OCA Delaware Information

The Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) is a non-judicial state agency charged with safeguarding the welfare of Delaware's children. OCA was created in 1999 in response to numerous child deaths in Delaware resulting from child abuse. These cases pointed to deficiencies in the child protection system that could only be remedied through the collaborative efforts of Delaware’s many child welfare agencies. The General Assembly determined that an office to oversee these efforts, staff CPAC, and provide legal representation on behalf of Delaware’s dependent, neglected, and abused children was necessary. Pursuant to 29 Del. C. § 9005A, OCA is mandated to coordinate a program of legal representation for children which includes the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Program; to periodically review all relevant child welfare policies and procedures with a view toward improving the lives of children; recommend changes in procedures for investigating and overseeing the welfare of children; to assist the Office of the Investigation Coordinator in accomplishing its goals; to assist CPAC in investigating and reviewing deaths and near deaths of abused and neglected children; to develop and provide training to child welfare system professionals; and to staff CPAC. Our Mission: Safeguarding the welfare of Delaware's children. Our Vision: Safe and resilient children, supportive families. We achieve our mission through our 4 pillars: • Advocacy – OCA provides a voice for children to achieve permanency and justice, and to improve laws and policies that affect children and their families. • Education – OCA develops quality training to increase professional expertise and public awareness. OCA facilitates access to resources and opportunities for youth. • Collaboration – OCA fosters a communicative multi-disciplinary team that builds trust and respect amongst members with a shared goal of improving outcomes for children and families. • Evaluation – OCA ensures accountability by exam