Child Protection

Anyone who has a reason to believe that a child is being abused or neglected has a legal duty to report it. You are not expected to determine if a child is being abused or neglected, a trained social worker will make that determination. Members of the public are simply obligated by the law to report suspected abuse or neglect. If you do not report a suspicion of abuse or neglect, you could be fined up to $25,000, or get a jail term of up to 24 months, or get both a fine and a jail term.

You can report information to:

• any Social Services office;
• a community crisis centre or unit (check the inside cover of your phone book);
• a police officer; or
• a First Nations Child and Family Service Agency.