This research guide contains information on child welfare as it refers to provincial law and practice as well as federal Indigenous jurisdiction.
Texts
- Canadian child welfare law : children, families, and the state, 2nd ed. editor Nicholas Bala. Table of Contents.
- The challenge of children’s rights for Canada by Katherine Covell, R. Brian Howe & J.C. Blokhuis. Table of Contents.
- Child protection law in Canada (available online) by Lynn M. Kirwin. Table of Contents.
- Child welfare by Legal Education Society of Alberta. Table of Contents.
- Child welfare boot camp by Legal Education Society of Alberta. Table of Contents.
- Understanding child abuse and neglect, 8th ed. by Cynthia Crosson-Tower. Table of Contents.
- Vulnerable Persons – Protection and Remedies in Canada (available online) by Lynn M Kirwin. Table of Contents.
Last revised Feb 13, 2026
Case Law
For more information on finding cases see our research guide: Finding and researching cases
- Reports of family law (R.F.L.) (available online)
E-Resources
Legislation
Federal Acts and Regulations can be found electronically at:
- Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act, RSA 2000, c C-12
- Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Regulation, Alta Reg 160/2004
- Child and Youth Advocate Act, S.A. 2011, c. 11.5
- Drug-Endangered Children Act, S.A. 2006, c. D-17
- Protection Against Family Violence Act, R.S.A. 2000 c. P-27
- Protection of Sexually Exploited Children Act, R.S.A. 2000, c. P-30.3
Alberta Acts and Regulations can be found electronically at CanLII
To access or purchase the official version, go to: Alberta King’s Printer
Last revised Feb 13, 2026
Websites of interest
Encyclopedias
- Canadian encyclopedic digest (C.E.D.) (Western), 4th ed. (available online)
The CED provides discussion with annotations to legislation and case law.
Subjects related to child welfare are:
- Children
- VII Children in Need of Protection
- Aboriginal Law
- III Some specific subjects – Indigenous Child Welfare and Protection
- Halsbury’s laws of Canada (available online)
This multi-volume set includes coverage of Federal, Provincial & Territorial legislation.
- This encyclopedia explains the legislation and cases which govern family law issues in every jurisdiction in Canada, allowing you to quickly locate, contextualize and apply the basic elements of the law.
Titles include:
- Infants and children (HIC) Table of Contents
- IV Child Protection
Journals
- Canadian family law quarterly (available online)
- Canadian journal of family law (available online)
Indexes
- Index to Canadian legal literature (ICLL) (available online)
- Current index to legal periodicals (CILP) (available online)
Full-text articles are available electronically through:
- CanLII – commentary contains articles, reports, research papers, journals, newsletters and more.
- former Canadian Research Institute for Law and the Family publications
- HeinOnline – contains full-text access to some Canadian and international law reviews and legal journals.
- Lexis+™ Canada
- Family law (Western Canada) netletter
- Syrtash family law netletter
- Westlaw Edge Canada contains a collection of Canadian journals and law reviews, as well as all articles and case comments appearing in Carswell law reports.
- Franks & Zalev – This week in family law
- Reports of family law (R.F.L.) articles
For more information on looking for journal articles see our research guide: Finding journal articles, conference materials & theses
Last revised June 6, 2025
Disclaimer: As law librarians, we are pleased to provide you this resource for information and research purposes only – It is not a substitute for professional legal advice. We strive to bring you quality and current information in this resource, but we make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, accessibility, adequacy, or completeness of the information presented here. The sources featured are selected based on professional assessment and opinion, and do not constitute an endorsement, editorial, review, or guarantee.