Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker,
I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that Bill 22, An Act to Amend the Child and Family Services Act, be read for the second time. Mr. Speaker, this bill amends the Child and Family Services Act to:• provide that voluntary support services agreements may be entered into with persons who are 16 to18 years of age and who reside with their parents;• provide that a court order may be made with respect to a person who is apprehended and who attains the age of 16 years before the protection concerns that led to the apprehension have been dealt with;• clarify and expand the grounds on which a child may be considered to be in need of protection;• clarify the duty to report that a child may be in need of protection and to require that all reports respecting a child who may be in need of protection are investigated;• extend the time limits for establishing a plan of care committee, entering into a plan of care agreement and making an application to a court respecting a child who is in need of protection;• provide that a person who is under investigation for or has been charged with or convicted of an offence with respect to a child who is the subject of a plan of care committee or a person who is a member of a plan of care committee or who is restrained from having contact with such a person, is ineligible to sit on the committee;• provide that the applicable aboriginal organization receives a copy of an originating notice of an application for a declaration that an aboriginal child is in need of protection, but not the affidavit in support of the application, and receives a copy of an order placing an aboriginal child in the permanent custody of the director ;• provide that the applicable aboriginal organization may make representations respecting a plan of care for the child;• enable a child protection worker and a person who has been granted access under the terms of a court order to apply to the court for a variation of the provisions of the order that relate to access;• clarify the provisions respecting the confidentiality of and disclosure of information under the act, and in particular to clarify that the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act does not apply to the disclosure of information received, obtained or retained by persons under the act;• provide that the provisions of the act with respect to the confidentiality of and disclosure of information apply to information obtained under the Child Welfare Act;• provide for the appointment of deputy directors; and • make other minor amendments.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.