Philadelphia Ombudsperson Office Project

Youth Testimonials

Youth advocates in Advocates Transforming Youth Systems (ATYS) formally Youth Fostering Change (YFC) and Advocates for Youth Justice (A4YJ) formerly Juveniles for Justice (J4J) worked to raise awareness and accountability for the harms that kids and youth face in the justice and foster care systems. Our staff and program members recognize the need to push for administrative and legislative policies that address oversight and system accountability. This is particularly important with high numbers of youth in congregate care and juvenile facilities facing barriers to accessing quality treatment, while dealing with the emotional, physical, and psychological impact of being incarcerated and in group care. Youth Advocates worked to raise awareness of the challenges and harms kids and youth face in systems, the need for increased accountability, transparency, and policies that prevent kids from entering into institutional care, and that address the trauma caused after they exit.

Juvenile Law Center's Youth Advocacy Program members and staff presented testimony to Philadelphia City Council, and the Philadelphia Department of Human Service in 2020 and 2021. Youth powerfully spoke of the harm’s they and their peers experienced in institutionalized care and the lack of reporting options to prevent further harm. At the hearing, Youth Advocacy Program members and staff demanded that local officials take action by creating a local office of the Ombudsman dedicated to addressing harms and concerns Philadelphia youth are facing in congregate care and juvenile facilities. The implementation of a local Youth Ombudsman office can be imperative to preventing child tragedies and allow for transparency of facilities where children and youth may be facing harm or at risk. Children and youth deserve to have direct access to someone who will hear their claims and experiences and hold systems accountable for when they are hurt, neglected, unsafe, and put at risk. 

Our staff, and youth advocates were influential in successfully getting Philadelphia officials and Philadelphia mayor’s office to dedicate $500,000 funding in the last city budget cycle. WHYY article details the accomplishment further. Expected to be housed within the Inspector General’s Office, the Youth Ombudsman Office will have subpoena powers and a dedicated small team to independently investigate complaints, and make findings on behalf of youth and families, and publish reports, and make recommendations. Nationally, Ombudsman offices have been established in several state, local, county, and federal governments, and are housed academic organizations, businesses and can investigate, provide system accountability, by monitoring placements, and programs that provide children’s services by working to protect the interests and rights of children. Children’s Ombudsman/ Office of the Child Advocate have been established in approximately twenty-three states, and have duties and purposes related to children’s services.  Another five states have statewide Ombudsman programs dedicated to addressing all governmental agency concerns, including children’s services.  Nine states have related Ombudsman services, program-specific services, or county-run programs.  For more information please visit the National Conference of State Legislators website.

This win is monumental for our kids and youth in Philadelphia who are living congregate care and juvenile facilities. This win has the potential to further protect the children in Philadelphia, and dramatically reduce the number of children housed in these often unsafe and poorly oversighted facilities. Our youth leaders are proud of this win, and shared their goals for the local office, stating, “We want an ombudsperson office to help take power back for youth and ensure we are never put in unsafe environments. We thank the mayor and Council for approving the creation of this office and hope that the staff in this office are dedicated to protecting youth who are most vulnerable. All youth deserve to be in homes with people who love and care for them, and not at risk of harm in institutions. We deserve to have an ombudsperson and adults who will hear our experiences and hold those caring for us accountable when we are hurt, neglected, unsafe, and put at risk. The youth of Philadelphia deserve all this and more.” Qilah David, and Duane Price, youth leaders, from Advocates for Youth Justice and Advocates Transforming Youth Systems.

2023 Update!

Youth Advocacy Program members from both Advocates for Youth Justice and Advocates Transforming Youth Systems were instrumental and successful advocating for the creation of a local Philadelphia Ombudsperson office, and providing feedback and recommendations on the Ombudsperson position and office powers. Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney signed an Executive Order on December 1st, 2022, establishing an Office of the Youth Ombudsperson within the Office of the Inspector General. The office is currently completing a hiring search to fill the position. Youth advocates in the Youth Advocacy Program continue to provide essential recommendations and guidance for the position. 

Want to Learn More?

If you're interested in learning more about Philadelphia's response to our Youth Advocacy Programs efforts, you can check out these links below:

Inquirer Article featuring Youth Advocates Duane and Qilah

Billy Penn Article by Steve Volk

Youth, Parents, and Advocates Demand Youth Services Ombudsperson - a blog by Juvenile Law Center CEO Sue Mangold

WURD Radio Interview with Solomon Jones - Duane's interview begins at 1:07:00

Ombudsperson Resolution Hearing: Support and Awareness - a blog by Christina Sorenson

April 8th, 2021 City Council Committee on Children and Youth Hearing

June 17th, 2021 Budget Hearing

 

Banner photo credit - Eskay Lim via Unsplash

 

Youth Testimonials

Here you'll find a collection of testimonials from voices across both of our youth advocacy cohorts, whose personal stories were instrumental in establishing Philadelphia's new Office of the Youth Ombudsperson.

A4YJ full logo

Alexandria's Testimony

Hello, my name is Alexandria. I am 21 years old, and I have entered eight different placements, including Foster Care. I have been working with the Juvenile Law Center, Youth Advocacy Program, as part of their Juveniles for Justice program for three years, and I have been an active alumna for one year.
Alexis Selfie

Alexis' Testimony

Hello, my name is Alexis. I am 23 years old, and I have been working with the Juvenile Law Center’s Youth Advocacy Program as part of their Youth Fostering Change program for 4 years.
Anahi Selfie

Anahi's Testimony

My name is Anahi. I am an alumni of Juveniles for Justice. I have been in multiple placements in the foster care and juvenile justice system. Before I first came in contact with the juvenile justice system in Philadelphia, I was attending Girls High School in Philly.
A4YJ full logo

Ange's Testimony

My name is Ange and I have been a youth advocate for Juvenile Law Center for almost 5 years. Placement isn’t something a kid should go through, especially for small stuff. When I was younger, my parents thought they didn’t know how to handle some of my behavior. They didn’t know where else to turn to get help or support.
Qilah Selfie

Qilah's Testimony

My name is Aqilah. I am 21 years old. This is my fourth year serving as an advocate with Juveniles for Justice at the Juvenile Law Center. I first entered the child welfare system at age 15. It was a long, horrible journey.
A4YJ full logo

Bree's Testimony

When I was first incarcerated, I was 14. Personally, I feel as though I shouldn’t have been arrested, but there was nothing I could do to stop it, because I did commit a crime. But they took me away from my home. My mom didn’t really have any idea what was going on until I was taken away.
Bre Selfie

Brianna's Testimony

Hello, my name is Bre. I am 17 years old. I have been in seven different placements since I was 12 years old. This is my first year working with Juveniles for Justice at the Juvenile Law Center. I got involved with J4J because I heard I could verbally advocate, and I’ve been a Juvenile, so I know how the system is, and if I can have a say so in changing it, then I want to.
Duane Selfie

Duane's Testimony

Hello, my name is Duane. I was 12 years old when I entered into care. Being in the system at a young age, my voice was taken away. I was not heard. I was censored or shut down because of the experience that brought me into the system.
Ishale Selfie

Ishale's Testimony

Hi, my name is I-sha-le. I first entered into placement around 15. Placement did not help me, especially not with school. The placement that I went to did not have school. I did not know that I was supposed to have educational support in placement, so I did not ask about it.
Marcia Headshot

Marcia's Testimony

Good Afternoon, my name is Marcia Hopkins. I am a social worker and the Senior Manager of Youth Advocacy Program and Policy at the Juvenile Law Center. Thank you for allowing me to speak about the important issue of having a local Ombudsman person.