Biindigen. Tawâw. Tunngasugit. Pee-piihtikweek. Iyskin. Wa’twanonhwerá. Bienvenue. Welcome.
In 2019, Parliament passed An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families (the Act). The Act is federal legislation that affirms the inherent right of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples to exercise jurisdiction over child and family services. It establishes minimum national standards, including the principles of the best interests of the child, cultural continuity, and substantive equality. The overall goal of the Act is to address the overrepresentation of Indigenous children in foster care and the child welfare system across Canada.
In May 2025, Legal Aid Ontario partnered with Windsor Law to strengthen legal education and representation for Indigenous families involved in the child welfare system. Windsor Law secured a grant from the Law Foundation of Ontario to support this project. The project seeks to address existing barriers in child protection law, particularly by providing the education and professional development needed as First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities and Indigenous Governing Bodies develop and implement their own child and family well-being laws under the Act.
The Law Foundation of Ontario grant supports efforts to build culturally competent legal support networks, including this publicly available website. The website is intended as a resource for parents, families, communities, and legal service providers seeking information and support in navigating child and family services.
Materials on this website have been prepared with the support and assistance of Legal Aid Ontario, University of Windsor Faculty of Law research assistants and Faculty, University of Saskatchewan College of Law Professor Jamsey Patrick and Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN), as well as many private bar lawyers across Ontario working in this area of law.
