Missouri Office of the Child Advocate

About this resource

The word “Ombudsman” comes from Swedish and means “representative” or “someone who speaks up for others.” In Missouri, the Office of Child Advocate (OCA)—also known as the Ombudsman—is here to help protect the rights of kids and teens in foster care.

The OCA is independent, which means it’s not part of the Children’s Division, the Department of Mental Health, or the Juvenile Court. That way, they can look into problems fairly and without bias.

The OCA is a resource for youth, families, foster parents, and anyone who’s concerned about a child’s well-being. Here’s what they do:

• Review foster care cases

• Look into child abuse hotline calls that weren’t confirmed

• Help families and schools work through issues involving abuse reports

• Review child deaths when families had past involvement with the Children’s Division

• Connect families with helpful services and resources

If you feel like something’s not right in your case—or someone else’s—the OCA is here to listen and help.

To file a complaint:  Call at the numbers listed above Email the office at [email protected] Or fill out and return a complaint form, https://oca.mo.gov/pdf/Complaint_Form.pdf