Helpful Information on Child Protection in BC

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Child Protection in BC from People's Law School is no longer available. For updated coverage of this topic, see Dial-A-Law's page on child protection and removal.

Where to get help[edit]

Comprehensive Child Support Service If you live in the Kelowna, Nanaimo, Vancouver or Surrey areas and need to find out more about child support, and obtaining or changing a child support order or agreement, the new Child Support Officer can help. Child Support Officers help you understand the child support guidelines and calculate what you are entitled to receive or must pay under those guidelines. Kelowna: 250.712.3636

Vancouver: 604.660.2084
Nanaimo: 250.741.5447
Surrey: 604.501.3100
Toll-free: 1.888.227.7734

Family Justice Counsellors Family Justice Counsellors can mediate issues involving parenting arrangements, contact, child support and spousal support. Family Justice Counsellors don’t provide legal advice. They will refer you to legal services if you need them. Family Justice Counsellors can also make referrals to other sources of help. Call Enquiry BC to find the nearest Family Justice Centre.

Greater Vancouver: 604.660.2421
Greater Victoria: 250.387.6121
Elsewhere in BC: 1.800.663.7867

Family Maintenance Enforcement Program (FMEP) FMEP is a government service that enforces orders and agreements for child support and spousal support. If necessary, staff will take action to try to ensure that the payor makes the required payments. To register with FMEP, you need an enrolment package. You can get the enrolment package at any Provincial Courthouse, Service BC Centres, Ministry of Social Development offices or FMEP at the central Enrolment Office. Enrolment Office:

Box 5100
Victoria, BC V8R 6N3
250.220.4040
Toll-free: 1.800.663.3455
www.fmep.gov.bc.ca

Mediate BC Mediators are impartial and have no decision-making powers. The mediator’s roles include:
  • helping the parties to define the issues in dispute
  • providing a neutral and appropriate location for the mediation
  • screening cases to ensure safety
  • managing the mediation process and keeping the discussion on track
  • helping the parties to communicate their interests clearly
  • helping parties reach an agreement
Mediate BC Society

Family Mediation Services
Lower Mainland:
604.684.1300
local 23
Toll-Free: 1.877.656.1300
fms@mediatebc.com
www.mediatebc.com

Ministry of Children and Families Development of BC The Ministry provides programs and services to ensure that healthy children and responsible families are living in safe, caring and inclusive communities. Victoria:

250.387.7027
Toll-Free: 1.877.387.7027
www.gov.bc.ca/mcf
MCF.CorrCorrespondenceManagement@gov.bc.ca

Parenting After Separation Program The Parenting After Separation Program is a free, three-hour information session that parents (and other family members, such as grandparents) may attend in person. You do not have to attend the same program session as the other parent. The Parenting After Separation Program is also available online. www.familieschange.ca,br/>

To find out more about Parenting After Separation, talk to a Family Justice Counsellor.

Parent Support Services

Society of BC

The Parent Support Services Society runs parent support circles around the province for parents who want to fi nd ways to have better relationships with their children. Lower Mainland:

604.669.1616
Victoria:
250.384.8042
Toll-Free: 1.877.345.9777 (9PSS)
office@parentsupportbc.ca
www.parentsupportbc.ca

PovNet Check the PovNet website if you need to find an advocate who has experience with child protection cases. An advocate can provide support, help make sure you are listened to, give you information about your choices and your rights, and explain how the Ministry works. www.povnet.org
VictimLink BC VictimLink BC is a toll-free, confidential, multilingual telephone service available across BC and Yukon 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It provides information and referral services to all victims of crime and immediate crisis support to victims of family and sexual violence. VictimLink BC provides service in more than 110 languages, including 17 North American aboriginal languages. Toll-Free: 1.800.563.0808

TTY: 604.875.0885
VictimLinkBC@bc211.ca
ww.victimlinkbc.ca

Getting Legal Advice[edit]

Access Pro Bono

Society of BC

Access Pro Bono volunteer lawyers provide free legal advice to persons who cannot obtain legal aid or afford a lawyer. Lower Mainland:

604.878.7400
Toll-free: 1.877.762.6664
help@accessprobono.ca
www.accessprobono.ca

JP Boyd’s BC Family Law Resource This website offers a comprehensive survey of family law, divorce law and the court process in BC. It’s written in plain language, with handy pop-up definitions for legal words and phrases. www.bcfamilylawresource.com

Blog: ww.bcfamilylawresource.blogspot.ca

Lawyer Referral Service The Lawyer Referral Service can give you the name of a family law lawyer near you who will give you a 30-minute consultation for $25. Greater Vancouver: 604.687.3221

Toll-free: 1.800.663.1919

  • Legal Services Society of BC (Legal Aid)
  • Family LawLINE
  • Publications/Media
  • Family Law in BC website
  • Family Duty Counsels
  • If your legal problem is covered under the legal aid rules and you are financially eligible, the Legal Services Society of BC will appoint a lawyer for you if you apply.
  • If you are a person with a low income experiencing a family law issue, you may be eligible for free legal advice from a family lawyer.
  • Helpful booklets and an online self-help kits for people dealing with family law issues.
  • Website contains detailed information about Family Law in BC.
  • Lawyers available to help people with lower incomes with their family law problems.
  • Lower Mainland: 604.408.2172, Toll-Free: 1.866.577.2525

www.lss.bc.ca/legal_aid

Native Courtworkers and Counselling Association of BC The Native Courtworkers and Counselling Association of British Columbia provides culturally appropriate services to aboriginal people and communities consistent with their needs. It includes advocacy for aboriginal families and youth, community outreach, training and workshops. Lower Mainland:

604.985.5355
Toll-Free: 1.877.811.1190
nccabc@nccabc.net
www.nccabc.ca

This information applies to British Columbia, Canada. Last reviewed for legal accuracy by People's Law School, 2014.


Child Protection in BC from People's Law School is no longer available. For updated coverage of this topic, see Dial-A-Law's page on child protection and removal.

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International Licence Basics of Child Support in BC © People's Law School is, except for the images, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International Licence.

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