Child Protection Laws in Alberta

• Alberta has laws designed to protect children from abuse.alberta flag image by Jeff from Fotolia.com
  
  In the Canadian province of Alberta, children are protected from abuse and exploitation by Provincial law. The main laws designed to protect children are the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act, the Drug Endangered Children Act and the Protection of Sexually Exploited Children Act. The laws define when the Alberta Children Services should intervene in a situation where a child's well-being is at risk.
  
  

The Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act

• A child, or youth, is defined as a person under the age of 18 by the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act. Section 1 of the act defines circumstances where Alberta Children Services may intervene, in the best interests of a child, to secure the safety of the child. These circumstances include situations where a child has been abandoned, or is lost, or where the child's guardian is dead and no other guardian is available to care for the child. The agency also given the power to intervene in situations where a child is considered to be at risk of neglect or abuse by a guardian, including where the child is at risk of sexual abuse. In situations where a child's guardian is emotionally harming the child, or where a guardian is inflicting cruel and unusual treatment upon a child, again Children Services is empowered to intervene by the act.
  
  

Drug-Endangered Children Act

• A drug-endangered child is defined as a child whose guardian allows the child to be exposed to, inhale, or in any other way ingest any substance that the guardian is using to manufacture an illegal drug. The child is also endangered if a guardian allows the child to have access to premises or remain on premises where illegal drugs are stored or made. Where a guardian uses the child in drug-trafficking activity, the child is considered to be an endangered child, under the terms of the Drug-Endangered Children Act. If a director of the Alberta Children Services division, or a police officer, has reason to believe that a child is drug-endangered, the director or the police officer can apply to the court for an order authorizing the director or police officer to remove the child, and the court may authorize the use of force to enter premises where the child is present. A Children Services director is responsible for the welfare of an apprehended child.
  
  A person guilty of endangering a child, faces a fine of up to $25,000 or a prison sentence of up to 24 months, or both.
  
  

Protection of Sexually Exploited Children Act

• Children who are involved in prostitution are considered to be victims of sexual abuse and police and Children Services case workers have an automatic right under the Protection of Sexually Exploited Children Act, to remove children from situations where they are involved in prostitution.
  
  When a child has been placed in a safe house for protection, the act allows the director of Children Services to apply to the court for a restraining order, preventing a person from contacting the child, if there is reason to believe that the person has physically, emotionally or sexually abused the child, or is likely to do so.