Parental Support Programs
Sometimes children need some help to deal with things like poverty, divorce, self-esteem, aggression, and other problems. Unfortunately, in most of Ontario, there is a lack of services for all children, even though the need for these services is quite common. That is why LIFE*SPIN has gathered these resources to try to ease some of the burden of finding the proper help for your child.
Merrymount
1064 Colborne St., London, Ont. N6A 4B3
Family Support and Crisis Centre that provides a wide range of groups from anger management to parenting support. Also provides groups for children aged 6-12 for developing self-esteem, coping with a family break-up, and anger management.
Tel: 519-434-6848
Beacon House Child and Youth advocacy
London Family Court Clinic, 254 Pall Mall St, Suite 200 London, Ontario, Canada, N6A 5P6
Beacon House’s Child & Youth Advocacy Program is a voluntary service offered to all families involved with the centre during a child abuse investigation. Our mission is to support children, youth and families within a safe and supportive environment when they’ve experienced abuse. Our centralized location promotes healing and minimize trauma during the investigative process. Children have access to services that promote well-being & security. Children are connected to a child advocate who help them navigate the services we house all under our own roof, provided through our strong community partnerships in London-Middlesex.
Tel: 519-679-7250
Email: info@beaconhouselondon.ca
Humana Community Services
371 Princess Ave
London, ON N6B 2A7
Previously known as Western Area Youth Services (WAYS).
They offer 3 different programs. Each program offers a strength-based approach towards supporting youths while helping them accomplish their goals.
Humana Community Services offers a variety of services for youth (age 18 and younger), transition age (age 16-21), families, and more.
Learn more about their Youth & Children Mental Health Resources here.
Learn more about their Foster Care Program for children and youth up to 18 years old.
Tel: 519-435-1099
Email: info@humanacs.org
SAFE (Support and Aid to Families Electronically)
This project is a partnership between King’s School of Social Work Field Education Office and the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) to provide immediate, virtual counselling services during the pandemic and beyond to families associated with TVDSB. We gratefully acknowledge funding from the London Community Foundation to support this initiative.
After a successful pilot project last year facilitated by BSW 3 and MSW student placements, the program was expanded this year to include BSW 4 students to enable counselling services to be available for the entire school year. Given the success of SAFE, counselling services are going to be extended to youth presenting with complex needs and plans are underway to make services available to additional community partner organizations in the future.
Craigwood Youth Services
520 Hamilton Rd., London, Ont. N5Z 1S4
Craigwood helps young people and their families to find their way to a better future, with improved mental health. Craigwood is a fully accredited children’s mental health centre that helps youth with concerns such as:
Mental Health
Drug Use
School Achievement
Anxiety and/or Depression
They also help families and parents with worries about their children’s behaviour, mental health, family conflict and/or struggles with effective parenting practices.
Tel: 519-432-2623
Learning Disabilities Association
303 Richmond St., Unit 205, London, Ont. N6B 2H8
The Learning Disabilities Association is a charitable, not-for-profit agency that, through program offerings, provides individual coaching, advocacy, and community resources. They provide ongoing strategies and accommodations for people with learning disabilities. The LDA believes that everyone has the right to learn, the power to achieve, and the ability to succeed.
This organization offers a resource centre and tutoring for children with learning disabilities. There is usually a waiting list for tutors. Costs include membership and tutoring fees. The membership fee must be paid; however, tutoring fees can be waived.
Tel: 519-438-6213
Children’s Aid Society
1680 Oxford St E, London, Ont. N5V 3G2
The Children's Aid Society of London & Middlesex (CASLM) provides services to vulnerable children and families in Middlesex County, Ontario, Canada. Accountable to the community as a whole, their mission is to ensure that all children thrive in a safe, stable and loving family. The identity of families and children they serve is kept in the strictest confidence. CASLM’s hope is that their assistance will contribute to increase the well-being of children and youth through an effective, dynamic and child-centred organization.
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 7010 London, Ont. N5Y 5R8
Tel: 519-455-9000
Email: info@caslondon.on.ca
Toll Free: 1-888-661-6167
Vanier Children’s Mental Wellness
871 Trafalgar St., London, Ont. N5Z 1E6
Vanier offers a range of services for infants, children, youth (up to 14 years old), and their families. Their services are designed to offer support to families who have a child struggling with social, emotional, behavioural, and mental health issues. Most services are supported through provincial funding, and are offered at no cost to the family.
Services offered include:
Community Services
Drop-in Services
School Community Intervention Partnership
Intensive Services
Individual treatment plans are co-created with families in a collaborative manner to meet their needs. Their services vary in intensity, location, and goals.
Tel: 519-433-3101
Email: askvanier@vanier.com
Child & Parent Resource Institute (CPRI)
600 Sanitorium Rd., London, Ont. N6H 3W7
CPRI’s mission is to provide specialize, trauma-responsive mental health and developmental services to achieve the best possible outcomes for Ontario’s children and youth.
Their services include:
Assessment
Consultation
Treatment
Research
Education
They work with local community services building on what they have already done. They use an evidence-based practice, and adapt their approach to the unique needs of each child. All their services are voluntary. They need informed consent from the child or youth or their substitute decision-maker for every part of their service.
They also have 7 residential units on site, where they provide residential services. Residential units vary by bed capacity (from 6-12), age, sex, and needs, of clients served on the unit. They provide residential services on a short term basis so that children/youth are out of their home community for the least amount of time possible.
There are no costs for programs. However, live-in programs are arranged through CSCN.
Tel: 519-858-2774
Email: cpri.educate@ontario.ca
Teletype: 519-858-0257
Strategic Parent Intervention Focus (SPIF) Resources
This method is more focused on the parental strategies and methods of managing and coping with the needs of your child/children. These are voluntary programs that are meant to help parents who may be feeling uncertain about what they can do to help their child.
Residential and Community Programs and Services
Choosing a community program for your child may be difficult for everyone involved, but it also may be very beneficial to your family and their current situation. If your child is coping with issues of abuse, aggression, suicide, drugs and alcohol, behavioural problems, and/or emotional or developmental problems, seeking support through a community program is a great way to work through any of that. A community program may help everyone cope better and deal with the issue(s) at hand.
A residential program is one in which the child lives at the treatment facility. This may be a good option for your family, if your child has complex needs. This choice is not a reflection of a parent’s ability to raise their child, but an opportunity to gain additional support for the entire family.
There has been a recent movement geared towards services that provide in-home support to families. This has been referred to as the ‘least intrusive method of intervention’ when it comes to treating children and youth.
For residential programs, there may be a waiting list, but some programs offer services that your family and child can use while waiting.
A Note on ADD Diagnosis:
One of the most common difficulties that low-income parents face today is “assessment referrals” by school professions. Parents who are low-income are often told their children are ‘hyperactive’ or have “Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)'“. Testing for these conditions is free of charge and usually organized by the child’s school. It is common for doctors to make these diagnoses and recommend your child to take prescription medication. If you are not comfortable giving your child these drugs - then don’t do it.There are alternatives you can try. Many professionals believe that there are alternative causes to the symptoms of ADD such as, allergies or inadequate nutrition. Examples of alternative treatments are: holistic care, a different doctor, different diet, etc. Don’t give up, and don’t give in. Believe in yourself and your child. Read up on the information and search the internet to make an informed decision.