CLE Online

Welcome and Land Acknowledgement (9:00 – 9:10)

Elder Maria Reed, Waabigekek Ikwe

Child Protection Basics (9:10 – 10:05)

• procedure—ticking boxes 
• working with 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 Order (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

Carley D. Gering — Director's Counsel, Legal Counsel, Director's Counsel Group, Legal Services Branch, Ministry of Attorney General, Victoria
Katrina Harry — Manager, Parents Legal Centre, Legal Aid BC, Vancouver

BREAK (10:05 – 10:20)

Childhood Trauma and the Developing Brain (10:20 – 11:20)

Dr. Matthew Carwana, FRCPC — Pediatrician, BC Children's Hospital and RICHER Program, Clinical Instructor, Division of General Pediatrics, UBC, Vancouver
Dr. Emily Fisher — Developmental Pediatrics Fellow, Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children, UBC, Vancouver
Dr. Christine A. Loock, FRCPC, DAB — Developmental Pediatrician, Associate Professor, UBC; Medical Director, BCCH Cleft Palate Program; Specialist Lead, BCCH RICHER Program, North Vancouver

Trauma-Informed Practice (11:20 – 12:00)

• types of trauma that may impact clients and ourselves: e.g., acute trauma, chronic trauma, system-induced trauma, traumatic grief, complex (developmental) trauma, vicarious trauma
• trauma arousal: the brain's stress response system
• recognizing potential trauma triggers
• the science of emotional contagion
• using brain science to implement trauma-informed approaches in our practice

Kim Hetherington — Practice Development Consultant, Guardianship/Children and Youth with Support Needs, Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT) Certified Phase I Clinician, Complex Care Intervention Program (CCI) Coach, Ministry of Children and Family Development, Abbotsford
Michelle Wywrot — Director of Provincial Practice, Ministry of Children and Family Development, Victoria

LUNCH (12:00 – 12:30)

Administrative Reviews of the Director's Decisions Under Section 93.1 of the CFCSA (12:30 – 1:00)

• administrative reviews within the context of MCFD's Complaints Program
• administrative review procedures
• future state of administrative reviews

Ray Bronson — Director of Administrative Reviews, Quality Assurance Branch, Office of the Provincial Director of Child Welfare, Ministry of Children and Family Development, Victoria

Client Crisis Management (1:00 – 1:30)

• ethical responsibilities
• practical considerations
• self-care

Katrina Harry — Manager, Parents Legal Centre, Legal Aid BC, Vancouver
Claire L. Marchant — Manager, Practice Support and Equity Ombudsperson, Law Society of BC, Vancouver
Sarah Sharp — Practice Advisor, Practice Support Department, Law Society of BC, Vancouver

BREAK (1:30 – 1:45)

Representation for Children (1:45 – 2:15)

• legal representation vs. views of the child
• issues for children with party status
• independent legal advice through Legal Aid BC

Alyssa Collins — Child and Youth Advocate, Society for Children and Youth of BC, Vancouver
Carley D. Gering — Director's Counsel, Legal Counsel, Director's Counsel Group, Legal Services Branch, Ministry of Attorney General, Victoria
Laura Hawes — Legal Counsel, Director's Counsel Group, Legal Services Branch, Ministry of Attorney General, Victoria

BREAK (2:15 – 2:25)

Bill C92 Overview and Case Law (2:25 – 3:15)

• significance of the Act
• structure of the Act
• national standards
• Indigenous jurisdiction
• strategies moving forward

Laura Hawes — Legal Counsel, Director's Counsel Group, Legal Services Branch, Ministry of Attorney General, Victoria
Crystal Reeves — Mandell Pinder LLP, Vancouver

BREAK (3:15 – 3:25)

Case Law and Practice Updates (3:25 – 4:35)

• Jordan's principle
• Charter issues
• appeals
• birth alerts
• virtual court appearances
  

Brian Dybwad — Parents Legal Centre, Legal Aid BC, Campbell River
Parveen K. Nijjar — Director's Counsel, Legal Services Branch, Ministry of Attorney General, Victoria
Madhvi Russell — Senior Manager, Jordan's Principle, Indigenous Service Canada, BC Region, Vancouver

Closing Comments (4:35 – 4:45)

Katrina Harry — Manager, Parents Legal Centre, Legal Aid BC, Vancouver
Parveen K. Nijjar — Director's Counsel, Legal Services Branch, Ministry of Attorney General, Victoria