Can I Record My Meetings and Phone Calls With a CAS Worker in Ontario?
Whether you can record a CAS worker, and how a recording would be treated in court, depends on the circumstances, so get legal advice before you start. Many parents want a record because meetings can feel one-sided, and there are other ways to protect yourself that carry less uncertainty. A recording can feel like protection, but it can also create problems of its own.
Societies have the exclusive mandate to investigate, and a worker assesses risk after a report. How any plan to record fits with your situation depends on the facts, so it is worth confirming with a lawyer before you start. Calm, accurate communication matters whether or not you record.
Practical steps need no recording: write dated notes straight after each contact, ask for important requests and plans in writing, and keep copies of anything you sign. Get advice before signing a Statement of Agreed Facts (Form 33C). If you disagree with how a society handled things, you can make a formal written complaint, ask the Child and Family Services Review Board to review a society decision, or complain to the Ontario Ombudsman.
Key takeaways
- Whether a recording is allowed and how a court would treat it depends on your circumstances, so get legal advice before you record.
- Obstructing a child protection worker acting under specified sections is punishable by up to $50,000, two years in jail, or both.
- Dated notes, requests in writing and copies of what you sign protect you without any recording.
- You can complain in writing to the society, ask the Child and Family Services Review Board to review a decision, or complain to the Ontario Ombudsman.