2024–2025 Services delivered: prevention — child and parent programs — SNAP program

Component: Youth initiatives

Legislation: Child, Youth and Family Services Act (CYFSA), 2017

Purpose of program

The purpose of the Stop Now and Plan (SNAP) Program is to support at-risk/high-risk children with challenging behaviours (ages 6 to 12), and their parents/caregivers, to make good choices in the moment and improve cooperative behavior. This includes supporting participants to learn self-regulating, cognitive-behavioral strategies and problem-solving skills, specifically through culturally relevant and responsive lenses. For at-risk/high-risk parents/caregivers, the program supports the improvement of parent/caregiver-child relationships by teaching effective parenting/caregiving skills.

Service objectives

The SNAP Program focuses on the following objectives for children and their families:

• Increase emotional regulation, self-control and problem-solving skills for children and their parents/caregivers, through culturally relevant and responsive lenses
• Clinically reduce negative behaviour scales (i.e., aggression, rule breaking, conduct, externalizing) for children, as measured by standardized tools
• Increase social competency for children
• Increase management skills for parents/caregivers, through culturally relevant and responsive lenses
• Reduce community, or school-related, disruptions
• Improve children’s academic performance and participation in pro-social extracurricular activities; and
• Increase connection of children and parents/caregivers to community-based resources

Service description

Target population

The target population for the program is “at-risk/high-risk” children and their families, within the Target Communities (see below).

The “targeted primary beneficiary” is at-risk/high-risk children and their parents/caregivers.

“At-risk/high-risk” children are defined as children, aged 6-12, with multiple risk factors and challenges and/or who have experienced specific incidents and/or life challenges that increase their risk factors, such as a sibling in conflict with the law, or acute conflict at home or school.

“At-risk/high-risk” children are those at greatest risk of experiencing poorer outcomes (e.g., lower grades, dropping out of high school, mental or physical health issues) and are at a greater risk of antisocial behavior.

Depending on the unique circumstances of each target community (see below), the targeted primary beneficiary may also be Black, a visible minority, a newcomer, Indigenous, in and/or leaving care, living in poverty, in conflict with the law, living with disabilities or special needs, 2SLGBTQQIA+, Francophone, and/or living in rural and remote communities.

At-risk children, and their parents/caregivers often experience an intersection of one or more of these identities.

Each locally designed SNAP Program site may define its target populations within the guidelines of the description of “at-risk/high-risk” children and the “targeted primary beneficiary” defined above.

Black youth action plan

The Black Youth Action Plan (BYAP) works toward eliminating systemic, race-based disparities by increasing opportunities for Black children, youth and families across the province.

Some agencies are designated to deliver the SNAP Program as part of BYAP. See Cultural Adaptation below.

Service targets

Annually, each SNAP Program site will serve up to 100 at-risk/high-risk children and their families (consisting of up to 63 new children and up to 37 carry-over cases). Staff at each site will identify and document up to 37 carry-over cases based on SNAP clinical guidelines. A “carry-over case” applies to children who have previously engaged in, or completed, the Program. Program sites that do not have any carry-over cases can opt to service 37 new at-risk/high-risk children and their families for a total of 100 new cases.

Program/Service features

Services provided

Each local Program site will provide the following services to the target population(s):

• SNAP Core Components
• SNAP Risk-Based Components
• Client Management (SNAP Implementation Tool)

Each site will be guided by the Ontario Child Development Institute’s (CDI) SNAP Implementation Tool (SNAPiT) to support program start-up and ongoing development.

Cultural adaptation

Agencies providing targeted supports to Black children and their families, or First Nations, Métis, Inuit and/or Urban Indigenous children and their families, will provide the services outlined above, while ensuring they are culturally relevant and responsive. This is supported through:

• Cultural Local Community Outreach
• Culturally Relevant Program Modification
• Cultural Adaptation activities such as
• Train all agency staff, management and board on the cultural adaptations/modifications of the SNAP program and services provided
• Support the evaluation of the cultural adaptation in order to support further iteration on the Culturally Relevant and Responsive documentation (i.e., guidelines, training modules, training materials)

SNAP core components

SNAP Core Components consists of a SNAP Boys and/or Girls Children’s Group. The SNAP Boys and Girls Groups are structured group sessions that teach children cognitive-behavioural self-control and problem-solving techniques.

The sessions are based on group discussions, modeling, behavioral rehearsal/role-playing, interactive games, home practice exercise, learning opportunities, and relaxation training. Using group manuals, the structured groups are facilitated by trained, designated staff. A variety of topics, including dealing with angry thoughts and feelings, self-control, problem-solving, and bullying are addressed.

Each SNAP Boys and/or Girls Group will consist of seven (7) children, placed according to developmental needs and ages. Each SNAP Boys and Girls Group session will run for 13 weeks, with boys and/or girls attending after-school meetings once a week for 1.5 hours.

Each site will also provide a SNAP Parenting Group for the parents/caregivers of children enrolled in SNAP Boys and/or Girls. The parent/caregiver group will meet at the same time as the SNAP Boys and Girls Groups. Staff at each site will teach effective child management and SNAP strategies to parents/caregivers. Staff at each site will also facilitate connecting parents /caregivers with others facing similar challenges at home.

Staff hired to deliver the SNAP Core Components to children and parents /caregivers as part of the SNAP Program targeted to Black children and families should have a strong understanding of the specialized needs of the children and their families, who may be experiencing challenges related to race and Indigeneity, such as mental health, trauma and relationship violence. Staff should have knowledge of and sensitivity to life experiences and diverse needs, identities and cultural backgrounds of the children and families in underserved communities.

SNAP risk-based components

Each site will provide risk-based components, depending on the identified local community and target population needs. Risk-based components include

• SNAP Individual Counseling/Community Connections – Provided to help children work on individual goals, in order to enhance skills learned in their regular SNAP Group. Children are connected with volunteers to help them join recreational activities or other supports within their communities
• SNAP Family Counseling – Also known as Stop Now and Plan Parenting (SNAPP), provided to at-risk/high-risk families that require additional supports. Counselling is outcome-oriented and can be ongoing depending on the needs of the parents/caregivers/family. This component is also provided to parents/caregivers who are unable to attend the regular parent/caregiver group
• Girls Growing Up Healthy Group – Associated with the SNAP Girls Group, provided to help girls learn healthy relationship development. These mother-daughter groups are provided through 8-10 classes and focus on physical and sexual health and relationship building. These classes are provided to girls ages 9 and up after core SNAP Girl Group meetings
• SNAP School Support/Advocacy – Provided to help schools and teachers, interacting with SNAP children, to offer behavior management supports as needed
• SNAP Parent Problem-Solving Group – Provided as a continued care component for parents/caregivers and children who have completed the SNAP core components
• SNAP Youth Leadership – Provided for SNAP graduates aged 12 and up to continue skills development and build job skills as needed
• Arson Prevention Program (TAPP-C) – Provided to children with fire interest and/or fire setting concerns
• Homework Club/Academic Tutoring – Provided as weekly tutoring sessions with specially trained volunteers for children who are performing below their grade level
• Crisis Intervention – Provided to assist families in SNAP to deal with challenging situations as needed and/or to be connected to appropriate crisis services; and/or
• Victim Restitution – Provided to help SNAP children learn how to apologize and redress their behaviours, including through writing apology letters or performing community service

Other risk-based components may be developed by each local SNAP Program site, as applicable to the local community and target population needs.

Client management (using CDI SNAP implementation tool)

Each site will have access to the CDI SNAP Implementation Tool (SNAPiT), which provides a client management system to collect client data and case-manage children and parents/caregivers enrolled in the program.

Local community outreach

SNAP Program sites will conduct outreach to local partners that serve children ages 6- 12, including but not limited to:

• School boards and schools
• Community groups and organizations
• Municipal government departments
• Child and youth service providers
• Faith-based organizations and cultural communities; and
• Other service delivery partners

Each SNAP Program site will develop an outreach plan to local partners that supports:

• Identification and enrollment of potential clients; and
• Connections to existing community supports and recreation opportunities

Culturally relevant program modification

Where relevant, SNAP Program sites can adapt the program at each new site, with support from CDI, for cultural relevance (e.g., race, language, cultural practice, symbolism) to meet local populations/needs.

Governance, accountability and service system requirements

The Agency (service agreement holder with the ministry) agency is expected to:

• Provide for effective delivery of SNAP programming in accordance with the:
  • SNAP Policy and Procedures Manual
  • Culturally adapted Companion Guide for the SNAP program in the African Canadian Community and Companion Manual for SNAP in Aboriginal Communities
  • Annual requirements to maintain the SNAP License through CDI
• Establish and build both informal and formal inter-agency linkages and/or partnerships to strengthen/enhance neighborhood/community/cultural service infrastructure

• Financial and service performance reporting, including submission of required and requested reports within established timeframes. This includes quantitative and/or qualitative data (including Identity- based Data) requested by the ministry. If requested, participate in program and service evaluation initiatives established by the ministry.
• Report serious occurrences as per the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services Serious Occurrence Reporting Guidelines, 2019, involving child SNAP clients and SNAP Child and Family Workers, the SNAP Manager, or other staff related to the SNAP program, to the ministry
• Develop appropriate policies and procedures for protecting the privacy of personal information with respect to the collection, use, disclosure and access to such information contained in records. The policies and procedures that are developed by the Lead Agency’s policies and procedures shall comply with Part 6 of the Youth Criminal Justice Act,, (YCJA), 2002 when the information and records relate to young persons as defined by the YCJA, and the confidentiality provisions relating to children who are the subject of a child welfare proceeding under the Child, Youth and Family Services Act(CYFSA), 2018, and the privacy provisions under Part X of the CYFSA

Reporting Requirements

The following service data will be collected during the fiscal/reporting year (from April 1 to March 31) and reported on in through the Interim and Final Stage/Reports.