Glossary
In Child abuse and neglect, Domestic violence, Family Law
The new term for custody is decision-making responsibility for most family law cases. If you have a child protection case, the term custody may still be used.
Decision-making responsibility or custody is the right to make important decisions about how to care for and raise a child. It includes the right to make decisions about the child’s health, education, religion, and important extra-curricular activities.
The parents can agree to or the court can give:
- one parent all decision-making responsibility,
- 2 or more parents decision-making responsibility, or
- different parents separate responsibilities, for example, one parent makes decisions about the child’s health and another parent makes decisions about the child’s religion.
In Criminal Law
A custody order is a court order. It sets the terms and conditions for the people who are allowed to spend time with a child, or have custody of that child. When a person has custody of a child, they have the right to make important decisions about how to care for that child, such as the child’s education and health care.
In Abuse and Family Violence, Family Law
Customary care is the type of care a First Nations, Inuk, or Métis child might get if they cannot be cared for by their parents. It means the child is cared for in a way that considers their First Nations, Inuk, or Métis community’s culture, heritage, traditions, and who they see as family.
In Criminal Law
Customer Service Resolution is a way to solve a complaint that you have with the police. The Office of the Independent Police Review Director decides whether a complaint should be resolved using Customer Service Resolution.
The process usually takes less than 45 days and is used for less serious complaints. For example, it might be used if the police were not polite or treated you unfairly.
You and the police officers or police service work together to:
- understand what happened
- share concerns
- take steps to solve the problems