Helping parents understand their rights and responsibilities and increasing their knowledge and confidence when dealing with Child and Family Services (CFS).
Our child welfare legal information and CFS system navigation toolkits:
Navigating the child intervention system can be overwhelming and frightening, especially if you're facing the possibility of losing your child or if they've already been removed from your care. Our goal is to ease some of that stress by providing simple, current, and relevant legal information and resources for parents. Our toolkits cover everything from understanding your rights and responsibilities to strategies for interacting with (CFS) staff and understanding complex child welfare legislation.
"It can seem like the system is working against you as a parent, when you are trying to get your kids back. I was grateful for the support Rebecca and her team provided me and the information they gave me was so helpful in dealing with my caseworker. "
-FASC parent
Toolkits
Our resources are grounded in key legislation such as the Child, Youth, and Family Enhancement Act (CYFEA) and the Enhancement Policy Manual, alongside other pertinent laws. Developed collaboratively with input from parents with lived experience of the child welfare system, and reviewed by volunteer lawyers for precision, our resources are reliable and practical.
We offer two main types of toolkits: CFS system navigation toolkits, which provide general tips and strategies on CFS processes, and child welfare legal information toolkits, aimed at simplifying legislation and CFS policies. Download your free copy today!
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Alberta based community resources that offer legal advice, legal information or system navigation and other resources.
(This list is not exhaustive)
FAQ.
01
Are you able to represent me in court or provide legal advice?
We want to clarify that we are not lawyers, and cannot provide legal advice. We are social workers, and can only provide you with information and advocacy on the legislation, CFS policies and processes, and help you understand your rights and responsibilities. We have toolkits that provide general advocacy and system navigation information. If you require legal advice, we can assist you in connecting with one of our community partners who specialize in legal matters or information on accessing a Legal Aid Lawyer if needed.
02
Are you able to attend court with me or meetings with my caseworker?
At this time, we do not offer case management support nor are we able to attend court with you. We can provide you with toolkits, information's sheets and other resources. If you are already connected to a professional in the community, we can provide them with information on how best to support you. You can email Jessica at jessicab@familyadvocacysupportcentre.ca for more information.
