Today is Children and Youth in Care Day – a day to recognize the valuable contributions of current and former youth in care to communities across Ontario. It is also an opportunity to acknowledge the strength and resilience shown by these young people in the face of adversity.
This year, children’s aid societies and Indigenous Child and Family Well-Being Agencies (child welfare agencies), the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies (OACAS), and Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada (CAFC) are continuing the #ForgetMeNot campaign by focusing on the little wins of young people with lived experience interacting with Ontario’s child welfare system.
Celebrating the little wins in the lives of children and youth in and from care is more than a fleeting moment of joy – it’s a powerful reminder that every step forward, no matter how small, counts. The little wins matter.
For 2025, our #LittleWins campaign continues to amplify the stories of young people in and from care and the influential people in their lives who contributed to their well-being. Little wins look different for everyone – completing a homework assignment or project, making a new friend, learning how to cook a new meal, getting a driver’s license, renting an apartment for the first time, or returning to school to complete a program. Each achievement reflects courage, growth, and hope for the future.
As part of this year’s campaign, OACAS hosted a youth-led performance and visual art exhibition on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at the Young People’s Theatre in Toronto. The event was hosted in collaboration with OACAS’s YouthCAN program, the Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada, Humber Polytechnic, and a range of community partners, the evening welcomed over 115 youth, agency staff, and sector stakeholders to celebrate the powerful voices of youth involved in the Shared Stories Initiative. Shared Stories is a youth-led cohort from across Ontario, who have been working together since September 2024 to amplify the lived experiences of young people in and from care. The event featured a staged reading of their original work-in-progress play “Little Wins”, the unveiling of a six-part art installation, a new video from the ongoing #ForgetMeNot campaign and this year’s theme #LittleWins, as well as live music, poetry performances, and a catered reception — complete with a mocktail bar – all helmed by young people themselves. We extend our sincere thanks to the YPYAC youth advisors, the Shared Stories participants, our partner organizations, and everyone who made the evening such a meaningful celebration of youth voice, creativity, and resilience. Watch our #LittleWins video here and hear about the many small but important ways that youth across this province are overcoming despite their circumstance.
Join us today in showing children and youth in and from care they belong and are part of a community – one that will celebrate the #LittleWins! Visit oacas.org/forgetmenot to learn how you can get involved.
