CLE Online

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