Component: Young Parent Services

Legislation: Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017 

Service description

Counselling and therapy services focus on reducing the severity of, and/or remedying, the emotional, social, behavioural and/or self-regulation problems of children and youth.

People served

Children and youth with complex and/or multiple special needs.

Program/service features

Counselling and therapy services focus on reducing the severity of, and/or remedying, the emotional, social, behavioural and self-regulation problems of children and youth. Services include a series of planned, interrelated interventions based on an assessment of the child, youth, and family’s multiple risks, needs and strengths.

Counselling and therapy services can include a range of modalities (e.g., individual, group, family or play-based) as well as clinical practices (e.g., cognitive-behaviour therapy). Services are provided within the context of the family, culture, and community. They can be delivered in a range of settings, at varying frequencies.

Specific service provided

This program is delivered in accordance with the descriptions provided here or any subsequent updated versions (or any other supporting policy documents provided by the ministry.

Program goals

Counselling and therapy services are designed to

  • support children, youth, and their families in the receipt of services designed to address identified needs
  • reduce the need for more intensive and intrusive intervention reduce the severity of mental health problems or symptoms strengthen coping and resilience and improve functioning enhance awareness and understanding of the presenting problem

Services are delivered based on the principles of child-, youth- and family-centred service; seamless service delivery and information sharing; and meeting diverse needs through inclusive, accessible, and culturally safe practices.

Child/youth and family-centred service

  • Services are delivered in a way that is family-centred and ensures the family, children and youth are actively engaged and their input is incorporated throughout service delivery
  • Family-centred service recognizes that each child, youth, and family is unique; that the family is the constant in the child/youth’s life; and that the family has expertise in their child/youth’s abilities and needs
  • Through family-centred service, service providers work with the family, and the child/youth as appropriate, to make informed decisions about the services and supports the child/youth and family receive. The strengths and needs of all family members are considered

Seamless service and information sharing

  • Services will ensure families will experience seamless service and information sharing. With consent, information about a family’s needs will be shared between providers. Families should not feel like they are repeating intake and assessment information or repeating their stories unnecessarily; however, families should be encouraged to share information with providers and can share their stories with new providers if they wish

Meeting diverse needs

  • Services will be inclusive, accessible, and culturally safe for all families and children/youth. Services will be respectful of the values and meet the diverse needs of children, youth, and their families
  • Service providers will be aware of distinct approaches required to address the needs of First Nations, Metis, Inuit and urban Indigenous children and youth. This includes providing culturally safe services and linkages and referrals to Indigenous service providers and other community resources as required

Ministry expectations

Services are child and family-centred and support the diverse needs of families in a way that is culturally safe, promotes equity, anti-racism, and anti-oppression.

The following are minimum expectations for the delivery of counselling and therapy services:

  • counselling and therapy sessions are provided regularly over a time (daily, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly), in a range of settings, to address specific treatment goals
  • a clear service plan is developed in collaboration with the child/youth and family, as appropriate
  • the client’s progress is reviewed on a regular basis and services are adjusted as needed
  • group therapy services have a written description that clearly articulates their purpose, target population, rationale and expected outcomes
  • where feasible, services are provided on a flexible schedule, at times and locations that facilitate access
  • for services that are school-based, provision is made so that children or youth who require it have access to ongoing mental health support during extended school breaks

Individual planning and goal setting

Each individual will have a current Plan of Care (POC) that reflects an assessment of his/her needs and preferences. The POC will identify the specific services/supports received by the individual, the expected outcomes and be based on the principles of person-centred planning, self-determination, and choice.

Availability of service

Counselling and therapy services are available in every designated service area.

Reporting requirements

The following service data will be reported on at an Interim and Final period. Please refer to your final agreement for report back due dates and targets.

Service data name Definition
# of elapsed days service received by child/youth: counselling therapy services: former CYMH The number of days elapsed between start and end dates for a particular core service provided to children/youth in the reporting period. Start date is defined as the date of first contact between the worker/therapist delivering a service and the child/youth to focus on the goals identified for treatment. End date is defined as the date of last contact between the worker/therapist delivering a particular service and the child/youth, and/or the date when the particular service is determined to have ended based on client preference (i.e., opting out), goal attainment, change in eligibility.
# of children/youth: behavioural assessed needs: counselling therapy services: former CYMH Number of children/youth receiving service and having Behaviour as a priority need for service/treatment based on an initial needs assessment using a standardized tool. If a child/youth has two or more priority needs identified through assessments these will be captured separately.
# of children/youth: substance use assessed needs: counselling therapy services: former CYMH Number of children/youth receiving service and having Substance Use as a priority need for service/treatment based on an initial needs assessment using a standardized tool. If a child/youth has two or more priority needs identified through assessments these will be captured separately.
# of children/youth: trauma assessed needs: counselling therapy services: former CYMH Number of children/youth receiving service having Trauma as a priority need for service/treatment based on an initial needs assessment using a standardized tool. If a child/youth has two or more priority needs identified through assessments these will be captured separately.
# of children/youth with complex assessed needs: counselling therapy services: former CYMH Number of children/youth receiving service having more than one priority need requiring multiple services/treatments and/or multiple service providers based on assessed needs using a standardized tool. Children/youth will be counted only once per fiscal year in this data element.
# of children/youth with emotional assessed needs: counselling therapy services: former CYMH Number of children/youth receiving service and having Emotion as a priority need for service/treatment based on an initial needs assessment using a standardized tool. If a child/youth has two or more priority needs identified through assessments these will be captured separately.
# of Days children/youth waited for service counselling therapy services: former CYMH The number of days between the initial contact date and the start date for service provided to the child/youth in the reporting period. The initial contact date is the date the child/youth and/or family member contacted the agency for service/treatment. The start date is defined as the date of first contact between the specialist providing the consultation/assessment and the child/youth and/or family member.
# of hours of direct services: counselling therapy services: former CYMH Number of hours of direct service. The total number of hours of "Direct" service provided by staff to individuals during the fiscal year for a particular service. "Direct" Hours: The hours spent interacting, whether in a group or individually; face to face or on the phone. It does not include work done "on behalf of" clients, such as telephone calls, advocacy, etc. Administrative support to the service is not to be included. For group service, one hour of service equals one hour of service for the entire group. For example: one hour of group service with five participants equals one Hour of Direct Service. (Note: each individual in the group is recorded under ’no. of individuals served’ where there is a record).
# of hours of indirect services: counselling therapy services: former CYMH The total number of hours of service provided by staff "on behalf of" clients, such as telephone calls, advocacy, and administrative support to the service.
# of individuals: counselling therapy services: former CYMH Report the unique/unduplicated number of individuals that received services in the reporting year. An individual is counted only once per year for service delivered where they received service. The same individual may be counted in more than one service delivered if they are receiving services from more than one service delivered.
# of Children/Youth: Social Assessed Needs counselling therapy services: former CYMH Number of children/youth receiving service having Social as a priority need for service/treatment based on an initial needs assessment using a standardized tool. If a child/youth has two or more priority needs identified through assessments these will be captured separately.
Counselling therapy services: Ministry-funded Agency Expenditures Total ministry-funded expenses for the Transfer Payment Recipient to administer and/or deliver this service in the reporting year (cumulative).