Contact Tla’amin Nation Child and Family Services Team
I am a Tla’amin community member or have Tla’amin family:
If MCFD or a related agency has contacted you, you have the right to Nation and legal representation, please contact us and we will make sure you are connected to one or both.
If you or someone in your family would like access to other child and family services, reach out to us and we will connect you to the relevant supports.
For Tla’amin Nation support or representation, you can contact:
Ryan Pielle (Child and Family Services Manager, and Designated Representative):
Ryan.Pielle@tn-bc.ca
cell: 604-414-4280
office: 604-413-7098
Or Bianca Pyle (Child and Family Advocate):
Bianca Pyle@tn.bc.ca
cell: 604-208-3782
For Legal Aid, contact:
604-408-2172 (Greater Vancouver)
1-866-577-2525 (elsewhere in BC)
Hours (Pacific Time)
Mon, Tue, Thu, and Fri — 9 am to 4 pm
Wed — 9 am to 2:30 pm
I am a Social Worker, working with a Tla’amin child or family:
Please do not send confidential faxes or emails to Tla’amin Nation reception.
Contact the Tla’amin Nation’s Designated Representative, Ryan Pielle:
fax: 604-413-7098
To Report a Child Safety Concern
Please phone centralized screening for the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) directly: 1-800-663-9122. Knowing what is considered child protection and making this phone call can be difficult. The Tla’amin Child and Family services team is here to help support you through this process. Please note that your concern may be something we can address ourselves without including MCFD.
A Five-Year Tla’amin Child and Family Service Project
Tla’amin people have always had the inherent right to take care of our own children and families. Over the past 130 years, the Nation has faced interference from other levels of government in exercising these responsibilities.
In 2020, a new law (Bill C-92: An Act Respecting First Nations, Inuit, and Metis Children and Families) was passed. The law recognizes the injustices of Indigenous child welfare systems and structures in Canada and sets out funding and a legal framework to transfer power back to Indigenous governments.
Tla’amin has seized this opportunity and has been building a team and charting a path to clarify the roles of Tla’amin families, administration and other levels of government in taking care of Tla’amin children.
Through this work, Tla’amin is committed to designing and delivering programs and services that are guided by Tla’amin ways, and which support Tla’amin children and families to be well. This work moves the Nation toward Goal #10 in the Comprehensive Nation Plan, which is: Taking care of Tla’amin children.
Key Actions
- Established a čičyɛ (grandmothers) circle to steer the work
- Created several agreements with BC and Canada and partner organizations to strengthen Tla’amin’s role in supporting its families
- Built and continue to grow and develop a child and family services team
- Interviewed Tla’amin caregivers and children who have been involved in child welfare system to learn from their experiences
- Provided cross cultural training to non-Tla’amin workers who serve Tla’amin families
What’s next?
Moving forward we will continue incrementally building the CFS team and services in line with what we are learning. We are taking a measured approach to ensure we are well-resourced to take on more as we do. Over time, we will also develop policies and laws that support us to take care of Tla’amin children in our way.