Conclusion and Recommendations

Recommendations for systemic reform:

Recommendation 21: The BC government should undertake a review of the current breakdown in ministerial responsibilities over primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention supports to assess where responsibilities lie for prevention services. It should then amend legislation and mandates, and reallocate funding to fill the current gaps in service provision.

Conclusion and Recommendations

Recommendations for systemic reform:

Recommendation 22: The BC Human Rights Commission should undertake a review/inquiry into MCFD culture, training, policies, procedures, practices, and accountability mechanisms to assess whether MCFD policy and practice is in line with the Human Rights Code.

Conclusion and Recommendations

Recommendations for legislative reform:

Recommendation 23: MCFD should undertake a comprehensive legislative review of the CFCSA in order to bring the provincial child welfare standards in line with the federal minimum standards. It is essential that Indigenous communities and Nations are adequately consulted in the review process

Conclusion and Recommendations

Recommendations for legislative reform:

Recommendation 24: MCFD should amend the guiding principles of the CFCSA to ensure that children’s rights are not viewed as hierarchical but interdependent. The guiding principles should reect the holistic nature of children’s rights including the right of the child to maintain relationships with their family and community, the child’s right to support services, and the importance of maintaining the child’s relationship to their culture

Conclusion and Recommendations

Recommendations for legislative reform:

Recommendation 25: (c) consider the impact of family violence on the child and provide all the necessary services to the family in a manner that supports family members and prevents the need to remove the child from the custody of an abused family member.

Conclusion and Recommendations

Recommendations for legislative reform:

Recommendation 26: (c) having a disability

Conclusion and Recommendations

Recommendations for legislative reform:

Recommendation 27: MCFD should, in consultation with Indigenous communities and Nations, amend legislated timelines to allow for an opportunity to develop creative family plans;

Conclusion and recommendations

Recommendations for legislative reform:

Recommendation 28: Transition supports for families who have just had a child apprehended or returned

Conclusion and Recommendations

Recommendations for legislative reform:

Recommendation 29: (d) Where parents and Nations have identied less disruptive measures, the CFCSA should direct the Ministry to provide prompt, clear, and written reasons for rejecting these less disruptive measures.

Conclusion and Recommendations

Recommendations for legislative reform:

Recommendation 30: (b) Where the court determines that it is necessary to remove the child from the care of a parent or guardian, the court shall, before making an order, consider whether it is possible to place the child with a person or group in accordance with the order of preference of placements