A brand new guidebook on child and family services law titled “Child and Family Services Law and Practice” has now been published by the Continuing Legal Education Society of BC. Current to May 15, 2024, the publication is aimed towards legal practitioners seeking guidance on “substantive law and procedure for child and family services matters” as well as “contextual issues underlying this practice area.” The guidebook addresses Indigenous jurisdiction over child and family services.
The guidebook aims to help readers access current legislation governing child and family services matters, identify relevant case law and key principles, and “understand the relationship between Canada’s colonial history of intervention with Indigenous children and families and the current child and family services system.” It also offers insights into incorporating principles of trauma-informed practice and “cultural humility” into individuals’ legal work.
Additionally, the guidebook features a complete annotated text of An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families, the Child, Family and Community Service Act, the Child, Family and Community Service Regulation, and the Provincial Court (Child, Family and Community Service Act) Rules, as well as checklists and forms and precedents to support child and family services lawyers in their practice.
Mandell Pinder LLP lawyer Crystal Reeves co-edited the guidebook and authored a chapter. MP lawyer Dawn Johnson also contributed a chapter.
For more information, or to order a copy, see CLEBC Online Store.