Nova Scotia

For more information, please see the information sheet on Nova Scotia's child welfare system.

Overview

In Nova Scotia, the provincial Department of Community Services (DCS) provides child welfare services under the mandate of the Children and Family Services Act (CFSA) (1990). Services are provided by 21 local child welfare offices located in each county across the province. Mi’kmaw Family and Children’s Services (MFCS) provides child welfare and protection services to all 13 First Nations Reservations (Government of Nova Scotia, 2013). The Children and Family Services Regulations (2018) further describe specific policies and procedures for child welfare service delivery in Nova Scotia. The regulations also include all relevant government forms and applications for child welfare services within the province. 

Statistics
Nova Scotia: Children and youth in out-of-home care in 2022 1
Children in out-of-home careChild (0-18) populationRate per 1000
1, 180197, 3595.98

Child welfare services fall under the jurisdiction of provincial and territorial authorities, making it difficult to compile statistics at the national level.

The most notable variations between provinces include, mandate variation by jurisdiction with respect to the age to which children are eligible for service, differences in the length of time a child can receive out-of-home care and the definition of out-of-home care.

Reference List

1 Pollock, N., Ouédraogo, A., Trocmé, N., Hovdestad, W., Miskie, A., Crompton, L., Campeau, A., Tanaka, M., Zhang, C., Laprise, C., Tonmyr, L. (2024). Original quantitative research – Rates of out-of-home care among children in Canada: an analysis of national administrative child welfare data. Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada (44)4. https://doi.org/10.24095/hpcdp.44.4.02.

Reports
Title Year
Accountability Report 201-20: Department of Community Services
2017 Report Card on Child and Family Poverty in Nova Scotia
Provincial/Territorial Protocol On Children, Youth and Families Moving Between Provinces and Territories
Our Kids Are Worth It: Our Fifth Year-- Strategy for Children and Youth
Case Processing Times in Nova Scotia Youth Court
Child & Youth Strategy 2nd Annual Provincial Symposium: Summary Report
Nova Scotia Early Childhood Development Report 2008–2010 & Child Well-Being Report 2009
Our Kids Are Worth It: Our Fourth Year-- Strategy for Children and Youth
The Nova Scotia Child Poverty Report Card 2010
Report of the Domestic Violence Prevention Committee
Minister's Advisory Committee on Children and Family Services Act and Adoption Information Act
Improving Services for Children and Families: Report of the Child Welfare Steering Committee
Legislation
Links