Information for Community Care Facilities
Last updated on April 11, 2017Licensed Community Care Facilities in B.C. may accept non-resident children and youth, however, approval for the placement must first be obtained from the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) under section 18 of the Community Care and Assisted Living Act. This requirement applies to all licensed facilities that provide educational or health care services (e.g., drug and alcohol or eating disorder treatment) to out-of-province children and youth who are under 19 years and who will reside in a care facility while in B.C. As defined in section 17 of the Infants Act, health care means any treatment for therapeutic, preventive, palliative, diagnostic, cosmetic or other health-related purpose or care plan.
Approvals
Before services commence, a licensee must obtain approval from the ministry's Director of Child Welfare. The approval forms vary, depending on a facility’s services (health or education) and whether the child or youth can give their own consent. Under the Infants Act (s.17), minors must understand the risks and benefits of a health-care plan and care providers must determine that the plan is in the best interests of the child or youth.
The director must receive all required documentation and consent forms - which must be signed, dated and witnessed by a notary public or lawyer – before approvals are granted. All forms and a table summary are available at the right menu and the approval process is outlined below.
Approval Process
The Director of Child Welfare aims to respond to licensee applications within one month from the date the request package is received, for requests involving one child, and within two months for multiple children.
Information Requirements
The following information must be included in all forms:
1. Facility Information
- name of facility and mailing and street addresses
- contact information: names, positions, telephone number(s), email
2. Child/Youth Information
- full legal name and date of birth
- address of home residence
- contact information in B.C.
3. Child/Youth Guardian Information
- full name of parent(s) or guardian(s)
- mailing address including postal code
- contact information: telephone number(s), email
4. Emergency contact information: name and phone number
5. Child/Youth current location: town/city and street address
6. Placement Dates: the proposed placement date in the facility and the departure date for the child/youth from the facility.
7. Child/Youth who is able to consent
- copy of the child’s/youth’s consent to placement for health-care treatment or participation in an educational program.
- copy of the child’s/youth’s acknowledgment that the health care (benefits and risks) or educational program has been explained to her/him.
- copies of the child’s/youth’s acknowledgment that she/he may withdraw consent at any time, and acknowledgment that she/he understands their right to leave the facility at any time.
- copy of the child’s/youth’s acknowledgement that they’re aware of the Child’s Helpline phone number and can call the helpline at any time.
8. Child/Youth who is unable to consent
- copy of the parent/guardian consent to placement for health-care treatment or participation in an educational program.
- copy of the parent/guardian acknowledgement that they have explained to the child/youth the name and purpose of the facility and the type of health care the child/youth will receive and the benefits and risks.
- copies of the parent/guardian acknowledgement that they may withdraw consent for the placement at any time and acknowledgement that they have the right to withdraw their child/youth from the facility at any time.
- copy of the parent/guardian acknowledgement that their child/youth is aware of the Child’s Helpline phone number and understands they can call the helpline at any time.
Instructions for Health Services
- Facility: a B.C. facility providing health services (as defined in s.17 of the Infants Act) and wishing to admit a non-resident child/youth must complete the Request for Director Approval for a Community Care Facility Providing Care form (CF1900).
- Child/youth who is able to give consent: the child/youth must complete the Youth Consent to Attend a Community Care Facility within British Columbia form (CF1901), consenting to receive treatment before they can be placed in the facility.
- Child/youth who is unable to give consent: the parent/guardian must complete the Parent Guardian Consent for their Child/Youth to attend a Community Care Facility within British Columbia form (CF1902), consenting to the treatment before their child/youth can be placed in the facility.
- Temporary Guardianship: if the parent/guardian has appointed a temporary guardian in B.C., a notarized document must be attached that provides the name and contact information for the guardian and that is signed by the parent/guardian.
Approval process for facilities providing health services: the licensee must submit the following documents to the Provincial Director of Child Welfare to determine if the child/youth can attend the facility to receive treatment:
- Form CF1900;
- Form CF1901 or CF1902;
- Temporary Guardian document (if applicable), and
- English translations of consent form and Temporary Guardian document (if necessary), also notarized, along with the originals.
Instructions for Educational Services
- Facility: a B.C. facility providing educational services and wishing to admit a non-resident child/youth must complete the Request for Director Approval for Educational Services from a Community Care Facility form (CF1903).
- Child/youth who is able to give consent: the child/youth must complete the Youth Consent to Education Services at a Community Care Facility within British Columbia form (CF1904), consenting to participate in a program before they can be placed in the facility.
- Child/youth who is unable to give consent: the parent/guardian must complete the Parent/Guardian Consent for their Child to attend a Community Care Facility for Educational Services within British Columbia form (CF1905), consenting to participation in the program before the child/youth can be placed in the facility.
- Custodianship: a copy of the completed and notarized Citizenship and Immigration Canada form 5646, Custodianship Declaration – Custodian for Minors Studying in Canada (pgs. 1 and 2) must be submitted in both the parent’s/guardian’s original language with the English translation (if necessary).
Approval process for facilities providing educational services: The licensee must submit the following documents to the Provincial Director of Child Welfare to determine if the child/youth can attend the facility to receive services:
- Form CF1903;
- Form CF1904 or CF1905;
- A photocopy of the notarized form 5646 Custodianship Declaration – Custodian for Minors Studying in Canada (pgs. 1 and 2); and
- English translations (if necessary) of the consent form and Custodian Declaration form, also notarized, along with the originals.
Submission Instructions
The Director of Child Welfare will not grant approval for incomplete requests; please ensure the following required documents are included in the Request Package:
- Licensee’s request form (CF1900 or CF1903)
- Applicable consent forms, which must be signed, dated and witnessed by a notary public/lawyer (CF1901 or CF1902/CF1904 or CF1905)
- Applicable Temporary Guardianship form or a photocopy of a notarized Custodianship Declaration – Custodian for Minors Studying in Canada (form 5646)
- Notarized English translations (if necessary) of all forms/documents
Send the complete Request Package to:
Provincial Director of Child Welfare
PO Box 9767, STN PROV GOVT
Victoria, B.C. V8W 9S5
Facility Obligations
Under the Child, Family and Community Service Act, licensees are required to immediately notify the Provincial Director of Child Welfare if a child/youth indicates they have withdrawn consent or if there is a change to any of the required information.