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→The Child Protection Process in BC
==The Child Protection Process in BC==
Legal Aid BC has comprehensive factsheets and information about the child protection process. See the Resources and Links and Resources heading under this section.
===If you are reported to MCFD or an Indigenous authority===
A parent may be reported to MCFD or an Indigenous authority for a protection concern.
If an investigation is begun for an Indigenous child, the local Indigenous authority may conduct the investigation under Indigenous law, customs, and traditions, as set out in the provisions of the ''CFCSA''. You can learn more information on the Aboriginal Legal Aid in BC website, which is run by Legal Aid BC.
It is critical for parents who are reported for a protection concern to get legal advice as soon as possible.
You can contact Legal Aid BC to find out if you qualify for a free lawyer. Contact your local Parents Legal Centre at 1-888-522-2752 (1-888-LABC-PLC), or otherwise find a lawyer who represents parents in child protection proceedings. If Legal Aid BC determines you are not eligible for a lawyer for your child protection matter, you may be able to apply to the courts for a lawyer to be appointed. This is called a ''JG application''.
''JG applications'' ask the court to appoint a lawyer for someone who has been denied legal aid, but is facing a complicated child protection hearing and cannot afford a lawyer. You can find the necessary forms and application materials for a JG application on the Legal Aid BC website. The person applying must be found to be ''indigent'' in order to succeed in their application. Being found to be ''indigent'' is not limited to rare or exceptional cases, but it does depend on the financial and other circumstances of the person applying.