Child Abuse & Intervention

If you suspect a child is being abused, contact your local office or call the Child Abuse Hotline at 1‑800‑387‑KIDS (5437).

Child intervention services are focused on the well-being of children, supporting families to be healthy, and ensuring children grow up in safe and nurturing homes.

Intervention services include assessment, investigation and a range of services provided through two program areas:

• Family Enhancement Program
• Child Protective Services

The Family Enhancement Program (FEP) encourages parents and families to work directly with FEP workers and community resources to address the issues that brought the family to the attention of Human Services. This program provides an option for lower-risk families to prevent the need for protective services. Ongoing screening and assessment ensures that children and youth remain safe in the family environment.

Parents and guardians are responsible to care for their children, but sometimes they are not willing or able to provide a safe and secure home for their child, or protect them from abuse or neglect. Child Protective Services are needed when:

• A child has been abused or is at risk of abuse by the parent or the parent does not protect the child from abuse;
• A child has been neglected by the parent;
• A child has been subjected to cruel and unusual treatment or punishment by the parent or the parent fails to protect the child from cruel and unusual treatment or punishment;
• A child’s parent is dead and we are aware that no arrangements have been made for the care of the child; or,
• The parent’s whereabouts are unknown.

Alberta Human Services only deals with cases where abuse is caused or allowed by a child’s parent or guardian. If you suspect a child is being abused by someone other than a parent or guardian, please call your local police.

Child intervention services are provided in Alberta at local offices in 10 Child and Family Services Authorities and 18 Delegated First Nation Agencies. You can find your local office here.