There are ten ATMs serving communities in British Columbia. To find a centre near you, look at the map below. “The root of many such cases is poverty – not neglect,” Harry said. “For example, sometimes a family just needs a decent roof over their heads, but because it`s hard to find good cheap housing, parents can lose their children. If we can solve the housing problem for a client, the children can be home. Parents` Legal Centres (CPEs) assist parents with child protection issues in the community. “The PLC assessments in Vancouver have shown a much more positive experience for clients going through this difficult and very stressful legal situation,” said Harry. “As a result, we have received funding from the Attorney General to expand our operations across the province.” Services include the provision of advice and representation of a lawyer in court, mediation and other cooperation meetings, as well as assistance to a lawyer throughout the process, including the provision of information, connecting parents with other services such as counselling, drug treatment or housing, and representation on their behalf. PRINCE GEORGE – A parental rights centre officially opened today in Prince George. The centre cares for families facing child protection problems in and around the city. “Not only will they help people with their legal affairs, but they will also help them solve some of the issues that often lead to safety issues for children,” she said. Aboriginal people make up only six per cent of British Columbia`s population.
But of the children in care in the province, 60 per cent are Indigenous. Of LSS`s legal aid clients whose children have been removed or threatened with deportation, 40% identify as Aboriginal. The Parents Legal Centre (PLC) provides a lawyer and advocate to help parents in some locations manage their child protection issues early and collaboratively (all working together). This booklet promotes and describes the Parents Legal Centre (PLC), a free service that helps parents address the social worker`s concerns. Describes the type of help you can get from a lawyer and a lawyer, and how to know if you are qualified. The centre, which helps parents when a child is at risk of removal from the parental home or has been removed by social workers for safety reasons, began providing services earlier this year and is now fully operational. Parent legal centres help parents resolve their child protection issues quickly and collectively by providing services at every stage of the child protection issue. While CPAs focus on Indigenous families, services are available to anyone who qualifies for legal aid. To find a centre near you, see the map below.
Enter your address or postal code, or click the Use My Location button, and then select the check box next to Parental Rights Centres. For more information on eligibility, see: lss.bc.ca/legal_aid/childProtection.php. The Centre takes a team approach. It provides legal services such as legal advice and representation before the courts, mediation sessions and other cooperation meetings. The centre`s Aboriginal Community Worker advocates on behalf of parents, assists them throughout the process, provides information and connects them with other services such as counselling, addiction treatment or housing. “The LPC is our response to the crisis of children in care in British Columbia, particularly Indigenous children,” said Gail Murray, vice-president of Indigenous services at the Legal Services Society (LSS), which provides legal aid in British Columbia and operates the centre. “Prince George was identified as a place where we could potentially make a difference by helping parents find ways to keep their families together wherever possible. The legal aid provider in British Columbia has opened a special office in Prince George to reduce the prevalence of Indigenous children in state care.
LSS lawyer Katrina Harry, who is Indigenous and opened the first LPC in Vancouver in 2015, said a team consisting of a paralegal, a lawyer and a lawyer are working with the family. Parents Legal Centres (PLC) provide a free lawyer and advocate to help parents address the social worker`s concerns about their children`s safety (child protection) from the outset. Together, they can help find solutions that work for the family. This service is offered to parents at any time after they are first contacted by the Ministry or a delegated Aboriginal organization. The first CPA opened at the Vancouver Provincial Court in 2015. There are now ten locations serving communities across British Columbia. DFC`s goal is to improve outcomes in child protection cases and, where appropriate, keep families together. The Prince George office takes a team-based approach that emphasizes early intervention.
For First Nations communities, the challenges can go even further. The centre spoke about the importance of understanding the culture and history of local First Nations. DFC`s lawyer and advocate can help you address the social worker`s concerns about your children`s safety (child protection) early on. Together, they can help you find solutions that work for you and your family. If a ministry social worker or delegated Indigenous agency contacts you or visits your home, you may be investigated. Anna, a young Indigenous mother, tells how a parental rights centre helped her remove her son from the Ministry`s care. Learn more about this video. The Prince George public limited company is part of an expansion project that was first piloted in Vancouver and Surrey. In addition to Prince George, LSS recently opened CPAs in Campbell River, Duncan, Kamloops, Smithers, Victoria, Williams Lake and Terrace. If you don`t live near an ATM, you can get help at a PLC network location in your community. PLC Network sites provide space and computer access so you can meet privately with a PLC lawyer or lawyer in person, by phone or video.
See the map below to find a place near you. There are ten automatons in British Columbia: Campbell River, Duncan, Kamloops, Prince George, Smithers/Hazelton, Surrey, Terrace, Vancouver, Victoria and Williams Lake. The PLC model was first tested in Vancouver, followed by a site in Surrey. In addition to Prince George, LSS PLC opened in Smithers, Campbell River and Duncan. CPLs will also open in Kamloops, Williams Lake and Victoria in 2019, and LSS`s regional office in Terrace will also provide PLC services.