British Columbia - British Columbia (Child, Family and Community Service) v S.H., 2020 BCPC 82 (CanLII) (Whyte J.)
Director of Child, Family and Community Service applied for Continuing Custody Order (CCO) for three Indigenous children, order opposed by mother – mother had tragic childhood including nutritional/hygiene issues due to neglect, suspected FAS but no conclusive diagnosis, history of drug/alcohol abuse – concerns for children include neglect, family violence, substance abuse – suspected Fetal Alcohol Effect (FAE) in two children – children have been removed from the mother’s home several times – cognitive assessment of mother revealed serious communication/judgment impairments, learning/memory difficulties, symptoms consistent with FAS – court found mother unable to care for children – mother took no steps to improve her parenting ability – foster parents strive to maintain children’s connection to their cultural heritage – CCO granted, supervised access order granted