With Building Stronger Families, which is our new approach on Child and Family Services, our first priority is really to try and keep families together and not result in apprehension situations. We have already started to see a decrease in the number of apprehensions, more voluntary agreements, more mediation, and fewer families being taken apart. However, yes, from time to time, we will still need to bring children into care.
Our work is directed by the Child and Family Services Act and all of the relevant standards within. Our focus is obviously in the best interest of the child and protecting children, as well as providing them with the services for the children as well as the families. The level of engagement with the family is really dependent on the many dynamics that may exist that are considered by all of our professional childcare protection staff as part of the assessment that I previously mentioned, as well as in the development of the care plan.
Our preference is always to work with the families as well as the kin, extended families. Sometimes there are reasons why doing this is not seen to be in the child's best interest and where sharing information could possibly create a risk of harm to the child. Those things must also be considered. I would be happy to read out the sections of the legislation that outline this exact information. It is in the Child and Family Services Act, in sections 71 through 74. I imagine that would take me longer than the time we have. I would encourage the Member and anybody from the public who is interested in the legislation to check out those sections.