Child, Youth & Family Development
At Cowichan Lake Community Services,
we believe that everyone has strengths and resources to make necessary changes in their lives.​ Sometimes, we need a little help to tap into our strengths and work together to build a strong and healthy community!
Family Preservation
The Family Preservation program is designed for families whose children are at risk of removal from their homes, or whose children have been removed with a plan for return to family. The intent of the service is to reduce the immediate risks for children, stabilize the family environment and increase families’ ability to manage their individual circumstances. For families whose children have been removed the service will focus on eliminating the factors that led to the children’s removal, strengthening the family unit by improving their day to day functioning and supporting the families when their children are returned.
Referrals for this program must be made by the Ministry of Children & Family Development.
Programs
Strengthening Families
The Strengthening Families program is focused on promoting the overall the well-being of families. Our Child, Youth and Family Support Workers take a family-centered approach to supporting children and families, focusing on strengthening the overall support system to help families navigate challenges and create a positive environment for growth.
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This may include:
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connecting with local youth to ensure safety and well-being while supporting them to make positive choices and changes
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support youth to build interpersonal skills that enable them to form healthy connections and engage confidently with others
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assisting with emotional support for youth experiencing crisis situations and works to develop safety plans and resource referrals
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assisting families in identifying their individual parenting challenges, and support with skill development to improve family functioning and reduce the need for child protection interventions
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facilitating group-based programming that focuses on areas such as life skills, anxiety management, and self-regulation
Supervised Access
This program provides a safe, supportive, and structured environment for children to maintain and strengthen their relationships with non-custodial parents or family members. The program is designed for families involved in child protection, family reunification, or court-ordered services where supervision during visits is required to ensure the safety and well-being of the child. The goal is to promote positive parent-child interactions while prioritizing the child’s physical and emotional safety.
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​Referrals for this program must be made by the Ministry of Children & Family Development.
Child & Youth Mental Health
Our Child & Youth Mental Health services are designed to promote the emotional health & well-being of children and families. It is a community-based service for children & youth who are at risk of developing, or are currently experiencing, a mental health disorder.