IFISC
Perspectives on Indigenous child welfare.
Analysis, context, and policy insight from the team building Canada's first Indigenous-led child welfare certification standard.
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Why Canada Needed an Indigenous-Led Child Welfare Standard
Indigenous children are 7.7% of Canada's child population and 53.8% of children in foster care. IFISC is the first certification standard built entirely by Indigenous practitioners to begin closing that gap.
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53.8%: The Number That Made IFISC Necessary
Statistics Canada's 2021 Census confirmed that Indigenous children are 53.8% of children in foster care while representing 7.7% of the child population. IFISC was built to address the accountability gap behind that ratio.
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What Bill C-92 Means for Indigenous Families — And Why a Standard Is Still Missing
Bill C-92 gave Indigenous communities the legal right to exercise jurisdiction over child welfare in 2020. IFISC provides the measurable standard that makes that jurisdiction operational at the provider level.
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The Seven Pillars of IFISC: A Framework Built from Lived Experience
IFISC measures child welfare providers across seven pillars: health, rights, Indigenous law, family reunification, culture, community accountability, and crisis intervention. Each pillar was built from what families said was missing.
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Garrett McMartin: Why an Indigenous Entrepreneur Chose to Build a Child Welfare Standard
Garrett McMartin is a Semiahmoo First Nation member, entrepreneur, and director of KFT-Families Society. He joined the IFISC board because he believes the accountability tools that build trustworthy markets belong in Indigenous-led child welfare.
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What Cultural Safety Actually Means Inside a Foster Home
Cultural safety in child welfare means more than cultural activities. IFISC defines it as active language support, facilitated ceremony access, maintained kin connections, and community-verified accountability. Here is what the standard requires.
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From a Weekly Circle to a National Standard: The Story Behind KFT-Families Society
KFT-Families Society grew from a peer support circle for Indigenous parents navigating child welfare, started in 2019. Seven years of weekly meetings with families shaped every pillar of the IFISC standard.
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How IFISC Certification Changes Placement Decisions for Indigenous Children
IFISC certification gives judges, MCFD workers, and families a verified, community-backed standard to evaluate child welfare providers. It changes placement decisions by introducing accountability where previously none existed.
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What to Do If MCFD Knocks on Your Door
If a Ministry of Children and Family Development worker arrives at your home, you have rights before you open that door. Here is what Indigenous parents in BC need to know before, during, and after an MCFD visit.
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Your Rights During a Child Welfare Investigation in BC
If MCFD has opened an investigation into your family, you have specific rights under the Child, Family and Community Service Act and under Bill C-92. This is what Indigenous parents in BC need to know.
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Can MCFD Remove My Child Without a Court Order in BC?
Under BC's Child, Family and Community Service Act, MCFD can remove a child in certain circumstances without a prior court order. Indigenous parents need to know exactly when this applies and what their rights are the moment it happens.
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What Is a Gladue Report and How Does It Help Indigenous Families in Child Welfare?
Gladue reports document the systemic factors that affect Indigenous people's lives. In child welfare proceedings, a Gladue report can provide courts with the context that bare facts alone cannot. Here is what Indigenous parents need to know.
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How Bill C-92 Protects Indigenous Families in Child Welfare
Bill C-92, in force since January 2020, gives Indigenous communities the right to make their own child welfare laws. For Indigenous parents, it creates rights that must be recognized in every child welfare proceeding involving their family.
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What Is Kinship Care and How Can an Indigenous Family Member Care for My Child?
Kinship care places a child with a relative or someone from their family's community instead of a stranger. For Indigenous families, kinship care is one of the most important tools available to keep children connected to their identity and kin.
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How to Get Your Children Back from Foster Care in BC
Reunification with your children after a child welfare removal is achievable, but it requires a clear plan and consistent action. Indigenous parents in BC have specific rights and resources that can support the path home.
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Signs a Foster Home Is Not Culturally Safe for Your Indigenous Child
Cultural safety is not a feeling — it is a set of measurable practices. Indigenous parents have the right to know whether their child's placement is actively supporting cultural identity or quietly eroding it. These are the signs to watch for.
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How to Keep Your Children Connected to Culture While They Are in Foster Care
When an Indigenous child enters care, the risk of cultural disconnection is real and immediate. As a parent, there are concrete steps you can take during visits and through advocacy to protect your child's cultural identity.
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What Happens at a Child Protection Conference in BC?
A child protection conference is a meeting where decisions about your child's safety and care plan are made. Indigenous parents have the right to participate. Here is what to expect and how to prepare.
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How to File a Complaint Against MCFD in BC
If MCFD has acted unlawfully, failed to follow its own policies, or treated your family in a way that caused harm, you have the right to file a formal complaint. Here is the process for Indigenous families in BC.
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What Is the Child, Family and Community Service Act and How Does It Affect Indigenous Families?
BC's Child, Family and Community Service Act (CFCSA) is the law that governs when and how the government can intervene in family life. Indigenous parents need to know what it says — and where their rights within it sit.
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How to Find Indigenous Legal Help in BC for Child Welfare Matters
Indigenous parents in BC facing child welfare proceedings have access to free and low-cost legal resources. Here are the organizations that can help, what they offer, and how to reach them.
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What Is a Family Reunification Plan and How Do You Make It Work?
A family reunification plan is the document that outlines what you need to accomplish before MCFD will return your children. Understanding how to read it, negotiate it, and execute it is essential for every Indigenous parent in BC with children in care.
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How to Request an Indigenous Cultural Support Worker from MCFD
An Indigenous cultural support worker can accompany you to meetings, advocate for your cultural rights, and help ensure your child's placement supports their cultural identity. Here is how to request one and what to do if the request is denied.
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What Is a Temporary Custody Order in BC Child Welfare?
If MCFD applies to court for custody of your child, a Temporary Custody Order (TCO) is the most common first legal step. Here is what it means, how long it lasts, and what your rights are when one is issued.
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Preparing for Child Protection Court as an Indigenous Parent in BC
Child protection court is formal, fast-moving, and unfamiliar to most parents who appear there for the first time. Indigenous parents need specific preparation to participate effectively and protect their rights.
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Free Support Resources for Indigenous Parents Navigating Child Welfare in BC
Indigenous parents in BC do not have to navigate the child welfare system alone. This is a directory of free and low-cost resources — legal, cultural, peer, and community-based — available right now.
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How to Choose a Culturally Safe Foster Provider for Your Indigenous Child
If your child must be placed outside your home, you have the right to advocate for where they go and who cares for them. Here is what cultural safety looks like in a foster provider, and the questions to ask before a placement is made.
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Indigenous Family Preservation: What the Research Actually Shows
Research on Indigenous child welfare in Canada consistently shows that family preservation produces better outcomes than removal. Here is what the evidence says and what it means for how providers should be working with Indigenous families.
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My Neighbor Called MCFD on Me — What Happens Now?
A report to MCFD from a neighbor or anyone else triggers a process you need to understand. Here is exactly what happens after a report is made, what MCFD is required to do, and what your rights are from the first contact.
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MCFD Wants to Drug Test Me — Do I Have to Agree?
MCFD often requests drug or alcohol testing during a child welfare investigation. Understanding what you are legally required to do, what happens if you refuse, and how to protect yourself is critical before you respond.
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Can MCFD Talk to My Children at School Without Telling Me?
MCFD has the legal authority to interview children at school without parental consent in certain circumstances. Here is what the law allows, what your children's rights are, and what you can do when this happens.
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MCFD Says My Home Is Unsafe — What Does That Mean Exactly?
When MCFD tells you your home is unsafe, they are making a specific legal assessment that triggers defined next steps. Understanding exactly what they mean, what the standard is, and how to respond can determine whether your family stays together.
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MCFD Is Threatening to Remove My Children If I Don't Leave My Partner
Being told to choose between your children and your partner is one of the most devastating things MCFD can say to a parent. Here is what the law actually requires, what your options are, and how to protect yourself and your children.
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My Child Said Something at School and Now MCFD Is Involved — What Do I Do?
When a child discloses something at school that triggers a mandatory report to MCFD, the investigation that follows is stressful and fast-moving. Here is what to expect, what your rights are, and how to respond effectively.
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MCFD Wants to Do a Home Inspection — What Are They Actually Looking For?
A home visit from MCFD is not a white-glove inspection. Understanding what they are legally assessing, what the actual standards are, and what you can do before they arrive can make a significant difference.
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MCFD Says My Housing Situation Puts My Children at Risk — What Are My Options?
Housing instability is one of the most common reasons MCFD cites for child welfare involvement. But poverty is not neglect under BC law. Here is what the legal standard actually is, what MCFD can and cannot do, and what resources exist to address housing quickly.
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MCFD Says My Mental Health Puts My Children at Risk — What Can I Do?
A mental health diagnosis or a mental health crisis does not automatically mean your children are at risk. Here is what MCFD must demonstrate, what your rights are, and how to build a record that shows you are a safe parent.
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My Children Were Just Taken by MCFD — What Do I Do in the First 24 Hours?
The first 24 hours after your children are removed are the most critical in the entire child welfare process. Here is exactly what to do, in order, to protect your rights and your children's safety.
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MCFD Won't Tell Me Where My Children Are — What Can I Do?
After a removal, you are legally entitled to know where your children are placed. If MCFD is withholding this information, here is how to compel disclosure and what to do when you cannot get an answer.
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Can I Visit My Children While They Are in Foster Care?
Contact between children and their parents during foster care is a right — but one that MCFD can shape and restrict. Here is what you are entitled to, how to request more contact, and what to do if visits are being denied without justification.
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My Children Have Been in Care for Six Months — What Happens Next Legally?
Six months is a critical threshold in BC child welfare proceedings. Here is what changes at six months, what MCFD is required to do, and what decisions are approaching that you need to prepare for.
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MCFD Wants to Place My Children With a Non-Indigenous Family — Can I Stop This?
Indigenous children have specific legal protections regarding cultural placements under both BC and federal law. Here is what you can do when MCFD proposes a placement that does not reflect your children's cultural identity.
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I Can't Afford a Lawyer for My Child Welfare Case — What Are My Options?
Legal representation in child welfare proceedings is not only for people who can pay. Here is every free and low-cost legal resource available to Indigenous parents in BC, and how to access them before your first court date.
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I Missed My Court Date for My Child Welfare Case — What Do I Do?
Missing a court date in a child welfare case is serious but not irreversible. Here is what happens when you miss a hearing, what MCFD can do as a result, and the steps to take immediately to limit the damage.
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What Is a Supervision Order in BC Child Welfare and How Does It Affect My Family?
A supervision order allows your children to remain at home while MCFD monitors your family. It is less severe than removal but comes with real conditions and consequences. Here is what it means and how to navigate it.
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MCFD Is Applying for a Continuing Custody Order — What Does That Mean for Me?
A Continuing Custody Order is MCFD's application for permanent legal custody of your children. It is the most serious step in BC child welfare proceedings. Here is what it means, what the legal process looks like, and what you must do right now.
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The Court Ordered Me to Take Parenting Classes — Will This Actually Help Me Get My Children Back?
Parenting classes are one of the most common conditions in BC child welfare cases. Here is what they actually demonstrate to MCFD and the court, how to choose the right program, and what else you need to do alongside them.
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How Do I Get a Court Order Changed in a BC Child Welfare Case?
Court orders in child welfare cases are not permanent by default. Here is how to apply to vary an order, what the court requires to change conditions, and when a variation is most likely to succeed.
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MCFD Says I Need to Complete a Program Before My Children Can Come Home — Which Programs Actually Matter?
Reunification plans in BC child welfare typically require completing specific programs. Here is how to identify which conditions carry the most weight, how to document your completion, and how to avoid completing programs that do not move your case forward.
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My Supervised Visits With My Children Keep Getting Cancelled — What Can I Do?
Consistent contact between parents and children during foster care is a legal requirement that MCFD must actively support. If your visits are being cancelled repeatedly, here is how to document the pattern and hold MCFD accountable.
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MCFD Is Transitioning My Children Back Home — What Should I Expect?
A transition plan marks the beginning of reunification but it is not the end of MCFD's involvement. Here is what the transition process looks like, what MCFD will be watching for, and how to make the return home as stable as possible.
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My Children Say They Don't Want to Come Home — What Are My Rights?
When children in foster care express a preference to stay in their placement, it complicates reunification but does not end your parental rights. Here is what the law says about children's views, what drives this preference, and how to respond.
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My Child Is in Foster Care and Losing Their Indigenous Language — What Can I Do?
Language loss in foster care is one of the most documented forms of cultural harm to Indigenous children. It is also legally recognized as a harm that MCFD is required to prevent. Here is how to formally demand cultural and language supports for your child.
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My Child's Foster Family Knows Nothing About Our Nation — Who Do I Complain To?
A foster placement that is culturally disconnected from your child's nation is a placement that is failing your child. Here is who has jurisdiction to act, how to make a formal complaint, and what to demand as an alternative.
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Can My Child Attend Ceremony and Cultural Events While in Foster Care?
Your child's right to participate in ceremony, cultural events, and spiritual practices does not stop because they are in foster care. Here is the legal basis for that right and how to enforce it when MCFD or a foster family resists.
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How Do I Get My First Nation Involved in My Child Welfare Case?
Under Bill C-92, your First Nation has specific rights to be notified and involved when a member's child enters the child welfare system. Here is how to trigger that involvement and what it can mean for your case.
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My Child Is Being Raised in a Different Religion in Their Foster Home — What Are My Rights?
Indigenous children in foster care have the right to their own spiritual and cultural practices. When a foster placement imposes a different religious framework, that is a cultural rights violation. Here is how to identify it and what to do.
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I Am Leaving an Abusive Relationship — Will MCFD Take My Children?
Leaving an abusive relationship should never cost you your children. Here is what BC law actually says, how to navigate MCFD involvement while leaving, and what protections exist for Indigenous parents in exactly this situation.
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I Am Struggling With Addiction — Will MCFD Take My Children?
Addiction does not automatically mean your children will be removed. What matters to MCFD and the courts is whether your children are safe — not whether you use substances. Here is what the law actually says and how to protect your family.
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I Am Homeless or Couch-Surfing — Will MCFD Take My Children?
Homelessness is not neglect under BC law. MCFD must offer supports to families experiencing housing instability before removing children. Here is what your rights are, what MCFD is required to do, and what resources can help you get housed quickly.
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I Am in Jail — What Happens to My Children?
Incarceration triggers immediate questions about your children's care. Here is what happens legally, what rights you retain, and how to ensure your children are placed with family rather than entering the child welfare system.
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I Have a Mental Health Diagnosis — Will That Affect My Child Welfare Case?
A mental health diagnosis is not grounds for child removal in BC. What matters is whether your diagnosis affects your ability to parent safely right now. Here is how to demonstrate parenting capacity with a mental health condition.
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I Am a Young Parent — Is MCFD More Likely to Remove My Children?
Young parents — especially young Indigenous parents — face disproportionate scrutiny from MCFD. Here is what the research shows, what your legal rights are, and how to protect your family from bias in the child welfare system.
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My Grandchildren Were Taken by MCFD — How Do I Become Their Caregiver?
As a grandparent, you have the legal right to be considered as a kinship caregiver for your grandchildren. Here is the process for applying, what MCFD will assess, and how to navigate the system to keep your grandchildren in the family.
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My Sister's Children Were Removed by MCFD — How Can Our Family Get Custody?
When a sibling's children are removed, extended family members can apply to be kinship caregivers. Here is how to navigate the process, what MCFD will assess, and how to act quickly enough to prevent placement with strangers.
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I Am a Kokum and I Want to Raise My Grandchildren — What Does BC Law Say?
Grandmothers have always been central to the raising of children in Indigenous communities. BC law and Bill C-92 recognize this role. Here is how to formally assert your right to care for your grandchildren through the child welfare system.
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Can My First Nation Intervene in My Child Welfare Case Under Bill C-92?
Bill C-92 gives First Nations, Inuit, and Métis governing bodies the right to be involved in child welfare matters concerning their members — and in some cases, to exercise jurisdiction over them entirely. Here is what that means and how to trigger it.
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My Band Office Isn't Helping Me — What Other Indigenous Resources Exist?
When your band office is unresponsive, under-resourced, or not equipped to help with child welfare matters, there are other Indigenous-led resources that can step in. Here is a full directory of alternatives across BC.
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