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The following programs are provided through the Children's Aid Society of Cape Breton - Victoria
by professional social workers, family support workers and child care workers:
Protection
Services:
The Child Protection Worker, operating under the Children and Family Services Act (1991) http://www.gov.ns.ca/legislature/legc/statutes/childfam.htm is obligated to investigate reported information that indicates a child or youth is or may be in need of protection as defined in the Act. These are situations where a person has reasonable grounds to suspect that the actions or inactions of the parent (s) or guardian caused harm or created a risk of harm to a child under 16 years of age. Response to reports of suspected child abuse (physical, sexual, or emotional) and neglect receive our highest priority. Initial referrals (or concerns) go through an assessment and investigation process. If it is determined that protection and/or intervention is required, a protection worker is assigned to that family to help determine a plan that will ensure the child's safety. The Agency focuses on the least intrusive form of intervention dependent upon the level of risk assessed to the children. This plan may involve family support, referrals to other community services, or Family Court. When services in the home cannot adequately protect children, other temporary placement alternatives must be considered including relatives, family friends, foster care. The paramount consideration is the best interests of the child. Services offered are aimed at promoting the integrity of the family while at the same time assuring the best interests of children.
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Adolescent Program
Adolescence can be a very difficult time for both youth and their parents. Adolescent Workers help to resolve difficulties between adolescents and their families through support, advocacy, counseling, mediation and referrals to other services within the community. As with child protection, initial referrals go through an assessment process to understand the family's strengths and needs to determine what services are required. Adolescent Workers often work with other service providers such as mental health and addiction services as well as the family in an effort to case plan cooperatively and effectively to best meet the needs of the family.
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Family Support Program
Family Support Workers work closely with Protection Workers to offer family education and support programs such as parenting, budgeting, home management as well as assistance with accessing community resources. This is an in-home community based service that helps to support and strengthen families at risk through individual contact, group meetings and community involvement.
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Foster Care Program
The Foster Care Program is responsible for developing foster family resources for children and youth in the temporary and permanent care of the Agency. The Foster Care Program Coordinators are responsible for fully assessing and supporting foster families by completing family home assessments and having regular supportive consultations, to ensure the best possible care of children. Foster families are also supported through a local Foster Family Association. Foster families are members of a team, along with the youth, his/her family, and agency workers who work together to develop a plan that is in the best interest of the child. The Agency is financially responsible for children in foster care. For more information on joining the Foster Family Program contact 1-800-565-1884.
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Parent Counselor Program
This is a family-based program of clinical intervention for children, youth and their families where special needs are met in a family setting by parents who are trained, supervised and supported by Agency staff. The parent counselor family is considered the primary therapeutic milieu in which the child receives individualized treatment in a normalized family life experience. The Parent Counselors are foster parents who are members of, and are supported by, a multi-disciplinary team working collaboratively to address the child's needs in all areas. The treatment philosophy is based on the belief that a youth can be taught new behavior in a family environment where daily living events are used as learning opportunities. Each youth and his / her family presents strengths, capabilities, and resources which are valued, respected and expanded on to bring about change.
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Child in Care Program
The Children In Care Program is involved in working with children who are in the temporary and permanent care of our Agency. Children in Care social workers work closely with foster parents and other care givers to develop and implement a "Comprehensive Plan of Care" that addresses the individual needs of each child in care. Children In Care social workers are committed to respecting the rights and responsibilities of each child and are provided for, as nearly as possible, as if they were under the care and protection of a wise and conscientious parent. Our planning takes into consideration the Seven Developmental Dimensions. These being health, education / employment, identity, family and social relationships, social presentation, emotional and behavioral development and self care.
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Adoption Program
For a variety of reasons, there are children in Nova Scotia who cannot be raised by their birth families. Through adoption, children who need permanent homes can be matched with individuals who have a desire to parent. While there are fewer infants available for adoption than in the past, there are children beyond infancy who also require adoptive homes. These children may have special placement needs such as learning, behavioral or physical challenges, need to be placed with siblings or in homes compatible with their own culture. Families are needed who are willing to make a long-term commitment and are able to meet the challenges of raising these very special children. Financial subsidies may be available in Special Needs Adoption, based on the needs of the child. The child's home agency will make this decision. For More information on the adoption process, contact 1-866-259-7780.
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Community Programs
Community Partners for Protecting Children operates in Whitney Pier. Its goal is to promote community awareness of the health and well-being of children, youth and families and to build community capacity to ensure all children in our community are protected from abuse and neglect. This is done through an active partnership with other service providers in the area while working with the community of Whitney Pier. Parents Together is a social support system for parents. The program enables parents to build interconnected relationships that provide enduring and supportive contacts by offering a safe place to go where they feel empowered as a result of having a voice in the decision making process. The parents have the opportunity to learn new parenting skills and to build partnerships with other parents thus eliminating their sense of isolation. Parents learn from each other, support each other, and celebrate their successes together.
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Comhla Cruinn: Services to Youth and Families
This model of residential care expands the vision of services to youth and families allowing the Agency to offer a more responsive service to a greater number of young people and their families. The new 10 bed, community based, co-educational program is currently offered to youth ages 12-16 years. The Centre is staffed on a continuous basis by experienced child and youth care workers who work closely with our community partners in education, mental health, addictions and justice. Life skills, educational support, stabilization, conflict resolution and family intervention is offered as part of the program. As a team, Youth Workers will help each youth and family discover what is meaningful for them. We believe that it is through this process that they will invest in the change process. Change is not something we do to people, rather it is a process that occurs in relationships with people.
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