Delegated Aboriginal agencies

A child's hand being clasped by the hands of adults.
Delegated Aboriginal agencies

If a social worker contacts you or visits your home to ask you questions about your family, they might work for a delegated Aboriginal agency. Delegated Aboriginal agencies have an agreement with the Ministry of Children and Family Development to provide certain child welfare services to Aboriginal communities.

If the social worker's concerns are very serious, the social worker might take your child from your home.

You have the right to get legal advice. Call Legal Aid BC immediately to find out if you qualify for a free lawyer and an advocate through a Parents Legal Centre.

What's a delegated Aboriginal agency?

What's a delegated Aboriginal agency?
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Delegated Aboriginal agencies:

Child protection laws in BC recognize the importance of Aboriginal family ties to Aboriginal children. Delegated Aboriginal agencies are part of an effort to restore the responsibilities of child protection and family support to Aboriginal communities.

What do delegated Aboriginal agencies do?

Delegated Aboriginal agencies might offer the following services:

  • support services for the whole family
  • help with preparing a voluntary care agreement for your child
  • help with writing, monitoring, and reviewing your child's plan of care
  • help with writing special needs agreements for your child if your child has special needs
  • monitoring how your child is doing while they're in foster care
  • help for youth who are moving toward independence

Some delegated Aboriginal agencies also have the power to:

  • get and look into reports of child abuse and neglect
  • get supervision orders to make sure your child is safe and healthy
  • take your child from your home and place them in a relative's care, such as an aunt, uncle, or grandparent
  • deal with social workers to place a child for adoption

Where can I find a delegated Aboriginal agency?

Aboriginal delegated Aboriginal agencies work with families living on reserve and off reserve across BC. Your band office or government agent office in your community might have the name of the delegated Aboriginal agency in your area.

You can also check a full list of the delegated Aboriginal agencies in BC on the ministry's website.

What can I do if a social worker has contacted me?

What can I do if a social worker has contacted me?
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You have the right to get legal advice if a social worker from the ministry or a delegated Aboriginal agency:

  • contacts you or visits your home to ask questions about your family
  • threatens to take your children away
  • takes your children away

Call Legal Aid BC

Child protection matters are covered by legal aid. Call Legal Aid BC immediately at 1-866-577-2525 or 604-408-2172 (Greater Vancouver) to find out if you qualify for a free lawyer and an advocate through a Parents Legal Centre.

If you don't qualify for a lawyer, there are other free legal aid resources available to you.

Ask for support

You can ask for support from your Aboriginal community throughout the child protection process:

  • If you're being investigated by the ministry and your band or Aboriginal community is represented by a delegated Aboriginal agency, you can ask the ministry to inform the delegated Aboriginal agency of the investigation.
  • Whether you're being investigated by the ministry or a delegated Aboriginal agency, you can ask for a representative from your band or friendship centre who will support you during the investigation. This representative can help your child stay connected to their Aboriginal family and community.

Ask for a mediator

A mediator can help you work with the ministry. A mediator is a professional who's specially trained to:

  • not take sides,
  • help people reach an agreement, and
  • help people work out conflicts.

You can ask for a mediator as soon as the social worker has contacted you.

Mediation is free for families who are involved with the ministry. Mediators can travel to remote communities. For more information, see Mediation.

Get help

Parents Legal Centre — Provides a free lawyer and an advocate to help parents in select locations address the social worker's concerns about their children's safety (child protection) early on

Legal Aid Family Duty Counsel — Lawyers paid by Legal Aid BC who can help people with low incomes with their family law issues, and can give free legal advice, but can’t take on your whole case or represent you at trial

Representative for Children and Youth — Provides support for children, youth and families

See more

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Child and family services

Mediate BCChild Protection Mediation Program and a list of child protection mediators in BC

Community support services

Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation — See their Guide to Indigenous Organizations and Services in British Columbia — Organizations that can help

Crisis support and counselling

Hope for Wellness Help Line — Free, experienced, and culturally competent help — Call 1-855-242-3310 (24 hours every day)

Health and wellness

BC Association of Friendship Centres — Find a friendship centre in your area

Parent Support Services Society of BC — Gives support to parents and caregivers, and has a support line for grandparents raising grandchildren — Call 1-855-474-9777

Victoria Native Friendship Centre — Free legal clinic, including family matters — Call 250-412-7794

Legal help

Indigenous community legal workers — Give legal information and limited advice services

Access Pro Bono Law Clinics — Free legal help

BC211 — Free confidential referrals to help and information — Call 211

Bella Coola Legal Advocacy Program — Legal advocacy, including child protection

Department of Justice Indigenous Justice Program — Alternatives to mainstream justice processes

Family duty counsel — Free legal advice — Kwadacha and Tsay Key Dene — Call 1-877-601-6066

Family duty counsel — Free legal advice on family matters — Williams Lake — Call 778-395-6200

First Nations and Métis Outreach Program (The Law Centre, University of Victoria) — Free legal help, including family matters — Victoria

Lawyer Referral Service — Helps you find a lawyer to take your case — Call 604-687-3221 (Greater Vancouver) or 1-800-663-1919 (elsewhere in BC)

Legal aid navigators — Support and referral services

Native Courtworker and Counselling Society — Advocate on behalf of Aboriginal parents in family matters — Prince George and Terrace

PovNet — Information about poverty issues and links to organizations that can help

UBC Indigenous Community Legal Clinic — Free legal help on various legal matters — 604-684-7334 (Greater Vancouver) or 1-888-684-7334 (elsewhere in BC)

Upper Skeena Counselling Legal Assistance Society — Free legal help — Hazelton