster homes. For example, criminal record checks were not completed for all adults in the extended family homes in 22% of the
cases examined.
The audit also showed significant shortfalls in required face‑to‑face contact. In 74% of the cases involving children in the department’s care, it failed to have at least monthly contact, with gaps extending up to 14 months. For young adults receiving support services for independent living, the department did not maintain monthly face-to-face contact in any of
the cases.
In group homes, which are primarily meant for children aged 12 and older, we found that about a third of the children were under 6 and that many were living with disabilities. This made it significantly harder for staff to provide tailored supervision and consequently increased safety risks for all children. In addition, many group home staff did not have complete or up-to-date training in Indigenous awareness or in health and safety topics, such as non‑violent crisis intervention.
The Department of Health and Social Services’ responsibilities to support at‑risk Yukon children and families rely on effectively managing financial and human resources. We found that the department had not completed a comprehensive assessment of the resources it needed to deliver services under the Child and Family Services Act. Only 62% of social worker and supervisor positions were staffed as of March 2025, leaving a significant shortage in key front-line roles.
Finally, we found that although the act requires the department to submit a report to the Minister every 3 years on its compliance with standards for child and family services, it has been 10 years since the Minister has received a report.
Considered together, these findings and the underlying gaps in governance and oversight reveal a child and family services system that is not effectively protecting the young people who depend on it most. Yukon’s Department of Health and Social Services must act urgently to strengthen its child protection services to support the well-being of children, youth,
and their families.
Thank you. I am now ready to answer your questions.