Appendices

Appendix 1: Information to Note

About Us

For online information about the ministry visit: http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/about_us/index.htm.

Key Contact Information

For telephone numbers and addresses of ministry offices see the provincial government blue pages of a telephone book, or view the information online: http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/regions/index.htm. The mailing address for the Ministry of Children and Family Development is: PO Box 9721 Stn Prov Govt Victoria, B.C. V8W 9S2.

Helpline for Children in British Columbia

Phone 310-1234, free from anywhere in the province anytime; to use the telephone device for the deaf, dial 1 866 660-0505. The Helpline for Children provides round-the-clock access to professionals to respond to concerns that a child under the age of 19 years may be abused. Abuse can be abandonment, desertion, neglect, ill-treatment or failure to meet physical, emotional or medical needs. Calls can be anonymous — and abuse can be stopped. For online information visit: http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/child_protection/reporting_child_abuse.htm.

Adoption Site — for information on adopting one of B.C.’s waiting children

For information on adopting a child, phone toll-free in B.C.: 1 877 ADOPT 07 (1 877 236-7807) or phone a nearby ministry office. Hundreds of children in the permanent care of the ministry are waiting to be adopted into permanent, loving families. Applicants do not need to be married, wealthy or a certain age to adopt a waiting child. Please phone today for information or visit: http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/adoption/index.htm.

Be a Foster Parent — B.C.’s foster parents make a positive difference for vulnerable children in need

For information, phone the B.C. Federation of Foster Parent Associations’ Fosterline at 1 800  663-9999 (outside B.C. phone 1 604 660-7696) or the Federation of Aboriginal Foster Parents toll-free at 1 866 291-7091. For online information visit: http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/foster/index.html.

Child Care B.C. Helpline — for information on child care

For information and referrals for B.C. child care programs and services for parents and child care providers phone 1 888 338-6622. For online information visit: http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/childcare/.

Autism Site — for information for parents on Autism Spectrum Disorders

For online information visit: http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/autism/index.htm.

Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP) Site — for information on early childhood development research

For information on the Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP) an interdisciplinary research partnership related to early child development visit: http://www.earlylearning.ubc.ca/.

Appendix 2: Glossary of Terms

ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION (ADR): an option for resolving family differences instead of going through the court system. Examples include family group conferencing and mediation.

CHILD AND YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH: refers to children and youth with mental disorders that interfere significantly with daily functioning, such as anxiety disorder, conduct disorder, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, any depressive disorder, substance abuse, pervasive development disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, Tourette’s disorder, any eating disorder and bipolar disorder.

CHILD CARE: refers to the care and supervision of a child in a child care setting, other than: a) by the child’s parent; or, b) while the child is attending an educational program provided under the School Act or the Independent School Act.

• LICENSED CHILD CARE: refers to child care spaces that are licensed under the Child Care Licensing Regulations of the Community Care and Assisted Living Act. It includes any group or family child care provider licensed in B.C. These regulations govern safety and health factors and the factors related to the delivery of child care, including: the qualifications of the caregiver; the group size; and the ratio of qualified caregivers to the number of children that are permitted. The Ministry of Health is responsible for licensing child care facilities.
• LICENCE-NOT-REQUIRED CHILD CARE: child care providers that provide care to less than three children are not required to have a licence and are not subject to qualifications or standards for education as set out in the regulations of the Community Care and Assisted Living Act. These providers are encouraged, but not required, to register with the Child Care Resource and Referral program. Registration means that these caregivers have met a number of important requirements including: criminal record checks; character references; a home-setting review; a physician’s report on their physical and emotional capacity to care for children; and first aid training.
• REGULATED CHILD CARE: refers to programs that meet safety and health standards that are established and monitored by provincial governments. It includes both licensed child care that is monitored by the Ministry of Health licensing officers and licence-not-required child care that is registered with the Child Care Resource and Referral program.

CHILD-IN-CARE or CHILDREN-IN-CARE: refers to any child under 19 years of age in the care of the Director under the Child, Family and Community Service Act.

CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS: children with special needs have significant impairments in one or more of the following areas: health, cognition, behavioural, communication, sensory motor, social/emotional/behavioural or self-help (adaptive), and require specialized supports to enhance or improve their health, development or participation in daily activities at home, school and in their communities.

DELEGATED ABORIGINAL AGENCIES: refers to Aboriginal agencies with delegated child welfare authority under the Child, Family and Community Service Act.

FAMILY DEVELOPMENT RESPONSE (FDR): an alternative to child protection investigations that focuses on parental involvement, assessing a family’s strengths and risks, and providing services as required by the child and family. These may include parenting programs, anger management, counselling, mental health and other services.

HIGH-RISK YOUTH: refers to youth aged 16 to 18 who experience significant and often multiple challenges in their transition to adulthood such as sexual exploitation, alcohol and drug misuse, living on the street, and mental health problems.

KITH AND KIN AGREEMENT : a written agreement between a social worker and a child’s extended family member or other person known to the child, to care for and financially support the child’s living arrangement. The child is not under government care and the parent remains the legal guardian. The parent agrees to this arrangement and is involved in the child’s care plan.

MENTAL ILLNESS and MENTAL DISORDER: used interchangeably to mean any emotional, behavioural, or brain-related condition that causes significant impairment in functioning as defined in standard diagnostic protocols.

OUT-OF-CARE OPTIONS: options, including kith and kin agreements, that can be utilized either to prevent a child coming into the child welfare foster care system, or to leave the foster care system to be cared for by someone other than the parent.

REGIONAL ABORIGINAL CHILD AND FAMILY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITIES: authorities that have the responsibility for the governance and delivery of regional services to Aboriginal children and families.

SEXUALLY EXPLOITED YOUTH: refers to a person under the age of 19 who has been manipulated or forced to engage in sexual activity in exchange for money, drugs, food, shelter or other considerations.

SUPPORTED CHILD DEVELOPMENT: a range of consulting and support services that support children with special needs to participate in inclusive community child care settings, including preschool.

YOUTH IN CONFLICT WITH THE LAW: refers to a person who, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, appears to be twelve years old or older, but less than eighteen years old, who is charged under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, with having committed an offence while he or she was a young person, or who was found guilty of an offence under this Act.