Families

Child and Family Services

If you think a child is being harmed or neglected, contact Child and Family Services (CFS) at 1 (866) 345-9241. In Winnipeg, contact (204) 944-4200.

NOTE: If this is an emergency, contact your local police emergency number.

If you are a parent in need of support with your children, contact the number above to get information about CFS in your area or see Child and Family Services Contacts.

How can we help you?

Who do I contact if I think a child is being harmed or neglected?

If this is an emergency, please call your local emergency police number.

For all other inquiries please contact a Designated Intake Agency (DIA) in your area. This interactive map provides contact information for all DIAs in Manitoba.

For information about the types and signs of child abuse use the following:

Who do I call if I want to contact my worker?

If you know the name of your worker and the agency they work for, you can call your worker directly by consulting the listing of Child and Family Services (CFS) agencies in Manitoba.

If you are not sure of the name of your worker or the agency involved, please contact your local Designated Intake Agency for further assistance.

How can I get information about why my child was apprehended?

It is important that you try to work with the CFS worker assigned to you, to understand the concerns which lead to the apprehension of your child(ren). This discussion might take place over a number of meetings or conversations, and should involve information about what might change the situation. It is important that you go to court and make every effort to understand your circumstances. If the reasons for apprehension cannot be resolved between you and the CFS agency, the courts will be asked to make decisions about the situation.

If your efforts to deal directly with the CFS worker are not successful, please see the section about questions or complaints.

What do I need to know about court?

Child and Family Services (CFS) will go to court to tell a judge why they believe they had to remove your children. You should get legal help (a lawyer) as soon as possible. If you can’t afford a lawyer, Legal Aid Manitoba may be able to help. Call 1-800-261-2960; or go to the website at: Legal Aid Manitoba.

You may be very upset at this time. It is important that you go to court to show that you care about what is happening with your children. If your children are 12 or older, they may be in the court room. The judge will want to hear what your children think of the plan for them. Child protection hearings are part of Family Court. Only people directly involved are allowed in the courtroom.

How do I get help if I am a child?

Are you being hurt?

If someone has just hurt you or is hurting you now in any way including physically, sexually or emotionally call your local police emergency number. If you are not being hurt but want to talk to someone about being hurt please call the Designated Intake Agency (DIA) or call your local emergency police number.

Do you need someone to talk to?

If you don’t know who to talk to and are looking for someone that will offer confidential advice, you might visit the Kids’ Help Phone website or call directly 24 hours a day 1-800-668-6868.

Do you have questions about the decisions being made for you?

The job of the Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth is to talk to you, listen to you and help you tell your side of the story - to help you have a say. They are on your side! For more information about what the Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth can do for you, please visit the Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth website.

Are you a child in care?

Voices: Manitoba's Youth in Care Network provides support, encouragement, and advocacy for youth in care as they move from being children in care to independence and beyond.

How do I get help if I am pregnant or a new parent?

No matter where you are on your parenting journey—whether you're thinking about starting a family, expecting a child, or already a new or experienced parent—visit the Manitoba 211 website and the Resources for Residents page for helpful information and services available throughout the province.

How do I become a Foster Parent?

Children who can’t live with their families (or extended families) need safe, supportive homes. The best thing for these children is to live with a foster family - a family (or person) who can accept, support and care for them as their own.

For more information on fostering, please contact The Kinship & Foster Family Network of Manitoba or your local child and family services provider.

How do I get help if I am a grandparent?

In December 2006, Manitoba’s Child and Family Services Act was amended to specifically address grandparents’ rights to apply for access. The legislation specifically recognizes that children can benefit from a positive, nurturing relationship with their grandparents. It also outlines possible kinds of access that can be granted and some of the factors the court may consider in deciding whether access is in the child’s best interests.

For more information on Manitoba laws on grandparents’ access refer to Family Law - Family Access to Children. For further information on the best interests of the child, refer to The Child and Family Services Act.

How do I report a critical incident involving a child in care?

As of October 15, 2015, The Child and Family Services Amendment Act (Critical Incident Reporting) is in force and it is mandatory to immediately report critical incidents, including serious injury or death, involving children in care. A critical incident is defined as an incident that has resulted in the serious injury or death of a child who:

who was in the care of, or received services from a CFS agency, or
whose parent or guardian received services from a CFS agency, at any time within one year before the critical incident.

Those who work or provide services to a child and family services agency or Authority, whether as an employee, volunteer, student trainee, foster parent, residential child care facility worker, in a place of safety, or any other capacity are required to report critical incidents. All of the information on the Critical Incident Report form is mandatory.

Reporting must be done immediately or within one hour of learning that a critical incident has occurred.
Foster parents must report the critical incident to the licensing and placing agencies by phone or fax.

Employees, service providers, volunteers and those providing care for a child at a family residence designated as a place of safety must report the critical incident to the responsible CFS agency. If the agency is not known, the critical incident report is made to the Director of Child and Family Services by phone (204-945-5320), or by faxing the form (204-945-7521).

(Residential child care facilities will report to the placing agency and the Director of Child and Family Services, and CFS agencies will report to their mandating CFS Authority and the Director of Child and Family Services.)

Who do I contact if I have a question or complaint about child and family services?

The Authority oversees all the work and services done by its agencies and has the job of making sure services work for children and families. In this role, each agency and its oversight Authority has an inquiry, complaint and resolution process.

When you have a question or concern about the services that a child and family service agency is providing, the best way to start is by talking with the CFS worker assigned to you. If you still have concerns or a complaint after talking to your worker, talk to your worker’s supervisor or the director of the CFS agency. If none of these give you the help you were looking for, then you can also call the CFS Authority.

If none of these are helpful to you, then you still have more ways available to help with your question or concern. These are the Child and Family Services Branch, the Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth, the Manitoba Ombudsman, and the Minister of Families. Each of these has a duty to listen to you and help you to work out your concern or complaint.