1970s: Legislative changes in family law

In 1972, the Wives and Children’s Maintenance Act was repealed and replaced by the Family Relations Act. Following the proclamation of the Unified Family Court Act in 1974 and Family Relations Act (1978), the Corrections Branch developed a family courtworker program and probation interviewer program. These programs supported new family court initiatives.

The position of probation interviewer had existed in British Columbia since 1962. The first interviewers were hired to supervise alcoholic probationers in Vancouver. As time went on, probation interviewers expanded their activities to help probation officers cope with persons seeking assistance under the Wives and Children’s Maintenance Act. This meant that the probation interviewer designation was increasingly identified with family relations matters.

Probation officer meets with a parent and her children during a counselling session