Wayne Robertson
Building Better Communities, One Grant at a Time
SPOTLIGHT ON GOOD WORKS
The Notary Foundation Partners with Other Funders to Support the Child and Youth Legal Centre
T
he Society for Children and Youth of BC is in the process of launching a new provincial service: Child and Youth Legal Centre (the Centre). This initiative is made possible by a number of funders collaborating to support it. Funding support comes from the Law Foundation of British Columbia, the Law Foundation of Ontario Access to Justice Fund, the Law Society of British Columbia, the Office of the Representative for Children and Youth of British Columbia, and The Notary Foundation of British Columbia. This funding will support the establishment of the Centre, support it for a period of 3 years, and evaluate its work, after which the continuation of the service can be considered. • The Centre will provide legal services to children and youth in British Columbia. • Young people will be able to access legal services relating
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The Centre will open its office in the later part of 2017. The office will be based in the Lower Mainland, but its services will be available throughout BC. to family matters, child protection, and other children and youth law matters.
independent lawyer appointed, and paid for by government, to ensure that the child’s interests were represented in the hearing. That was a vitally important service that protected numerous children from some of the trauma associated with being caught in the middle of their parents’ battle. The family advocate service was eliminated over a decade ago, along with a number of legal aid family law services.
In British Columbia prior to 2000, in high-conflict family law cases it was possible for children to have an
Since that time, children’s voices have not been heard consistently, in family law matters, child protection matters, and not with respect to many other legal issues that affect them such as employment law, education, health care, bullying, dealing with police, privacy, and so on. The Centre, by providing a province-wide service that helps protect children—one of the most vulnerable groups in our society— will also bring British Columbia in line with other jurisdictions in Canada, including Alberta, Ontario, and New Brunswick that have children’s lawyer programs.
The Society of Notaries Public of British Columbia
Volume 26 Number 3 Fall 2017
• It is anticipated the Centre will provide direct legal services as well as address systemic issues. • There will be an emphasis on addressing the needs of Indigenous, immigrant and refugee, street-involved, and LGBTQ children and youth. The Centre will open its office in the later part of 2017. The office will be based in the Lower Mainland, but its services will be available throughout BC.
