FAQ

Section 1 of the CFCSA sets out the values that underlie the whole Act, and they shape how social workers and caregivers are expected to act. They include children’s right to be protected from abuse, neglect, and harm; the family as the preferred environment for raising a child, with removal treated as a last resort; the provision of support services where a family can safely care for a child with help; the requirement that children’s own views be heard and seriously considered; the preservation of kinship and extended-family connections; the preservation of the cultural identity of Aboriginal children; and timely decision-making, since delay itself is harmful.

Section 3 adds principles for how services are delivered, such as informing families about available services and encouraging their participation, involving Aboriginal people in planning and delivering services to Aboriginal families, delivering services in culturally sensitive ways, and involving the community where possible. These principles explain many practical expectations you will meet, such as why the Plan of Care includes cultural considerations, why children’s views are sought, and why social workers treat you as a collaborative partner. When a decision seems unclear, it can help to ask which principle is in play.

Source: Foster Family Handbook

The CFCSA does not leave “best interests of the child” to individual interpretation. Section 4 defines it with seven factors that must all be considered together whenever a decision affecting a child is made: the child’s safety; their physical and emotional needs and level of development; continuity of care; the quality of the child’s relationships with a parent or other person and the effect of maintaining or disrupting them; the child’s cultural, racial, linguistic, and religious heritage; the child’s own views; and the effect of delay, since delay is itself harmful. No single factor automatically outweighs the others.

For Aboriginal children, Section 4(2) adds a further requirement: the importance of preserving the child’s cultural identity must be considered as a distinct factor. When you are asked about a child’s needs in the context of placement or care planning, the social worker is working through these same factors, and your observations about the child’s safety, development, relationships, and cultural identity feed directly into that assessment. If you think a factor is not being given enough weight, raise it with the child’s social worker or your resource social worker.

Source: Foster Family Handbook

Under Section 71 of the CFCSA, when a director decides where to place a child, the child’s best interests come first. Within that, a priority order applies: first, placement with a relative if it is consistent with the child’s best interests; then a placement where the child can maintain contact with relatives and friends; then placement in the same family unit as the child’s brothers and sisters; and then a placement that lets the child continue at the same school.

For Indigenous children, Section 71 sets a further specific order ahead of the general sequence: first with the child’s extended family or within their Indigenous cultural community; then with another Indigenous family if the child cannot be safely placed under the first option; and only then according to the general priorities above. This hierarchy reflects the CFCSA’s recognition that continuity of family, community, and cultural connection is part of a child’s best interests rather than a competing consideration.

Source: Foster Family Handbook

If an allegation of abuse is made against you, a formal protocol process is triggered, and your resource social worker will explain the specific steps that apply to your situation. You do not have to face it without support. CFS runs an Investigation and Resolution Support Team that connects you with a trained support person in your area who can accompany you through the process, answer questions, and offer personal support. This is available to all caregivers on Vancouver Island, whether or not you are a CFS member. You can reach the Investigation and Resolution Support Team Leader directly at 1-888-922-8437.

You can also be assisted in connecting with the BCFFPA, the FAFP, or your regional foster parent support agency for additional guidance, and MCFD has a responsibility to help you make those connections. For confidential consultation, the Foster Parent Support Line is available at 1-888-495-9122 (Monday to Friday 4:00 p.m. to 12:45 a.m.; weekends and statutory holidays 8:00 a.m. to 12:45 a.m.).

Source: Foster Family Handbook

No. You do not have to navigate a formal concern or review process alone. Your CFS Area Coordinator can provide guidance and support at any stage. As a caregiver you also have the right to access support of your choosing: the BCFFPA, the FAFP, or another support provider can advise you on any issue involving conflict resolution with the ministry.

Using these supports does not mean you are escalating the situation. It simply means making sure you have the information and backing you need to resolve it effectively.

Source: Foster Family Handbook

Disagreements between caregivers and MCFD staff are a normal part of fostering, and most are cleared up through regular, ongoing contact with the social workers. Start by bringing your concern directly to the relevant social worker, the child’s social worker, your resource social worker, or both. Describe it clearly and give them a chance to respond. Concerns about things like service plans, family access, medical care, education, discipline, placement moves, or closure of your home are all legitimate to raise, and most resolve at this informal stage.

If informal discussion does not resolve the matter, you or the social worker can make a formal written request for it to be reviewed by a manager not involved in the situation. If that still does not produce a satisfactory outcome, you may write directly to a director, including the child’s name and date of birth, how long they have been with you, the details of the concern, and the steps already taken to resolve it. You will be informed of the decision in writing. For matters of administrative fairness, the independent Ombudsperson of BC (ombudsman.bc.ca) is also available.

Source: Foster Family Handbook

Getting around the local community where the child normally lives is transportation; trips outside that community are travel. Whenever plans involve travelling out of the community, consult the child’s social worker beforehand, and travel outside the province or country requires the social worker’s written authorisation. A child cannot travel outside BC without a “permission to travel” letter from the social worker, which states the child’s legal name and status. For children in care by agreement, you also need written authority from their parents or guardians.

No child may travel outside Canada without the social worker’s approval. Passport handling depends on legal status: for children in care by agreement the parent or guardian applies, while for children in permanent or temporary care either you or the social worker may complete the application, with a letter of permission from the social worker if you apply. Travel medical insurance must be arranged for any child travelling outside BC; if you buy it yourself, discuss reimbursement with the social worker and your resource social worker before purchasing.

Source: Foster Family Handbook

Whether the trip is local or long-distance, the driver must hold a valid Class 5 licence, or a valid Class 7N licence with full adherence to all graduated licensing conditions. The vehicle must be reliable, mechanically sound, safely maintained, and carry a minimum of one million dollars in third-party liability insurance. Children should sit in the middle of the rear seat whenever possible, since front seats carry greater risk, and must be properly secured in seat belts or correctly installed car or booster seats appropriate to their age and size.

A Class 7N driver may only drive alone or with one passenger (immediate family exempt) unless supervised by someone aged 25 or over with a valid Class 1 to 5 licence, with no blood alcohol, no electronic devices including hands-free, and the “N” sign displayed at all times.

Source: Foster Family Handbook

For a vacation outside the province, inform the social worker well in advance so they can obtain any necessary permissions, including parental consent if required. The regular family care payment generally covers the child’s share of family vacation costs, and financial assistance may be available for unusually expensive trips. Summer camp requires the social worker’s authorisation, plus parental approval if guardianship is retained; if camp costs exceed what the family care payment reasonably covers, the social worker may be able to arrange payment for fees and equipment. Foster parents may sign waivers of liability for negligence in relation to camp activities.

Air travel must be prearranged with the social worker. Before booking, discuss who pays for the ticket and how, ticket pickup, transport to and from the airport, and the full schedule. If you cannot accompany the child, the social worker may arrange a volunteer driver or escort, and the child’s maturity is assessed if they are to travel alone. High-risk or wilderness activities such as hunting also require the social worker’s written authorisation and the guardians’ consent.

Source: Foster Family Handbook

BC law requires every child to be properly secured in a certified restraint suited to their age, weight, and height. Infants and young children must ride in a rear-facing car seat until they are both at least 20 pounds (9 kg) and at least 1 year old; both conditions must be met, so age alone is not enough. A child who is at least 1 year and 20 pounds but under 40 pounds (18 kg) rides in a forward-facing car seat. A child must stay in a booster seat until they reach either a height of 4 feet 9 inches (145 cm) or an age of 9 years, after which they may use the seat belt alone.

All children 12 and under should be in the back seat, the safest position in almost all accidents. Seats must be installed and used according to the manufacturer’s instructions, since even a correctly installed seat with loose harness straps offers less protection. ICBC and many fire departments offer free car seat inspections, and these are legal requirements, not recommendations.

Source: Foster Family Handbook