Province announces additional $300K for youth advocacy centres
The provincial government says it's investing an additional $300,000 into eight child and youth advocacy centres across Alberta which support young people who are experiencing sexual, emotional or physical abuse.
It's a 10 per cent increase that brings total funding in 2025 to $3.7 million. Minister of Children and Family Services Searle Turton announced the extra money on Wednesday afternoon at the Zebra Child and Youth Advocacy Centre in Edmonton.
The money is to address rising caseloads of children up to 18 years old who are victims or witnesses to traumatic experiences.
'We know you have challenging roles that require a lot of time, training, energy and compassion,' Turton said broadly of support workers and volunteers at the press conference. 'But your work and empathy does make a difference in the lives of so many children here.'
The other centres being supported are:
Waypoints Community Services Association (Fort McMurray)
Little Bear Child and Youth Advocacy Centre (Lloydminster)
Caribou Child and Youth Centre (Grande Prairie)
Sanare Centre (Medicine Hat)
Chinook Child and Youth Advocacy Centre (Lethbridge)
Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre (Red Deer)
Luna Child and Youth Advocacy Centre (Calgary)
CEO of the Zebra Centre Emmy Stuebing said during the press conference the money will support the influx of young people in need of their services, which she noted was on track to match or surpass 2024 numbers.
The Zebra Centre has been open since 2002 and has seen a tripling of its caseload in the past decade.
Stuebing said her understanding is that it remains the busiest child advocacy centre in all of Alberta.
In the last year, the centre saw 4,387 children. Of those cases, Stuebing noted, 51 per cent had a sexual component and 41 per cent involved serious physical harm like bruises, burns, broken bones and severe neglect.
Child advocacy centres offer a number of support services, including forensic interview support, offering material needs like clothing, pyjamas and personal items, check-in calls, and sometimes even a dog buddy program.
'Yes, the kids who come to Zebra have experienced great trauma, but I also know that when they come to Zebra, they are truly surrounded by care, support and kindness, and that gives me hope,' she said.
And, she said, she believes the worst for waitlist times and lack of services is behind them.
Turton said the provincial government will continue to explore ways to invest in preventative services and ways to support families in the home.
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