Ontario's child advocate says the province should move away from institutionalized-group homes to more family-style care, but critics say the government isn't likely to act on the new recommendations.

The report, released Thursday, found that substandard practices are common in youth group homes across the province.

In "We are your Sons and Daughters," the Chief Advocate of Ontario's Office of Child and Family Service Advocacy, Judy Finlay, outlines the need to move away from institutionalized care.

"The government as the parent, has a special responsibility to their sons and daughters in state care. The cost to society is enormous if they fail these children" Finlay said in a statement.

The report says problems with the current style of care include frequent police intervention for minor problems and physical restraint of children in group homes.

Carol Stuart, director of Ryerson University's child and youth care program, said the government won't make any of the recommended changes, partially because it isn't a hot election issue.

"There's no government will to go forward,'' Stuart told the Canadian Press on Thursday.

Lisa MacLeod, the Conservative critic for children and youth services, said the Liberals have failed to act on similar reports in the past.

MacLeod pointed to a recent auditor general's report as proof and said the government is "asleep at the switch'' on the issue.

"There's still lack of standards and no reporting practices to the ministry,'' she said.

"These children are at risk and we need to be protecting them.''

Report findings

Nearly 300 young people in the care of children's aid societies in Thunder Bay, Toronto and Peel Region were interviewed by Findlay's staff for the report.

Many of the youth interviewed said they have been locked in rooms by group-home staff and have had unwarranted body and room searches conducted.

Children residing in group homes likened the experience to being locked up in prison.

"All doors locked and staff carry keys, the food is locked up, this is a power and control environment. Staff act more like a custody home," one child residing in a group home is quoted as saying in the report.

Other children say the environment is often volatile and only adds to the problems of the children who reside there.

"I don't know why they stick you in a home with so many girls, with so many problems. It will only mess you up more," said another child in the report.

Finlay said in one group home inspectors found 90 children living in wretched conditions.

"There was sewage from a toilet leaking into a stove below, there was feces under bathtubs,'' she said.

Finlay suggests children in group-homes get the same kind of support they would receive from a family and that use of restraints become regulated.

Under family-style care, the children interviewed reported they felt safer and happier than those in group homes.

"She's like my Mom, her family is my family. She is always making sure I am getting ready for life," one youth in foster care said.

Along with a move to family-style care, the report suggests increased training for foster parents in order to properly deal with emotional outbursts, behavioral problems and children with special needs.

There are currently 9,000 young people living in Ontario's foster care system, with another 2,200 living in group homes.

With files from The Canadian Press