Child and Family Treatment Services 0-6

Child and Family Treatment Services (0-6)

Who Can Use This Service?

The Child and Family Intervention Services provides an early intervention service to families who have young children (birth – six (6) years) who are developmentally delayed, “at risk” of delay and/or who have behavioural, social, and/or emotional problems. The program provides assessment and treatment to improve the family’s ability to deal with developmental and/or mental health problems. A major emphasis is on enhancing the parent/child relationship.

Admission Criteria:

Service may be provided to children from birth to six (6) years of age, if the child is:

Experiencing significant behavioural and/or emotional difficulties.
Delayed or at risk of delay in development for organic or environmental reasons (trauma, divorce, abuse)
At risk developmentally due to a medical disorder (i.e. Down syndrome).
At risk due to early developmental events caused either before (prenatal) or after birth that may have affected ability to develop and function
At risk due to care giving or parenting that has not responded adequately to the infant’s physical, developmental, social or emotional needs (attachment issues)

Exclusion Criteria:

Children over the age of six
Unresolved high conflict separation and divorce issues
Untreated parental addiction and mental health issues
Refusal of guardian to consent to service

What is Offered?

This program offers a potential range of services which may include:

A comprehensive multi-disciplinary child and family assessment
Family-centred treatment that aims to support and strengthen the parents’/guardians’ ability to support and enhance the child’s development and overall well being
Individualized and developmentally appropriate treatment developed in collaboration with the family.
Developmental screening and assessments to assist in better understanding the child’s needs
Parenting skills, education and support
Individual child treatment focused on developing social and emotional skills
Issue specific treatment groups as available
In-home and community-based services as needed
Case coordination services to assist parents in advocacy and system navigation

How Can This Service Help?

This service aims to strengthen and enhance the parents/cargivers understanding and capacity to proactively meet the social, emotional and developmental needs of the infant or child. Intervention more specifically aims to

Better understand what the child’s strengths and needs are so these can be addressed by caregivers and parents
Increase parent’s understanding of child’s needs
Increase parenting knowledge and skills
Strengthen parent-child relationships
Improve child’s social, emotional and behavioural functioning across environments
Advocate for the appropriate community services

How Can You Find Out More Or Access This Service?

If you are interested in learning more or making a referral, we accept requests for this service directly from the parent or guardian. Others such as doctors, teachers, child welfare staff or other professionals can encourage and support referrals, however, parents and/or youth must request the service directly.

Call 343-5000 to request an appointment with our intake services staff who will gather some information and discuss with you whether this service or another one would best meet your needs.