Searching for Child Abuse Services

Information and assistance to support participation in and understanding of the criminal court process. Services begin once police have laid charges and continue until the court case is over. Services include:

• information about victims' rights, the criminal justice process and their specific case (e.g., court dates)
• needs assessment and referrals to community agencies, including Indigenous and other culturally specific agencies
• crisis intervention, trauma-informed support, victim advocacy
• facilitates victim's input and liaises with Crown Attorneys, police, regarding bail, safety, resolution of charges, release conditions, publication bans, testimonial aids, trial preparation and court orientation
• arranges for interpreters and accessibility accommodations
• information and support on Victim Impact Statements, Statement on Restitution
• facilitates access to court orders, such as bail conditions, probation orders, peace bonds
• debriefing and follow-up support

Vulnerable Victims and Family Fund (VVFF) -- Helps support victims of crime, including families of homicide victims and motor vehicle fatalities resulting in criminal charges, participate more fully in the criminal court process by providing financial assistance and court-based supports for:

• travel to attend key court dates
• language interpretation services
• special accommodations for victims with disabilities, such as real-time captioning
• necessities for victims of human trafficking or gun and gang violence while attending court

• Gives immediate legal assistance on family law issues to individuals who appear in court without a lawyer
• Provides information about legal rights, obligations and basic court procedure
• Helps negotiate or settle issues
• Reviews or prepares court documents to be filed
• Helps determines if further duty counsel services are required or if the matter requires Legal Aid Ontario's assistance in retaining a lawyer

• the courtroom for child protection hearings
• garnishment and support hearings
• requesting adjournments
• arguing motions
• hearings for issues such as custody, access, or support where the issues are not complicated

• Gives immediate legal assistance to individuals who appear in court for criminal matters without a lawyer
• Provides information about legal rights, obligation and the court process
• Provides assistance in the courtroom for bail hearings and sentencing
• Assists with diversions, guilty pleas and sentencing
• Helps determine if further duty counsel services are required or if the matter requires Legal Aid Ontario's assistance in retaining a lawyer

• Mental health
• Drug treatment
• Domestic violence
• Aboriginal persons (Gladue) court

• Criminal Law if custody is probable
• Family Law
• Child Welfare

Provides legal assistance for low-income people

Services include:

• Legal representation for eligible clients who appear in court without a lawyer
• Legal aid applications and information over the phone
• Legal resources and referrals to other social assistance agencies
• A legal aid certificate program which enables a client to retain a lawyer for complex and serious cases

Areas of law served may include:

• Criminal
• Domestic violence
• Family

Does NOT cover applications for:

• Wrongful dismissal
• Change of name
• Personal bankruptcy
• Power of attorney
• Money lent to others or money owed to others
• Sponsorship of relatives
• Commercial litigation
• Real estate matters and libel
• Defamation and slander

• Operates a 24-hour crisis line for Indigenous women and their children
• Provides immediate crisis assessment, intervention, referrals and follow-up

• Provides 24/7 telephone support, including text
• Offers a 12-hour mobile unit to provide in-person crisis assessment
• Operates short-term Crisis Safe Beds

Telephone support provides the following:

• Crisis assessment and intervention
• Follow-up
• Referrals to other community services
• Support to family and friends
• Wellness Planning

• Offers culturally appropriate counselling services to Indigenous women by Indigenous women, via telephone, text, or chat

• Oji-Cree
• Cree
• Algonquin
• Inuktitut
• Mohawk
• Oneida
• Odawa
• Potawatomi
• Micmac
• Black Foot
• Anishnaabe
• Moose Cree
• Swampy Cree
• English

• Offers an out-patient mental health program with a multidisciplinary approach to treating a variety of mental health issues
  
• Provides individual counselling
  
• Emphasizes skill based training and other integrative educational strategies to help clients achieve their goals

• information on the family court process
• assistance in preparing for family court proceedings (documenting history of abuse, accessing Legal Aid)
• debriefing with clients following family court appearances
• referral to specialized services and supports in the community
• safety planning
• court accompaniment to proceedings when appropriate

• Advocates on behalf of children associated with Faye Peterson House
• Helps women and their children reintegrate into the school system
• Cares for children during adult appointments
• Provides quality childcare for children living in the house as well as children of former residents who are participating in programming within the house
• Forms a safety plan with children

• Developed as a new program aimed at supporting healthy and whole Métis families
• Works to reduce family violence, the number of youth involved in the justice system and the number of children in care
• Focus is on providing direct one-on-one client services and educational resources and family wellness planning

• After school safe places and homework clubs
• Assistance in navigating the community support system
• Assisting children and youth to foster self-identity and to develop life skills
• Court-related supports
• Empowering parents to be their children's best advocates
• Ensuring families have their basic needs met
• Guidance for building healthy relationships and raising awareness of personal safety issues
• Peer support for youth involved in justice and correction issues
• Referrals for employment and training programs
• Supports for children and youth who have experienced or witnessed violence
• Supports for Métis youth to stay in school
• Support in case meetings and conferencing

• Provides services and supports for individuals who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ)
• Offers peer support and skills building groups
• Counsels individuals, their partners, and family members
• Offers the Queer Drop-In group

Offers various clinical services, including:

• Sexual health and screening
• Medical support for transition process
• Gender affirming care to support the physical, mental, and social well-being of transgender and gender-diverse individuals
• Transfrienders support group to support gender identity exploration
• Education and information
• Telemedicine services

Offers counselling services, peer support groups, and workshops that address various issues including:

• Anger management
• Depression
• Male survivors of sexual abuse
• Relationships
• Trauma

Support Services for Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse

Offers support services and short-term counselling to help survivors deal with the impact of abuse and to develop improved coping strategies

Partner agency of Support Services for Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse (North Region)

• needs assessment
• safety planning
• referrals to community services
• enhanced support for vulnerable victims
• assistance with applications to VQRP+

• Additional assistance for victims of human trafficking includes storage locker, tattoo removal and treatment at a recovery facility
• No direct reimbursements are made to victims for the supports listed above
  
• Financial support is also available for victims who sustained serious physical injuries during a crime and for parents of homicide victims and spouses of homicide victims

• Provides case management services for each student
• Provides social and spiritual support
• Encourages academic achievement
• Offers individual counselling in areas students might be struggling with such as homesickness and socialization issues

• Coordinates arrangements to place students attending high school in Thunder Bay with a suitable boarding home
• Provides online applications for: families willing to become host boarding homes and students requiring a boarding placement
• Provides a Boarding Home Guidebook for both students and hosts
• Pays an allowance every 2 weeks to boarding parents

• Receives child protection referrals in confidence from the community
• Accepts allegations of child neglect and abuse
• Serves as general intake for all other programs and services offered

• Investigates allegations of child abuse and child neglect to determine the safety of the family environment for children
• Develops a plan of care for each child in collaboration with the child, caregiver and, when possible, the biological family

• Provides crisis intervention and counselling
• Refers children or adult offenders to other commonly used services when and where needed

• Offers a variety of volunteer opportunities for community members
• Options for volunteers can include drivers, foster parents, parent aids, parent relief, recreation buddies, a special friend, tutoring, and sitting on a Volunteer Advisory Board

• In-home parenting support
• Facilitation of supported access visits between children and their families
• Circle of Security program (to enhance understanding of attachment, training)
• Consultation with staff members, community professionals and care providers
• Transportation to facilitate access visits and temporary daycare/school drives

• Helps families develop plans for their children and youth when child protection services is concerned about their well-being
• Provides a free and voluntary service that can be faster and less complicated that going through court

• Brings together family members and service providers, including Child Protection Services, to develop plans that makes sure everyone is safe and well

• A mediator works with the family and the Child Protection Worker to talk through issues together and develop a plan for the child(ren) that addresses the concerns raised by Child Protection Services

• Offers free and quick-access single session counselling to children, youth and adults, couples and families on a first come-first served basis
• Walk-in clinic is provided in partnership with Children's Centre Thunder Bay

Free and quick-access counselling can support various issues:

• Abuse
• Family Conflict
• Parent/child conflict
• Child Behaviour/School Problems
• Depression and Anxiety
• Grief and Loss
• Suicide
• Separation and Divorce
• Sexual Abuse or Assault
• Stress

• Stress
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Grief
• Recent or previous trauma

Provides personalized support to help child and youth victims and witnesses feel more confident and prepared for court

Goal of the program is to

• help victims feel stronger and more in control
• reduce the trauma caused by the crime
• support children, youth, and their caregivers as they get ready to testify and understand the court process

Offers support services and short-term counselling to help survivors deal with the impact of abuse and to develop improved coping strategies

Regional lead agency for Support Services for Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse - North Region

• Provides counselling services to women who have experienced or are experiencing emotional, physical and/or sexual abuse, including historic sexual abuse in childhood
• Provides counselling services for children who have witnessed violence against their mother
• Supports women in their choices and offers safety planning with a goal for clients to live free from violence