B.C. ends ‘traumatic’ child welfare practice of birth alerts

“Effective immediately, British Columbia is ending the child welfare practice known as hospital or birth alerts,” announced Katrine Conroy, minister of Children and Family Development.

Used in hospitals for decades in B.C. and in other provinces and territories, these alerts are issued without the consent of the expectant parents where there may be a concern about the safety of a newborn.

“We are changing the way we work with and support high-risk expectant parents to keep newborns safe and families together through a collaborative, rather than an involuntary, model,” said the minister.

“Health care providers and social service workers will no longer share information about expectant parents without consent from those parents and will stop the practice of birth alerts.”

The minister acknowledged in today’s release that birth alerts have been primarily issued for marginalized women and, disproportionately, Indigenous women.

“We acknowledge the trauma women experience when they become aware that a birth alert has been issued. We also heard calls to end this practice from Indigenous communities, organizations and the report from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls,” said Conroy.

“Moving to a voluntary approach of providing early supports and preventative services to expectant parents will help them plan and safely care for their babies. This change to practice allows for a more trusting, collaborative relationship with service providers right from the beginning, while empowering women, their families and their communities to work together to care for their children.”