British Columbia
In British Columbia, the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) provides child welfare services under the mandate of the Child, Family and Community Service Act (1996). Child protection services in British Columbia are provided through 429 ministry offices in five regions and 22 delegated Aboriginal agencies (MCFD, 2011). The Adoption Act (1996), Infants Act (1996), and the Representative for Children and Youth Act (2006), are other legal acts that relate to the well-being and protection of children in British Columbia. There are 22 Aboriginal child welfare agencies that provide child welfare services and an additional eight agencies that are in start up or planning stages. Of the total 30 Aboriginal child welfare agencies, 23 are First Nations agencies, four are Métis agencies, and three are urban Aboriginal agencies. The Federal government is responsibility for funding services to First Nations children and families living on-reserve. For more information, see the information sheet British Columbia's child welfare system.