Your right to service

The Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act (called the Enhancement Act) is the law in Alberta that tells us when government steps in to provide a range of services, called interventions, to children, youth and families. This law states that a director (or someone acting on behalf of that person, usually a caseworker) is responsible for gathering information to decide if services should be provided, and, if so, what services. Intervention services are provided to help families care for their children and to ensure the safety and well being of children and youth.

If you are under the age of 16 and a caseworker decides you are in need of services, including protection services, AND you disagree with that decision, you can ask for the decision to be reconsidered through an administrative review.

If you are under the age of 16 AND a caseworker decides you are in need of services, but does not provide them, you can have that decision reconsidered through the Mediation or Informal Dispute Resolution process, an administrative review and/or you can appeal the refusal to provide services to the Appeal Panel.

If you are 16 to 17 years of age AND a caseworker refuses to do an assessment or investigation, or does an assessment or investigation and decides you are not in need of services, you can have either decision reconsidered through the Mediation or Informal Dispute Resolution process, an administrative review and/or you can appeal either decision to the Appeal Panel.

If you want an administrative review, you have to tell your caseworker within 30 days from when they told you the decision.

If you want to have the Appeal Panel review the decision, you have to give them your appeal form within 30 days from the time they told you about the decision.