The Child Family and Community Services Amendment Act, 2002, recently enacted by the BC legislature, contains changes to Section 14 of the Act respecting the duty to report suspected child abuse. The changes to section 14 clarify the previous language but do not result in substantive changes. Under the old provisions, the duty to report in section 14 was set out in two parts. Both parts related to situations set out in section 13 outlining when protection is needed. The amendments clarify that the duty to report is engaged if a person has reason to believe that a child is in need of protection under any of the subsections of section 13. This section came into force by regulation on June 27, 2002.
British Columbia is observing a Day of Mourning today in response to the heartbreaking events in Tumbler Ridge earlier this week and we invite our community to honour the lives lost and stand alongside everyone affected.
Our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of the victims, the students and staff at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, the first responders, and the broader Tumbler Ridge community.
Resources, guidance for supporting conversations with children, a donation link, and a public condolence book can be found at gov.bc.ca/TumblerRidge.
