Difference between revisions of "Family Violence and Child Protection"

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{{JP Boyd on Family Law TOC|expanded = violence}}{{JPBOFL Editor Badge
{{JP Boyd on Family Law TOC|expanded = violence}}{{JPBOFL Editor Badge
|CoAuthor = [[Kim Hawkins]], [[Vandana Sood]], [[Elizabeth Cameron]], and [[Rosanna Adams]]
|ChapterEditors = [[Fiona Beveridge]] and [[Samantha Simpson]]
|ChapterEditors = [[Fiona Beveridge]] and [[Samantha Simpson]]
}}
}}
{{Clicklawbadge
{{Clicklawbadge
|resourcetype = critical resources and <br/> common questions on
|resourcetype = critical resources and <br/> common questions on
|link = [http://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/global/search?f=1151 child protection/removal]
|link = [https://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/global/search?f=1151 child protection/removal]
}}
}}


==Child protection issues==
==Child protection issues==


The provincial [http://www.gov.bc.ca/mcf/ Ministry for Children and Family Development] is authorized to protect children from neglect and harm under the provincial ''[http://canlii.ca/t/84dv Child, Family and Community Service Act]''. Section 2 of the act sets out the guiding principles of the legislation:
British Columbia's laws about child protection laws are found in the ''[http://canlii.ca/t/84dv Child, Family and Community Service Act]'' and its regulations. Child protection matters are heard in the Provincial Court, under the Provincial Court (Child, Family and Community Service Act) Rules, and may also be heard in the Supreme Court.
 
Unlike normal family law proceedings where two former spouses decide how to proceed with their case, it's the provincial [https://www.gov.bc.ca/mcf/ Ministry of Children and Family Development], or an "Indigenous authority" under the CFCSA, that manages child protection proceedings. Once these authorities investigate a child protection concern, they have a legal duty to take steps, including possibly seeking court orders, to ensure the safety and well-being of children.
 
In ''[https://canlii.ca/t/h5p6m J.P. v. British Columbia (Children and Family Development)]'', 2017 BCCA 308, the Court of Appeal made it clear that the Ministry of Children and Family Development, also called the "MCFD," can ask for child protection orders even if a family law orders about children's parenting arrangements already exist. The MCFD must make its decisions "regardless of the nature of the dispute between the parents in the family proceeding." This means that even if a family law order greatly restricts a parent's contact with a child, if the MCFD becomes involved and decides that parent should have broad access rights, the MCFD can seek that order in Provincial Court and that order will have priority over the other order. The CFCSA, and not the ''Family Law Act'' or the ''Divorce Act'', directs how child protection matters are handled. (As a side note, the CFCSA still uses the terms ''custody'' and ''access'', even though the ''Family Law Act'' and the ''Divorce Act'' have moved to talking about ''guardianship'', ''parenting time'', and ''contact''.)
 
Section 2 of the CFCSA sets out the guiding principles for child protection matters:


<blockquote><tt>This Act must be interpreted and administered so that the safety and well-being of children are the paramount considerations and in accordance with the following principles:</tt></blockquote>
<blockquote><tt>This Act must be interpreted and administered so that the safety and well-being of children are the paramount considerations and in accordance with the following principles:</tt></blockquote>
<blockquote><blockquote><tt>(a) children are entitled to be protected from abuse, neglect and harm or threat of harm;</tt></blockquote></blockquote>
<blockquote><blockquote><tt>(a) children are entitled to be protected from abuse, neglect and harm or threat of harm;</tt></blockquote></blockquote>
<blockquote><blockquote><tt>(b) a family is the preferred environment for the care and upbringing of children and the responsibility for the protection of children rests primarily with the parents;</tt></blockquote></blockquote>
<blockquote><blockquote><tt>(b) a family is the preferred environment for the care and upbringing of children and the responsibility for the protection of children rests primarily with the parents;</tt></blockquote></blockquote>
<blockquote><blockquote><tt>(b.1) Indigenous families and Indigenous communities share responsibility for the upbringing and well-being of Indigenous children;</tt></blockquote></blockquote>
<blockquote><blockquote><tt>(c) if, with available support services, a family can provide a safe and nurturing environment for a child, support services should be provided;</tt></blockquote></blockquote>
<blockquote><blockquote><tt>(c) if, with available support services, a family can provide a safe and nurturing environment for a child, support services should be provided;</tt></blockquote></blockquote>
<blockquote><blockquote><tt>(d) the child's views should be taken into account when decisions relating to a child are made;</tt></blockquote></blockquote>
<blockquote><blockquote><tt>(d) the child's views should be taken into account when decisions relating to a child are made;</tt></blockquote></blockquote>
<blockquote><blockquote><tt>(e) kinship ties and a child's attachment to the extended family should be preserved if possible;</tt></blockquote></blockquote>
<blockquote><blockquote><tt>(e) kinship ties and a child's attachment to the extended family should be preserved if possible;</tt></blockquote></blockquote>
<blockquote><blockquote><tt>(f) the cultural identity of aboriginal children should be preserved;</tt></blockquote></blockquote>
<blockquote><blockquote><tt>(f) Indigenous children are entitled to</tt></blockquote></blockquote>
<blockquote><blockquote><blockquote><tt>(i) learn about and practise their Indigenous traditions, customs and languages, and</tt></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote>
<blockquote><blockquote><blockquote><tt>(ii) belong to their Indigenous communities;</tt></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote>
<blockquote><blockquote><tt>(g) decisions relating to children should be made and implemented in a timely manner.</tt></blockquote></blockquote>
<blockquote><blockquote><tt>(g) decisions relating to children should be made and implemented in a timely manner.</tt></blockquote></blockquote>


Unlike the majority of the general rules governing how children are dealt with in family law, the best interests of the children is not the most important consideration under this act. The most important considerations under the ''Child, Family and Community Service Act'' are the safety and well-being of the children.
Unlike the legislation in family law, the best interests of the children is ''not'' the most important consideration under the CFCSA. Instead, the most important considerations under are the "safety and well-being of the children."
 
The first principle under the CFCSA is that children are entitled to be protected from "abuse, neglect, harm, or the threat of harm." Most of the other principles center around keeping the child with or connected to their family if possible. These principles state that a child's family is the preferred environment for their care and upbringing, that the responsibility for protecting children rests primarily with the parents, and that kinship ties and a child's attachment to extended family members should be preserved if possible. The principles also say that if a family can provide a safe and nurturing environment for a child with the help of support services, then those support services should be provided.
 
==Reporting a protection concern to MCFD or an Indigenous authority==
 
Section 14 of the CFCSA says that any adult who has reason to believe that a child needs protection must report the situation to the MCFD. (Only lawyers in a solicitor-client relationship are exempt from this duty to report.) It is an offence ''not'' to report a protection concern to MCFD. In other words, anyone who thinks a child needs to be protected from abuse, neglect, harm, or the threat of harm, must report the problem to the MCFD.
 
In the case of Indigenous children, the CFCSA says that if a person has reported the protection concern to an Indigenous authority, then the person is not required to report the protection concern to MCFD, as long as the Indigenous authority confirms it will assess the report. An "Indigenous authority" is an organization that is authorized by an Indigenous governing body to provide child and family services according to Indigenous law.
 
Once they receive a report, the MCFD must assess the report and decide whether an investigation by a social worker is necessary. The CFCSA gives government social workers fairly broad authority to investigate reports and determine if a child is in need of protection.
 
===Protection concerns===
 
Section 13 of the CFCSA describes the situations that may cause the MCFD or an Indigenous authority to decide that a child needs protection. Under this part of the act, children require protection if they have been or may be:


==Reporting children to the ministry==
* physically harmed by a parent,
* sexually abused or exploited by a parent,
* harmed, sexually abused, or exploited by another person, and the parent can't or won't protect the child, or
* physically harmed due to parental neglect.


Certain people, including mediators, parenting coordinators, doctors, teachers, psychologists, and psychiatrists, have a positive duty to report children in need of protection to the ministry. Section 14 of the ''Act'' imposes a similar duty on anyone who believes a child is in need of protection, and makes it an offence not to report a child to the ministry. In other words, anyone — including a parent — who thinks a child needs to be protected from abuse, neglect, harm, or the threat of harm, must report the problem to the [http://www.gov.bc.ca/mcf/ Ministry for Children and Family Development].
Protection will also be required if:


Once a child is reported as being at risk, the ministry will assess the report and determine whether an investigation by a social worker is necessary. The ''Act'' gives the social worker looking into the alleged problem a fairly broad authority to investigate the complaint.
* the child is emotionally harmed by a parent's conduct or by living in a situation with family violence,
* the child lacks necessary health care,
* the child's development may be seriously impaired by a treatable condition, and the parent refuses to allow treatment,
* the parent can't or won't care for the child and hasn't made adequate arrangements for care,
* the child has been in a situation that endangers their safety or well-being,
* the child's parent is dead and no adequate provision has been made for care,
* the child has been abandoned without adequate care, or
* the child is in the care of the MCFD director or someone else by agreement, and the parent won't or can't resume care when the agreement ends.


===The consequences of a report===
Section 13 of the CFCSA also says that:


If the investigating social worker comes to the conclusion that there is a problem, they can do a number of things to protect the child or attempt to solve the problem. These include:
* sexual abuse or exploitation includes being encouraged or coerced into prostitution,
* situations with family violence increase the likelihood of physical harm to the child,
* emotional harm means that a child shows severe anxiety, depression, withdrawal, self-destructive or aggressive behaviour, and
* a child does not need protection just because of socioeconomic conditions like poverty, lack of housing, or a parent's health condition.


*providing support services to the family in the home, including referrals to outside social agencies,
===Family violence as a protection concern===
*supervising the child's care in the home, including random unannounced visits by the worker, or
*removing the child from the home and placing the child temporarily or permanently with relatives, a foster family, or a group home.


Of course, removing the child from the home is the most extreme step the worker can take, and is normally only used as a last resort.
The CFCSA uses the term "domestic violence" instead of family violence. The MCFD has acknowledged, in its ''Policy on Best Practice Approaches: Child Protection and Violence Against Women'', that women and children are disproportionately impacted by domestic violence. MCFD policies around the issue of violence against women are aimed at:


===Information for reported parents===
* keeping mothers safe by connecting the child's safety to the mother's safety whenever possible,
* keeping children with the non-abusive parent,
* providing the non-abusive parent with supportive services so they can safely care for the child,
* preventing further violence,
* offering an integrated approach for meeting a child's safety needs,
* providing supportive services to the non-abusive parent, and
* keeping their safety a parallel consideration through MCFD proceedings.


Sometimes, in the middle of a nasty family law dispute, one parent will report the other to the ministry, and claim that the child is suffering in the care of the other parent. Surprisingly, these claims often involve allegations of sexual abuse. Not surprisingly, many of these claims are unfounded.
If a non-abusive parent, usually the mother, is concerned that the other parent may commit violence, they should prioritize their own safety and the safety of their children. If the non-abusive parent is in immediate danger they should call 911. The non-abusive parent can also contact VictimLINK at 1-800-563-0808 to access safety planning resources. The non-abusive parent also has an obligation to report the child protection concern to MCFD. In any of these cases, it is critical to obtain legal advice as soon as possible about the available options.


Whether the complaint is justified or not, you must cooperate with the social worker who investigates the report. Obviously, you'll want to prove that there's no justification for the report, and it may help you to refer the worker to the child's family doctor, teachers, and daycare providers who can say that the child isn't at risk and hasn't been abused.
==The child protection process==


You cannot take any action against a person who has made a false complaint, such as suing them for damages, unless that person made a false report knowing it to be untrue.
Legal Aid BC has helpful factsheets and other information about the child protection process. See the Resources and Links heading under this section.


Once the social worker has concluded that there is a problem, there's very little you can do to get the worker out of your hair except to do what they want. It is critical that you comply with their suggestions about things like parenting courses, help from outside agencies, homemaking services, and so forth. If you don't do the things the worker suggests, you may be flagged as resistant to those remedies. This can trigger an escalation in the worker's involvement in your family and can lead to harsher conditions being imposed, such as the removal of your child.
===What happens if you are reported to MCFD or an Indigenous authority===


The impact of a report to the ministry on your family law action will obviously depend on the circumstances and whether the investigation shows that there is actually a problem in your home. The simple fact that a report has been made will not give the other parent grounds to apply for a change in the child's residence; in fact, if the other parent reported you to the ministry and there was no substance to the claim, it may stand as further evidence of the other parent's unwillingness to cooperate with you in raising your child.
A parent may be reported to MCFD or an Indigenous authority because of a protection concern.


===Information for parents making a report===
If the concern involves an Indigenous child, the local Indigenous authority may conduct its investigation under Indigenous law, customs, and traditions.


Unless you are fairly certain that your child is being harmed by the other parent or stands in real risk of being harmed, you should not make a report to the ministry. There are a few reasons for this.
====Legal help for reported parents====


Firstly, there is no guarantee that if the worker removes the child from the care of the other parent, that you will get custody of the child. The worker may well discover problems in your own household and give the child into the care of someone else altogether.
It is important that parents who are reported for a protection concern get legal advice as soon as possible. Getting legal advice about your rights with the MCFD early in the process is important, for sure, but getting legal advice in the later stages of an investigation is even more important!


Secondly, you run the risk of giving the other parent more ammunition in your family law dispute, allowing them to characterize you as mean-spirited and vindictive, and willing to stoop to anything to win. Worse, the other parent may be able to claim that you were using the ministry to make an end-run around the court process.
You can contact Legal Aid BC to find out if you qualify for a free lawyer. Contact your local Parents Legal Centre at 1-888-522-2752, or find a lawyer who represents parents in child protection proceedings. If Legal Aid BC determines you are not eligible for a lawyer for your child protection matter, you may be able to apply to the courts and ask that a lawyer be appointed to represent you. This request for lawyer representation is called a ''JG application''.  


Thirdly, you run the risk of inviting the ministry's continued interest (and interference) in your family. Nothing is as unpleasant as being subject to random, unannounced visits by a social worker whose job is to critique your parenting abilities and the child's home environment.
When a court considers a "JG application," it decides whether or not to appoint a lawyer for someone who was denied legal aid, but is facing a complicated child protection hearing and cannot afford to pay for a lawyer themself. You can find the necessary forms and application materials for a JG application on the Legal Aid BC website. The person applying must be found to be ''indigent'' in order to succeed in their application. Being found to be "indigent" is not limited to rare or exceptional cases, but does depend on the financial and other circumstances of the person applying.


===What happens if a problem is found===
====Child protection investigations====


If the worker investigating the report is sufficiently concerned about the child's living conditions and risk of harm, or the reported parent's willingness to cooperate with the ministry, the ministry may begin court proceedings.  
A social worker's first step when starting an investigation is usually to contact the person who is the subject of the report. They may decide to visit the child's home, interview one or both parents, and interview the child. They may also ask the parent for the names of other people they can talk to about the parent's parenting abilities, called ''collaterals''. These collateral witnesses could be the child's family doctor, teachers, daycare provider, counsellor, or family members. The social worker may reach out and contact some or all of these collateral witnesses in the course of their investigation.


If the ministry has taken a child out of the parents's care, the ministry must commence a child protection action and seek a court order approving the removal. All child protection proceedings are held in the Provincial Court, and are run under special rules of court, the [http://canlii.ca/t/85tk Provincial Court (Child, Family and Community Service Act) Rules].
At the end of the investigation, the social worker will reach one of three conclusions.


===When your child is not removed===
# '''No concern:''' the social worker may close the file due to a lack of protection concerns, and give you a letter outlining this conclusion, which you should keep in a safe place.
# '''Some concern:''' the social worker may start with a lower level of intervention, including providing support services to the family in the home and making referrals to outside social agencies.
# '''High concern:''' the social worker may be concerned enough to take more control by supervising the parent's care of the child, starting a court proceedings, or even removing the child.


Among other things, the court can make, at the request of the ministry, protective intervention orders for the following relief:
If the social worker concludes that there is a protection concern, you should contact a lawyer immediately to learn more about your rights.


*the on-going supervision of the child,
===What happens if a protection concern is found===
*the on-going supervision of the child on conditions, including things like daycare, services for the parent, and the right of the ministry to visit the child in the home,
*prohibiting a person from contacting and interfering with the child,
*prohibiting a person from living with the child or entering the child's home,
*a term requiring the police to enforce the order, and
*the removal of the child if the parent fails to comply with the terms of a supervision order.


The ministry must serve you with notice of the hearing of their application, and you are entitled to attend court and oppose the application. You may call witnesses and present other evidence against the ministry's application.
If the social worker investigating the report is sufficiently concerned about the child's living conditions, a risk of harm, or a parent's unwillingness to cooperate with their investigation, then they may take further actions such as:


You are not required to have a lawyer at this hearing, although the help of a lawyer is strongly recommended.
* supervising the parent’s care of the child with various terms and conditions that one or both parents must follow,
* beginning court proceedings, or
* removing the child temporarily or permanently from the parent’s care and placing the child temporarily or permanently with relatives, a foster family, or a group home.


===When your child is removed===
If the MCFD has taken a child out of a parent's care, they must start a child protection action in court and seek a court order approving the removal. They need to serve the parent with court documents. All child protection proceedings are held in the Provincial Court and follow special rules called the [https://canlii.ca/t/85tk Provincial Court (Child, Family and Community Service Act) Rules].


If the ministry has removed a child from your care, the ministry is required to set a ''presentation hearing'' within seven days, at which the ministry's action is either confirmed or overruled. The issue at this hearing is whether or not the child was in need of protection and was properly removed from the home. You will be served with notice of the presentation hearing and you may attend the hearing where you will be allowed to address the court and call evidence in support of your position.
Remember that:


At the presentation hearing, the court may make interim orders for the following:
* it can be critical to get legal advice about your legal rights in relation to the MCFD as early in the process as possible, and getting legal advice becomes more important as the investigation goes on,
* if your child is removed, the ''[https://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/resource/1245 Child Protection and Removal]'' script from People's Law School's Dial-a-Law website talks about parents' legal rights and explains steps you can take, and
* Legal Aid BC's illustrated booklet ''[https://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/resource/1060 Parents' Rights, Kids' Rights: A Parent's Guide to Child Protection Law in BC]'' outlines the child protection process.


*that the ministry have custody of your child,
====Orders for supervision====
*that the child be returned to you under the supervision of the ministry,
*that the child be returned to you, or
*that the child be placed in the care of someone other than yourself.


It is important to know that at a presentation hearing the ministry only has to show that there is a likelihood that the child was in need of protection to succeed and get an order that the child continue to live in their care. It can be very difficult to get your child back at a presentation hearing since the case the ministry must prove is so slight.
The MCFD may ask the court to make a ''protective intervention order'' that:


Within 45 days of the presentation hearing, assuming the ministry was successful at that hearing, a ''protection hearing'' is held. At this hearing the court may direct the parties (you and the ministry) to attend a case conference, if you and the ministry cannot agree on the terms of the order that the court should make at the beginning of the hearing.
* allows them to supervise the child's care on a continuing basis the on-going supervision of the child, imposes conditions like daycare, services for the parent, and allows the right of the MCFD to visit the child in the home,
* prohibits a person from contacting, interfering with, or living with a child, or entering the child's home,
* requires the police to enforce the order, and
* allows them to remove a child if the parent fails to comply with the terms of a supervision order.


A case conference is a relatively informal meeting between you, the ministry's representative, and the judge. Sometimes the social worker also attends. If you and the ministry cannot negotiate and agree on the terms of an order about your child during the case conference, the judge may make some directions about the conduct of the proceeding, such as the exchange of information and the scheduling of dates, and set a date for the continuation of the protection hearing.
====Orders for child removal====


A protection hearing is a formal hearing before the judge. The ministry will attempt to prove that the order they seek is necessary, and will call witnesses, such as relatives, teachers, and social workers, to give evidence about the facts of the case. Since this is a formal hearing, you are allowed to cross-examine the ministry's witnesses. You will then be able to present your own case and argue about why the ministry's request is not justified.
Where protection concerns are more serious, the MCFD may immediately remove the child from the home and set a ''presentation hearing'' within seven days to have the court review that decision. At the presentation hearing, the court may order that:


Remember that at the presentation hearing, the ministry only has to prove that there is a likelihood that the child is at risk and that the course of action sought by the ministry is reasonable. At the protection hearing, however, the ministry must prove that it is more probable than not that the child is at risk and that the course of action sought by the ministry is reasonable. This is a lot more difficult to prove than a mere ''likelihood'' of risk.
* the MCFD have temporary custody of your child,
* the child be returned to you, under the supervision of the MCFD,
* the child be returned to you, or
* the child be placed in the care of someone other than yourself.


At the protection hearing, the court may make orders for the following relief:
To learn about the rest of the child protection process and the other hearings involved when the MCFD intervenes to remove a child, read Legal Aid BC's booklet ''[https://clicklaw.bc.ca/resource/1060 Parents' Rights, Kids' Rights: A Parent's Guide to Child Protection Law in BC]''


*that the child be returned to you under the supervision of the ministry for a period of up to six months,
==The Indigenous child protection process==
*that the child be placed in someone else's custody for a specific period of time,
*that the child be placed in the custody of the ministry for a specific period of time, or
*that the child continue to be in the custody of the ministry.


Again, while you are not required to have a lawyer at this hearing, the help of one is strongly recommended.
In 2022, the CFCSA was changed to better respect the rights of Indigenous communities to provide their own child and family services, and to help keep Indigenous children safely connected to their cultures and communities.


At the conclusion of the period of time specified in the court order, the status of your child will normally be reviewed. It may be critical that you use the intervening period of time to comply with any directions made by the court or recommendations of the ministry about things such as special courses, programs, or services that you should take, since the court will be looking to see whether the risks or deficiencies that caused the child to be removed are still there. If nothing has changed, the terms of the order will likely be continued.
The guiding principles in section 2 of the CFCSA include two provisions that are specific to Indigenous families:


To find out more about your rights when the ministry has concerns about a child's safety or plans to remove a child from the family home, you may wish to read the booklet ''[http://clicklaw.bc.ca/resource/1060 Parents' Rights, Kids' Rights: A Parent's Guide to Child Protection Law in BC]''.
* section 2(b.1) recognizes that Indigenous families and their communities share responsibility for the upbringing and well-being of Indigenous children, and
* section 2(f) says that Indigenous children are entitled to learn about and practice their traditions, customs, and languages and belong to their Indigenous communities.
 
Reported protection concerns can be investigated by an Indigenous authority in accordance with that community's Indigenous law, customs, and traditions. In these cases, the MCFD is ''not'' the authority dealing with Indigenous children. (Note that in older versions of the CFCSA, Indigenous peoples were referred to using the term ''Aboriginal'', and you may still see that term in some child protection publications in the province, as well as online.)
 
If you or your child is Indigenous, and you have been reported to MCFD or are otherwise involved with MCFD, you can get a lot more information from Legal Aid BC. See the materials listed under the Resources and Links under this section, or visit the [https://aboriginal.legalaid.bc.ca/child-family-rights/child-protection Aboriginal Legal Aid in BC website pages on child protection].
 
If you are reported to MCFD or an Indigenous authority, they might conclude there's enough concern to supervise your care of the child, start court proceedings, or remove the child. If this happens, you should contact the Parents Legal Centre or a lawyer immediately to learn more about your rights.


==Resources and links==
==Resources and links==
===Legislation===
===Legislation===
* [http://canlii.ca/t/85tk Provincial Court (Child, Family and Community Service Act) Rules]
* [http://canlii.ca/t/85tk Provincial Court (Child, Family and Community Service Act) Rules]
===Resources===
* Legal Aid BC's Family Law website's information pages on [https://family.legalaid.bc.ca/children/child-protection Child Protection]
* Legal Aid BC's Aboriginal Legal Aid in BC [https://aboriginal.legalaid.bc.ca/ website]
* Legal Aid BC's forms and self-help guide ''[https://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/resource/2745 If You Can't Get Legal Aid for Your Child Protection Case]''
* Find a Parents Legal Centre on [https://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/helpmap/service/1231 Clicklaw]
* Legal Aid BC's Family Law website's information page on [https://clicklaw.bc.ca/resource/4642 ''Child protection'']
* Legal Aid BC's booklet ''[https://clicklaw.bc.ca/resource/1060 Parents' Rights, Kids' Rights: A Parent's Guide to Child Protection Law in BC]''


===Links===
===Links===
*[http://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/global/search?k=child%20protection Clicklaw resources for child protection]
*[http://www.gov.bc.ca/mcf/ Ministry of Children and Family Development]
*[https://clicklaw.bc.ca/resource/4642 Legal Services Society's Family Law website's information page on child protection]
*[https://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/global/search?k=child%20protection Clicklaw resources for child protection]




{{REVIEWED | reviewer = [[Fiona Beveridge]] and [[Samantha Simpson]], April 30, 2019}}
{{REVIEWED | reviewer = [[Rise Women's Legal Centre|Kim Hawkins, Vandana Sood, Elizabeth Cameron, and Rosanna Adams]], 16 June 2023}}


{{JP Boyd on Family Law Navbox|type=chapters}}
{{JP Boyd on Family Law Navbox|type=chapters}}

Latest revision as of 23:13, 15 January 2024


Child protection issues

British Columbia's laws about child protection laws are found in the Child, Family and Community Service Act and its regulations. Child protection matters are heard in the Provincial Court, under the Provincial Court (Child, Family and Community Service Act) Rules, and may also be heard in the Supreme Court.

Unlike normal family law proceedings where two former spouses decide how to proceed with their case, it's the provincial Ministry of Children and Family Development, or an "Indigenous authority" under the CFCSA, that manages child protection proceedings. Once these authorities investigate a child protection concern, they have a legal duty to take steps, including possibly seeking court orders, to ensure the safety and well-being of children.

In J.P. v. British Columbia (Children and Family Development), 2017 BCCA 308, the Court of Appeal made it clear that the Ministry of Children and Family Development, also called the "MCFD," can ask for child protection orders even if a family law orders about children's parenting arrangements already exist. The MCFD must make its decisions "regardless of the nature of the dispute between the parents in the family proceeding." This means that even if a family law order greatly restricts a parent's contact with a child, if the MCFD becomes involved and decides that parent should have broad access rights, the MCFD can seek that order in Provincial Court and that order will have priority over the other order. The CFCSA, and not the Family Law Act or the Divorce Act, directs how child protection matters are handled. (As a side note, the CFCSA still uses the terms custody and access, even though the Family Law Act and the Divorce Act have moved to talking about guardianship, parenting time, and contact.)

Section 2 of the CFCSA sets out the guiding principles for child protection matters:

This Act must be interpreted and administered so that the safety and well-being of children are the paramount considerations and in accordance with the following principles:

(a) children are entitled to be protected from abuse, neglect and harm or threat of harm;

(b) a family is the preferred environment for the care and upbringing of children and the responsibility for the protection of children rests primarily with the parents;

(b.1) Indigenous families and Indigenous communities share responsibility for the upbringing and well-being of Indigenous children;

(c) if, with available support services, a family can provide a safe and nurturing environment for a child, support services should be provided;

(d) the child's views should be taken into account when decisions relating to a child are made;

(e) kinship ties and a child's attachment to the extended family should be preserved if possible;

(f) Indigenous children are entitled to

(i) learn about and practise their Indigenous traditions, customs and languages, and

(ii) belong to their Indigenous communities;

(g) decisions relating to children should be made and implemented in a timely manner.

Unlike the legislation in family law, the best interests of the children is not the most important consideration under the CFCSA. Instead, the most important considerations under are the "safety and well-being of the children."

The first principle under the CFCSA is that children are entitled to be protected from "abuse, neglect, harm, or the threat of harm." Most of the other principles center around keeping the child with or connected to their family if possible. These principles state that a child's family is the preferred environment for their care and upbringing, that the responsibility for protecting children rests primarily with the parents, and that kinship ties and a child's attachment to extended family members should be preserved if possible. The principles also say that if a family can provide a safe and nurturing environment for a child with the help of support services, then those support services should be provided.

Reporting a protection concern to MCFD or an Indigenous authority

Section 14 of the CFCSA says that any adult who has reason to believe that a child needs protection must report the situation to the MCFD. (Only lawyers in a solicitor-client relationship are exempt from this duty to report.) It is an offence not to report a protection concern to MCFD. In other words, anyone who thinks a child needs to be protected from abuse, neglect, harm, or the threat of harm, must report the problem to the MCFD.

In the case of Indigenous children, the CFCSA says that if a person has reported the protection concern to an Indigenous authority, then the person is not required to report the protection concern to MCFD, as long as the Indigenous authority confirms it will assess the report. An "Indigenous authority" is an organization that is authorized by an Indigenous governing body to provide child and family services according to Indigenous law.

Once they receive a report, the MCFD must assess the report and decide whether an investigation by a social worker is necessary. The CFCSA gives government social workers fairly broad authority to investigate reports and determine if a child is in need of protection.

Protection concerns

Section 13 of the CFCSA describes the situations that may cause the MCFD or an Indigenous authority to decide that a child needs protection. Under this part of the act, children require protection if they have been or may be:

  • physically harmed by a parent,
  • sexually abused or exploited by a parent,
  • harmed, sexually abused, or exploited by another person, and the parent can't or won't protect the child, or
  • physically harmed due to parental neglect.

Protection will also be required if:

  • the child is emotionally harmed by a parent's conduct or by living in a situation with family violence,
  • the child lacks necessary health care,
  • the child's development may be seriously impaired by a treatable condition, and the parent refuses to allow treatment,
  • the parent can't or won't care for the child and hasn't made adequate arrangements for care,
  • the child has been in a situation that endangers their safety or well-being,
  • the child's parent is dead and no adequate provision has been made for care,
  • the child has been abandoned without adequate care, or
  • the child is in the care of the MCFD director or someone else by agreement, and the parent won't or can't resume care when the agreement ends.

Section 13 of the CFCSA also says that:

  • sexual abuse or exploitation includes being encouraged or coerced into prostitution,
  • situations with family violence increase the likelihood of physical harm to the child,
  • emotional harm means that a child shows severe anxiety, depression, withdrawal, self-destructive or aggressive behaviour, and
  • a child does not need protection just because of socioeconomic conditions like poverty, lack of housing, or a parent's health condition.

Family violence as a protection concern

The CFCSA uses the term "domestic violence" instead of family violence. The MCFD has acknowledged, in its Policy on Best Practice Approaches: Child Protection and Violence Against Women, that women and children are disproportionately impacted by domestic violence. MCFD policies around the issue of violence against women are aimed at:

  • keeping mothers safe by connecting the child's safety to the mother's safety whenever possible,
  • keeping children with the non-abusive parent,
  • providing the non-abusive parent with supportive services so they can safely care for the child,
  • preventing further violence,
  • offering an integrated approach for meeting a child's safety needs,
  • providing supportive services to the non-abusive parent, and
  • keeping their safety a parallel consideration through MCFD proceedings.

If a non-abusive parent, usually the mother, is concerned that the other parent may commit violence, they should prioritize their own safety and the safety of their children. If the non-abusive parent is in immediate danger they should call 911. The non-abusive parent can also contact VictimLINK at 1-800-563-0808 to access safety planning resources. The non-abusive parent also has an obligation to report the child protection concern to MCFD. In any of these cases, it is critical to obtain legal advice as soon as possible about the available options.

The child protection process

Legal Aid BC has helpful factsheets and other information about the child protection process. See the Resources and Links heading under this section.

What happens if you are reported to MCFD or an Indigenous authority

A parent may be reported to MCFD or an Indigenous authority because of a protection concern.

If the concern involves an Indigenous child, the local Indigenous authority may conduct its investigation under Indigenous law, customs, and traditions.

Legal help for reported parents

It is important that parents who are reported for a protection concern get legal advice as soon as possible. Getting legal advice about your rights with the MCFD early in the process is important, for sure, but getting legal advice in the later stages of an investigation is even more important!

You can contact Legal Aid BC to find out if you qualify for a free lawyer. Contact your local Parents Legal Centre at 1-888-522-2752, or find a lawyer who represents parents in child protection proceedings. If Legal Aid BC determines you are not eligible for a lawyer for your child protection matter, you may be able to apply to the courts and ask that a lawyer be appointed to represent you. This request for lawyer representation is called a JG application.

When a court considers a "JG application," it decides whether or not to appoint a lawyer for someone who was denied legal aid, but is facing a complicated child protection hearing and cannot afford to pay for a lawyer themself. You can find the necessary forms and application materials for a JG application on the Legal Aid BC website. The person applying must be found to be indigent in order to succeed in their application. Being found to be "indigent" is not limited to rare or exceptional cases, but does depend on the financial and other circumstances of the person applying.

Child protection investigations

A social worker's first step when starting an investigation is usually to contact the person who is the subject of the report. They may decide to visit the child's home, interview one or both parents, and interview the child. They may also ask the parent for the names of other people they can talk to about the parent's parenting abilities, called collaterals. These collateral witnesses could be the child's family doctor, teachers, daycare provider, counsellor, or family members. The social worker may reach out and contact some or all of these collateral witnesses in the course of their investigation.

At the end of the investigation, the social worker will reach one of three conclusions.

  1. No concern: the social worker may close the file due to a lack of protection concerns, and give you a letter outlining this conclusion, which you should keep in a safe place.
  2. Some concern: the social worker may start with a lower level of intervention, including providing support services to the family in the home and making referrals to outside social agencies.
  3. High concern: the social worker may be concerned enough to take more control by supervising the parent's care of the child, starting a court proceedings, or even removing the child.

If the social worker concludes that there is a protection concern, you should contact a lawyer immediately to learn more about your rights.

What happens if a protection concern is found

If the social worker investigating the report is sufficiently concerned about the child's living conditions, a risk of harm, or a parent's unwillingness to cooperate with their investigation, then they may take further actions such as:

  • supervising the parent’s care of the child with various terms and conditions that one or both parents must follow,
  • beginning court proceedings, or
  • removing the child temporarily or permanently from the parent’s care and placing the child temporarily or permanently with relatives, a foster family, or a group home.

If the MCFD has taken a child out of a parent's care, they must start a child protection action in court and seek a court order approving the removal. They need to serve the parent with court documents. All child protection proceedings are held in the Provincial Court and follow special rules called the Provincial Court (Child, Family and Community Service Act) Rules.

Remember that:

  • it can be critical to get legal advice about your legal rights in relation to the MCFD as early in the process as possible, and getting legal advice becomes more important as the investigation goes on,
  • if your child is removed, the Child Protection and Removal script from People's Law School's Dial-a-Law website talks about parents' legal rights and explains steps you can take, and
  • Legal Aid BC's illustrated booklet Parents' Rights, Kids' Rights: A Parent's Guide to Child Protection Law in BC outlines the child protection process.

Orders for supervision

The MCFD may ask the court to make a protective intervention order that:

  • allows them to supervise the child's care on a continuing basis the on-going supervision of the child, imposes conditions like daycare, services for the parent, and allows the right of the MCFD to visit the child in the home,
  • prohibits a person from contacting, interfering with, or living with a child, or entering the child's home,
  • requires the police to enforce the order, and
  • allows them to remove a child if the parent fails to comply with the terms of a supervision order.

Orders for child removal

Where protection concerns are more serious, the MCFD may immediately remove the child from the home and set a presentation hearing within seven days to have the court review that decision. At the presentation hearing, the court may order that:

  • the MCFD have temporary custody of your child,
  • the child be returned to you, under the supervision of the MCFD,
  • the child be returned to you, or
  • the child be placed in the care of someone other than yourself.

To learn about the rest of the child protection process and the other hearings involved when the MCFD intervenes to remove a child, read Legal Aid BC's booklet Parents' Rights, Kids' Rights: A Parent's Guide to Child Protection Law in BC

The Indigenous child protection process

In 2022, the CFCSA was changed to better respect the rights of Indigenous communities to provide their own child and family services, and to help keep Indigenous children safely connected to their cultures and communities.

The guiding principles in section 2 of the CFCSA include two provisions that are specific to Indigenous families:

  • section 2(b.1) recognizes that Indigenous families and their communities share responsibility for the upbringing and well-being of Indigenous children, and
  • section 2(f) says that Indigenous children are entitled to learn about and practice their traditions, customs, and languages and belong to their Indigenous communities.

Reported protection concerns can be investigated by an Indigenous authority in accordance with that community's Indigenous law, customs, and traditions. In these cases, the MCFD is not the authority dealing with Indigenous children. (Note that in older versions of the CFCSA, Indigenous peoples were referred to using the term Aboriginal, and you may still see that term in some child protection publications in the province, as well as online.)

If you or your child is Indigenous, and you have been reported to MCFD or are otherwise involved with MCFD, you can get a lot more information from Legal Aid BC. See the materials listed under the Resources and Links under this section, or visit the Aboriginal Legal Aid in BC website pages on child protection.

If you are reported to MCFD or an Indigenous authority, they might conclude there's enough concern to supervise your care of the child, start court proceedings, or remove the child. If this happens, you should contact the Parents Legal Centre or a lawyer immediately to learn more about your rights.

Resources and links

Legislation

Resources

Links


This information applies to British Columbia, Canada. Last reviewed for legal accuracy by Kim Hawkins, Vandana Sood, Elizabeth Cameron, and Rosanna Adams, 16 June 2023.


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