Student and Family Support Office

The York Catholic District School Board’s (YCDSB) Student and Family Support Office is here to help families navigate questions or concerns related to their child’s education. This is an additional resource to help students and parents/guardians with issues that are complex, unresolved, or cannot be addressed at the school level.

The Ministry of Education has directed all school boards to create a local Student and Family Support Office to make it easier for students and parents/guardians to access assistance.

How the Student and Family Support Office Can Help

The Student and Family Support Office is here to support you when:

• A concern has not been resolved after speaking with school staff
• Guidance is needed on who can assist with more complex or sensitive matters
• Central school board support is needed beyond what the school can provide

In these cases, our office can help connect you with your area superintendent and support matters that may require further escalation. We can also direct your inquiry to the appropriate YCDSB department for support. These are just a few examples of how our office can help.

Flowchart for Inquiries or Concerns

If resolution cannot be achieved, move to next role

Start with Your Child’s School

For most day-to-day questions or concerns, communicating with your child’s teacher or principal is the quickest and best option. Before contacting the Student and Family Support Office, we encourage families to bring the issue to their school directly.

Choosing the Right Reporting Process

Some concerns are best addressed through other reporting processes. For instance:

• Hate, Bias-Motivated or Bullying Incidents: These concerns are best addressed through the online reporting tool, Report It.
• Alleged Wrongdoing (Whistleblower Matters): Concerns related to alleged wrongdoing involving Board operations — including both financial and non-financial matters — can be reported using the Alias Reporting Service.  

Student & Family Support Office Process

What to Expect

When you contact the Student and Family Support Office, you can expect:

• Acknowledgement within two (2) business days of submitting your inquiry
• A full response within five (5) business days
• A status update with an estimated response date if more time is needed to fully address your question

These are the expectations provided in the Ministry of Education’s Policy/Program Memorandum 170.

Your Privacy

All information shared with the Student and Family Support Office is handled with care. Your personal and family information will be kept confidential and used only for the purpose of addressing your inquiry. Access to identifiable information is limited to authorized staff who need it to provide support. All information is stored in secure systems in accordance with the Education Act and Ontario privacy requirements.

Submit an Inquiry

<Link to the online form>