Members of a legislature committee were told Tuesday that Nova Scotia's child protection system is both in crisis and a source of pride and excitement.

The opposing views were offered by Dalhousie University law professor Rollie Thompson and by Leonard Doiron, the executive director of child, family and youth services for the Department of Community Services.

Thompson has been critical of changes made to the law that governs child protection since those changes were proposed in 2015.

His objections, and those of other child advocates, forced the government to amend Bill 112 before allowing it to become law two years ago.

On Tuesday, Thompson told members of the Standing Committee on Community Services that his initial fears about the changes have come to pass. He said officials have taken more children from their parents, into the care of the province

"You'll notice it takes a big jump, up about 15-16 per cent" in 2017-18, the first year after the law was changed to give authorities expanded power to seize children, said Thompson.

"More children are in care after this legislation than before it was put into effect. That's the absolute opposite of what the minister said, and that's exactly what the legislation seemed to be driving toward."

But while Thompson focused his attention on children being taken into care temporarily, Doiron highlighted figures that suggested the number of children being cared for, or supervised by, the province has decreased overall since 2015-16.

The figures, provided by the province, provide a snapshot of the number of children in care on March 31 of any given year.

In 2015-16, 1,023 children were in care, either temporarily, permanently or voluntarily. In 2018-19, there were 996.

Doiron dismissed Thompson's characterization of a system in crisis, instead telling politicians of his personal pride with how things are going.

"I've been at this for 33 years and I can tell you with absolute honesty I have never been more excited and proud about the work that we're doing," Doiron told the committee.

"This is transformative and this is actually going to make a difference for the families, children in Nova Scotia."

Doiron told the committee the province was working hard to get families in need the help they required to keep their children, but Thompson said that help was inadequate and the province needed to put more money into those services to make a real difference.

The two men were on the same page when it came to possible improvements.

Thompson said the province should do what most other provinces have already done by creating an independent office for a child and youth advocate. Doiron testified that was something the province is considering.

Doiron also said the province was looking at the possibility of bridging the gap some families are facing because they lose their federal child tax benefit when they lose their children. Ottawa is sometimes slow to reinstate those payments when the children are returned, leaving families in dire straits.