Legal Question in Family Law in Canada

Re: Children Aid

As noted on the LawGuru website, questions directed to this law firm can only be answered with reference to British Columbia law. In B.C. there is no such thing as Childrens' Aid, but we see no reason why Children's Aid would be different from the B.C. Ministry for Children & Families. In B.C. the Ministry workers certainly can, and often must, speak with children alone, without anyone else present. This is in the best interest of the children. If they say you must get counselling, you do not have to do so, but by not doing so you are telling the workers that you consider your own desires and feelings to be more important than the interests of your child. Why would you put yourself ahead of your child? The social workers are not likely to be involved if there is nothing amiss in your family; they have most likely identified a serious concern about your child's well-being, and what you see as harassment is most likely your resentment at being told you are not doing a good enough job as a parent. You have 2 choices:

1. Get therapy - it can not possibly hurt you and will probably, if you go willingly and not grudgingly, help you to gain insight into your parenting styles, and help you to adapt and change so that you can parent better, in your child's best interest, or

2. Refuse to get counselling which may well end up in your child being removed from you permanently.