Legal Proceedings
The Children’s Aid Society of Ottawa outlines the process for lawyers and self-represented individuals to obtain information regarding the Society’s involvement with their clients or themselves in legal proceedings, detailing the required information, consent forms, conditions for disclosure, and specifying that records will not be released during an active Child Protection Investigation, with all inquiries directed to designated email and phone contacts.
Lawyers
If you are a lawyer representing a party in a proceeding under the CYFSA please email your request for disclosure to [email protected].
If you are a lawyer involved in any other type of legal proceeding (Family Court, Civil Court, Criminal Court), you may obtain information regarding the Children’s Aid Society of Ottawa’s (“the Society”) involvement with your client(s).
Please send a written request and include the following detailed information regarding the individuals (to ensure a thorough and accurate records search):
- Full names (current and past)
- Dates of birth
- If possible – names and dates of birth of parents/siblings/former spouses,
- Previous addresses
- Current phone numbers and address
In order to fulfill your request, we require a Court Order or Endorsement for the disclosure of the Society’s records or the express written consent of all individuals over the age of 16 that are you seeking information about to release their information to you.
You may use your own consent form, as long as it is detailed and specific to the Society releasing its information, or you may use the Society’s consent form. For children under the age of 16, parental consent is required for the release of their information. This is to be clearly noted on the consent form.
Please note that an Access to Information Request Form does not constitute as Consent from your client to disclose information to you. If your client wishes to make a request for their own records, please see the “Access to Information” tab.
Self-Represented
If you are a self-represented individual involved in a legal proceeding, you may obtain information regarding the Society’s involvement with you by completing an Access to Information Request Form (please see the Former or Current Service Recipient tab for further information).
With respect to Information regarding individuals other than yourself, we will require a Court Order or Endorsement for the disclosure of the Society’s records or the express written consent of all individuals over the age of 16 that you are seeking information about to release their information to you.
You may use your own consent form, as long as it is detailed and specific to the Society releasing its information, or you may use the Society’s consent form here. For children under the age of 16, parental consent is required for the release of their information. This is to be clearly noted on the consent form.
Generally, you can expect to receive your disclosure within 30 days of your request being processed and submitting all required information.
Please note that the Society WILL NOT release any records where there is an active Child Protection Investigation. In these instances, you may be required to make another request for disclosure of information once the Investigation has been resolved and closed.
Please submit all requests to [email protected]. Should you have any questions, please refer to the FAQ page or call the Access to Information and Disclosure Unit at 343-588-1022.