About OCA

 

Explore what OCA does

We are an agency that helps protect all children in Connecticut.

Our goal is to make sure every child is safe, healthy, and supported at home, in school, and in the community.

We also:

  • Review child fatalities and serious injuries to prevent future harm
  • Receive complaints and investigate them
  • Speak up for children who have no voice in government decisions
  • Publish reports and share data to help government agencies be more transparent and accountable
Learn more about OCA  

Get to know our values

Stand up for every child

We make sure every child in Connecticut is heard and treated with respect. They all deserve to feel safe.

Take action to help kids

OCA looks into problems, checks the rules, and works with state leaders to protect children and support families.

Build better systems together

We team up with families, helpers, and agencies to make things better. We share ideas, improve communication, and find real solutions for kids in Connecticut.
 

What we do in the OCA

We protect children and support families as we:

  • Stand up for at-risk children and defend their rights
  • Investigate cases when care or safety is at risk
  • Help families find answers and understand their rights
  • Check facilities to ensure safe, quality care
  • Bring agencies together to fix problems and share solutions
  • Advise leaders on stronger child welfare policies

We turn findings into action.

Learn more about all OCA services  

Visit the Child Fatality Review Panel page 

Learn how the CFRP reviews child deaths to find patterns and improve safety across Connecticut’s systems.

Get to know our Advisory Committee 

Meet the team that supports the child advocate’s mission through guidance, expertise, and community insight.

Find recent reports & publications 

Read the latest findings, data, and updates from the OCA to stay informed and involved.

Annual reports

Read key insights and actions from our yearly review

The Annual Report from the Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) gives a yearly summary of how Connecticut protects and supports children. It highlights key findings, challenges, and actions to improve child safety, health, and rights statewide.
Go to the OCA annual reports archive 

Meet our team

Christina leads the Office of the Child Advocate and oversees all child-focused operations, investigations, and policy work. She is a child welfare law specialist with more than 25 years of experience advocating for children with disabilities, in foster care, and in the justice system. Before returning to OCA, she ran her own law practice focused on education and child protection.
Julie is often the first contact for families and community members who reach out to OCA for help. She guides families through public systems, helps them understand their rights, and reviews each concern for possible policy or practice issues. Julie has worked with children and youth in Connecticut for over two decades.
Heather focuses on the care and treatment of children and young adults in residential and congregate care programs. She investigates concerns, works to improve State-funded services, and promotes reforms that make these systems safer and more effective. Heather has dedicated her career to supporting children involved with the DCF.
Virginia provides legal guidance to the OCA team and supports investigations and policy reviews. She helps ensure that OCA’s work follows State laws and transparency standards. Before joining OCA, she served as a hearing officer at the Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission and worked in private legal practice.
Brendan leads OCA’s work on child fatality review and prevention. He coordinates the Connecticut Child Fatality Review Panel and investigates cases to identify ways to prevent future tragedies. Brendan brings more than 20 years of experience from the Department of Children and Families, where he helped strengthen child welfare practice statewide.
Elizabeth supports families and citizens who contact OCA and leads efforts to review and resolve complaints. She brings a trauma-informed, clinical perspective from over 25 years in residential care, school counseling, and therapeutic foster care. Elizabeth is passionate about improving services for children and families across Connecticut.

Legislative policies

See the Legislative Advocacy documents 

Read documents that show how OCA speaks up for children and works to improve laws and policies.

Read our Statutes 

Read the rules and statutes that explain how OCA works to protect children in Connecticut.

Policies and Noticies 

Read policies and public notices that explain how OCA works and shares important information with families.
 

Find the resources you need

OCA knows every situation is different. We have a list of resources for your situation to find the best option for you.

If you’re unsure whether we can help, call 1-800-994-0939 or email oca@ct.gov. If we can’t assist directly, we’ll guide you to the right State resources.

Go to Resources page  

Find job opportunities

Join a team that stands up for Connecticut’s children. See current openings and ways to build a career serving others.

Check for job opportunities