In a joint submission, West Coast LEAF and Rise Women’s Legal Centre responded to the BC Law Institute’s (BCLI) Consultation Paper on Parentage. The Consultation Paper suggests reforms that will update and modernize BC’s parentage laws under Part 3 of the Family Law Act (FLA). Parentage is the legal relationship between a parent and child. … Read more Joint submission to the BC Law Institute on Parentage
West Coast LEAF, alongside other legal advocates, impacted parents, and front-line family support organizations, has written a letter to the Premier and Minister of Child and Family Development to voice serious concerns about amendments made to Ministry of Child and Family Development’s (MCFD’s) Out-of-Care Policy. In the fall of 2023, MCFD amended its Out-of-Care Policy … Read more Open letter on changes to MCFD’s Out-of-Care Policy on Extended Family Program Agreements
Today, we were at BC’s 2024 Budget presentation in Victoria on the unceded Coast Salish homelands of the Lekwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples to hear whether the government will implement our key recommendations. Lawsuit settlement provides some much-need support, but not enough Last week, we announced a historic win as the government settled our lawsuit brought … Read more Budget 2024: Historic legal aid expansion, but lots left to do
VANCOUVER unceded Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) homelands – More people in B.C. will soon have a historic level of access to legal aid services, including legal representation through a new family law clinic model and a significant expansion of legal aid eligibility criteria. The Province, Legal Aid BC (LABC) and the Centre … Read more Release: $29M legal aid expansion for people experiencing family violence
Vancouver, unceded Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) homelands – Earlier this week, the BC Supreme Court (BCSC) released a decision in Vancouver Aboriginal Child and Family Services Society (VACFSS) v R.R. that impacts how families can hold child welfare agencies accountable for discrimination. In November 2022, the BC Human Rights Tribunal ruled that … Read more Release: BC Supreme Court confirms Human Rights Tribunal jurisdiction, but sends Indigenous mother back for a rehearing
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When: November 21, 12:30-2:30 PM PT Who: What: Join West Coast LEAF, Courthouse Libraries BC, Stephanie Hodgson, and Rebecca McConchie in a discussion about the intersection between criminal law and child protection law. This webinar aims to provide the audience with an understanding of the overlap between Child, Family and Community Service Act matters and … Read more Webinar: The intersection of criminal and child protection law and practice
Vancouver, unceded Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) homelands – Today, West Coast LEAF will be at the BC Supreme Court, intervening in the review of a human rights decision concerning discrimination in the context of the family policing (or child welfare) system. The outcome of this judicial review has the power to impact … Read more Release: BC Supreme Court to review Human Rights Tribunal’s decision on discriminatory practice by child welfare agency
This project focused on building spaces for advocacy to improve outcomes for families engaged in the family policing system, as well as those who support them…
July 10, 2023 – For immediate release Vancouver, unceded Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) homelands – West Coast LEAF and Parents Advocating Collectively for Kin (PACK) are calling on the Ministry of Child and Family Development (MCFD) to end the harmful and discriminatory practice of involuntary drug testing of parents engaged with the … Read more Release: Rights Groups Urge BC Government to End Harmful and Discriminatory Involuntary Drug Testing of Parents