Investigation

This section describes what happens if the Ministry of Children and Family Development proceeds with a child protection investigation and how you can best respond.

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Why the ministry investigates

If the social worker finds good reasons to worry about your child's safety as a result of his or her first assessment, then the ministry will proceed to a full child protection investigation.

The reasons for proceeding with an investigation vary widely. A lot depends on the child's age and the family's history. However, here are some of the usual reasons for a full investigation:

• Allegations of physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, or medical neglect
• Concerns that the child isn't properly supervised
• Evidence of emotional harm
• A child is lost or a runaway
• A child is homeless
• The parents refuse medical treatment for their child
• A child witnesses violence
• Violence occurs between adults or children in the home

In a full child protection investigation, the social worker looks for evidence to prove or disprove the complaint. He or she will look more closely at the following:

• Your responses and what your child says
• Your parenting, family history, health, and habits
• Your child's health and behaviour
• Records from any available source on any of the above

The law gives ministry social workers the right to get information from many different sources. They'll likely talk to both parents (including step-parents and live-in partners) and your child. They have the right to talk to your child alone, without your knowledge. They can also talk to your other children, babysitters, staff at your child's school, preschool or daycare, your relatives, neighbours, hospital staff, police, or your family doctor.

As much as possible, the ministry must avoid disrupting your life. However, social workers must talk to anyone who may have information about your situation, and they must examine any records relevant to the complaint.

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How to respond to a child protection investigation

As soon as you know that the ministry is carrying out a full investigation about your child or your parenting, you need to develop a response plan.

Start thinking about what is best for your child and the help you'll need. The following questions should help you to start planning:

• What did you try in the past that worked to solve or reduce the problem?
• What didn't work?
• What can you do differently to improve the situation?
• What resources do you know about? Can you use these resources now?
• Where can you find additional information?
• What support services is the ministry prepared to offer?
• What other support services are available for your family?

If the ministry says it's investigating but that your child is in no immediate danger, start by contacting a lawyer, advocate, or reliable family member or friend to help you plan for your first interview with the social worker.

With your advocate's help, draft a response plan that avoids disrupting your child's life. Your plan should:

• be as realistic as possible,
• fit with existing resources,
• answer the social worker's concerns,
• follow a realistic timeline for you, your child, and the resources you plan to use, and
• be affordable or funded through the ministry or other community services.

Tip: See our Tips on developing a response plan.

What happens next

At the end of its full child protection investigation, the ministry will decide whether your child needs protection. The following sections explain the ministry's two possible decisions.

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