First Nation Child and Family Well Being Law Drafting, Advice and Band Representative Programs

With the introduction of changes in funding under the Ontario Final Settlement Agreement and movement away from existing child welfare systems to self governance, First Nations are faced with many new issues and opportunities relating to the provision of child and family services.  Some of these opportunities include drafting their child wellbeing laws, navigating away from existing CAS/Indigenous child and family service providers, developing transition and devolution plans, empowering community members to work in roles addressing child wellbeing, establishing or revitalizing existing Band Representative programs to better support children and families.

With extensive experience in both First Nations governance and child welfare, Paquette and Associates is uniquely situated to provide practical legal advice to First Nations on the following:

• developing policies and procedures for Band Representative and Family Advocacy Programs;
• providing training for existing Band Representative and Family Advocacy programs to ensure that staff understand their role within court and out of court processes;
• establishing Protocols between Agencies and First Nations as First Nations navigate the transition away from provincially funded child welfare agencies for children and families today;
• drafting or providing legal advice on First Nations child welfare laws so that future child wellbeing services can be administered to community members by community members; 
• leveraging legal knowledge of child welfare practices and labour and employment to assist First Nations in employing and supporting their community members to do this important work;
• providing legal advice on the Federal Act and the Child Youth and Family Services Act (“CYFSA”) including data collection and management.