Category: Child Protection

Conduct of Child Services is a Fair Consideration in Custody Hearings

Matters of child protection are extremely fraught and stressful for any family, and they can have a very significant and long-term impact on a child’s overall wellbeing and relationships. When the Director of Children’s Services intervenes by apprehending a child, they have a great deal of authority in deciding where the child will live and… Continue reading Conduct of Child Services is a Fair Consideration in Custody Hearings

Agreement Reached on Compensation for First Nations Child Welfare Discrimination

Nearly two years ago, we wrote about the ongoing fight of various First Nations communities to both take control of local child welfare matters as well as to secure compensation for children and families that had been harmed under Canada’s child welfare system. The claim originated in 2007 with a complaint filed jointly by the… Continue reading Agreement Reached on Compensation for First Nations Child Welfare Discrimination

Study Shows Child Marriage a Concern in Canadian Communities

In Canada, the legal age of consent for marriage is 18, however, many provinces have exceptions for those aged 16 and 17 if they have permission from parents and legal guardians. Marriage under 16 is illegal across the country, even if all parties consent. Despite the law, a recent study conducted out of Mcgill University… Continue reading Study Shows Child Marriage a Concern in Canadian Communities

ABPC: Federal Legislation Takes Precedent Regarding Notice in Indigenous PGO Matters

Our firm has written extensively on matters involving child apprehension and child protection of Indigenous and First Nations children in the past. Today we will focus on a recent decision of Alberta’s Provincial Court, which has provided much-needed guidance with respect to conflicting notice provisions relating to Permanent Guardianship Orders (PGOs) under provincial and federal… Continue reading ABPC: Federal Legislation Takes Precedent Regarding Notice in Indigenous PGO Matters

Child Apprehension Orders and a Guardian’s Right to Respond

In a previous blog, we had discussed the unfortunate circumstances involving the apprehension of children by Alberta’s Children’s Services and how the legal rules set out in the governing law not only permit for the child welfare authorities to obtain an order for the apprehension of children without any notice to the parents but also… Continue reading Child Apprehension Orders and a Guardian’s Right to Respond