Welcome and Opening Prayer
Bruce (Owii`lo`ly`eyum`gaudlth`ni`Ki`insque) Robinson — Family Support Elder/Cultural Advisor, Vancouver Aboriginal Child and Family Services Society, Vancouver
Child Protection Basics
- procedure — ticking boxes
- working Indigenous families
- report to court requirements
- tests to be met:
- for a presentation hearing
- for a protection hearing
- for an extension of an order
- for a Continuing Custody Oder (CCO)
- for rescinding a CCO
- for obtaining access—pre and post-CCO
- client relations, client management
- communications between director, director's counsel and parents' counsel
Corinne P. Feenie — Stewart Feenie, Vancouver
Katrina Harry — Lead Lawyer, Parents Legal Centre, Legal Services Society of BC, Vancouver
Questions and Discussion
Break
Welcome and Opening Prayer
Collaborative Practice in Child Protection
- mediations
- Family Case Planning Conferences (FCPC's)
- Family Group Conferences (FGC's)
- collaborative meetings
- Indigenous children and families
- continuum of collaborative practice
Lucinda Ferdon, MSW —Collaborative Practice, Ministry for Children and Family Development, Vancouver
Katrina Harry — Lead Lawyer, Parents Legal Centre, Legal Services Society of BC, Vancouver
Laura A. Matthews — Matthews Mediation, Mission
Questions and Discussion
Break
The Voice of the Child in Child Protection
- process by which you come to represent children in the care of the Director
- having children added as parties
- how you approach representing a child
- working with the Ministry
- independent legal advice
- Indigenous children
- the Child and Youth Legal Centre: mandate and purpose
- child advocate or child legal counsel—what is the difference
Donna Maser — Child and Youth Legal Centre, Society for Children and Youth of BC, Vancouver
Fiona M. Beveridge — Watson Goepel LLP, Vancouver
Questions and Discussion
Networking Lunch (Provided)
Pre and Post CCO Applications and Applying to Legal Aid
- s.54.01 permanent transfer of custody before a CCO
- s.54.1 permanent transfer of custody after a CCO
- post-CCO access applications
- s.54 cancelling a CCO
- adoption
- Indigenous families and cultural safety
- funding/financial implications process
- who gets legal aid
- what Legal Aid does/doesn't cover, including areas of discretionary coverage and how those are assessed
- what information and documentation an applicant should provide to Legal Aid intake
- options for a client who is refused Legal Aid coverage
Holly Anderson — Guardianship Manager, Vancouver Aboriginal Child and Family Services Society, Vancouver
Susanna A. L. Hughes — Family Law Services, Legal Services Society, Vancouver
Nadja P. Rence — Somers Poulin Hall, New Westminster
Robert Evans — RWE Law Corporation, Vancouver
Questions and Discussion
High Conflict Cases in Child Protection
- Family Law Act (FLA) and Child, Family and Community Service Act (CFCSA): where they collide
- dealing with high conflict cases in collaborative practice and in court
- when the Ministry is involved, what other remedies are there?
- returning to parent, guardians—who can you return to?
- Indigenous families and cultural safety
- case law update — J.P. v. B.G. case
Corinne P. Feenie — Stewart Feenie, Vancouver
Wendy Bernt — Pearlman Lindholm, Lawyers, Victoria
Jeffrey J. Speed — Lead Lawyer, Parents Legal Centre, Legal Services Society of BC, Surrey
Questions and Discussion
Break
Parental Capacity Assessments
- when and why PCA's are requested
- the PCA process
- pitfalls or challenges
- funding issues
- Indigenous families and cultural safety
- use of PCAs in court
Cory P. Hahn — Stewart Feenie, Vancouver
M. Todd McPherson — Parents Legal Centre, Legal Services Society of BC, Vancouver
Questions and Discussion
View From the Bench
• new Child Protection initiative at the Aboriginal Family Healing Court Conference in New Westminster
The Honourable Chief Judge Thomas J. Crabtree — Provincial Court of BC, Vancouver
The Honourable Judge Kathryn J. Ferriss — Provincial Court of BC, Surrey
Closing Comments