Careers Volunteer Give Events

Government Referral

Government Referral 

View the list >

Legend

Camrose Drayton Valley Edmonton Innisfail Lacombe Lloydminster Ponoka Red Deer Vermilion Wainwright Wetaskiwin

A referral from the government is required to access the following programs:

  • PSECA Community Follow-Up Program- Edmonton
  • Safe House
  • Home Assessment Program - Edmonton
  • Collaborative Service Delivery - Edmonton
  • Supportive Independent Living (SIL) for youth
  • Specialized Group Care - Edmonton
  • Kinship Care - Edmonton
  • Group Care - Red Deer 

PSECA Community Follow-Up Program

Provides follow-up community services to “at-risk” youth identified under the Protection of Sexually Exploited Children Act (PSECA). Outreach workers provide support, informal counselling, and facilitate the youth’s access to community resources as well as work with the youth through their accomplishments and relapses. This program is provided through a partnership between Catholic Social Services and Metis Child and Family Services.

Am I eligible?

Only children identified under the Protection of Sexually Exploited Children Act (PSECA) are eligible.

Where is this service provided?

Catholic Social Services
11405 163 Street, Edmonton, AB
T5M 3Y3

How much will it cost me?

There is no cost to families or participants. Funding is provided by Children's Services.

How do I access this Program?

  • The youth is identified under the Protection of Sexually Exploited Children Act (PSECA).
  • The youth is then assigned to a PSECA Worker through Child and Family Services Authority.
  • The youth is offered the services of a Community Follow-up Worker to assist them in reaching their goals.
  • PSECA workers contact Crystal Croft at 587-336-2586 to make a referral.

Who do I contact for more information?

Irene Stone, Program Manager 780-378-2491

Program Outcomes

The program goals are to provide support, guidance, and case coordination in helping youth find positive lifestyle alternatives to sexual exploitation. The Community Follow-Up worker will develop an Individual Service Plan with the youth, along with his or her parents and/or guardian (if involved). The Service Plan may be developed from the PSECA voluntary service agreement and is designed to identify the required services, goals, and objectives for each youth. Upon completion of their involvement with the Protection of Sexually Exploited Children, a discharge is designed with the youth and is gearing toward providing a continuum of supports.

Testimonials 

“My CFU (Community Follow-Up) worker is my support and helps me when I need it - and she is there no matter what.”

“If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t know the stuff I know now and would not be the person I am today. I would not have the strength to stay clean.”

Safe House

Safe House is a shelter-based program which accepts self-referrals, community referrals, and Edmonton and Area CFS referrals for high-risk youth, as well as for youth who fall under the Protection of Sexually Exploited Children’s Act (PSECA).  The program is a short-term, temporary High-Risk Youth shelter that provides an enhanced spectrum of services to high-risk youth, sexually exploited youth, and homeless or hard-to-house youth.

Am I eligible?

The program serves females and transgender youth between the ages of 13 and 21 years of age. Safe House will continue work with youth that are 18 to 21 if they have a continuation of care agreement (status) with the Edmonton and Area CFS, and the first-time connection with the program occurred prior to age 18.

Where is this service provided?

Catholic Social Services
11405 163 Street, Edmonton, AB
T5M 3Y3

How much will it cost me?

There is no cost to families or participants. Funding is provided by Children's Services.

How do I access this Program?

Through Edmonton and Area Child and Family Services, Crisis Unit, PSECA Workers, Edmonton Police Service, community programs, guardians and self-referral.  

Who do I contact for more information?

Contact the service at 780-474-9938.

Program Outcomes

The immediate goal of Safe House, housing and outreach support is to encourage each youth to reduce their involvement in high-risk behaviours. The long-term goals of the program are for youth to establish the connections with program staff and resources in the community that help them exit street life, addictions, and violence, as well as to reconcile relationships with family (whenever possible), and to achieve independent living or alternate long-term placements (such as a foster or group homes). Safe House collaborates internally and externally with many community agencies serving similar youth to best meet their housing and outreach needs.

Relevant Links

Home Assessment Program

This program assesses applicants who apply for Foster Care, Kinship Care, Private Guardianship or Adoption through Child and Family Services. The Home Assessment adheres to the Structured Analysis Family Evaluation (SAFE) Model. Foster Care Edmonton Catholic Social Services’ Foster Care program provides safe, secure and nurturing environments for children or youth who have Child Welfare Status.

 

Collaborative Service Delivery (CSD) - Edmonton

The intention of CSD is to transform the delivery of services in order to achieve positive outcomes for children, youth and families involved in the child intervention system. The emphasis is on collaborative and rational shared practice and decision-making with family and community in the forefront. We are partnered with Child and Family Services Inglewood and Energy Square offices. Together, we are delivering child-centered and family-focused services that are community-based, culturally competent and targeted to the needs of individual chidlren and families. Focus is on a comprehensive and holistic shared approach which is not organized around categorically defined problems but cuts across existing services to explore the potential and possibilities for children and families within communities to meet their underlying needs. 

Outcomes being achieved are

  • More children receiving services are home with their families
  • More children returning home if in care
  • Shorter duration of intervention
  • Increased parental capacity
  • More Children remaining in their schools and communities of origin.

Are you eligible for these services?

Families are referred to the Agency when our partners at Inglewood Edmonton and Area Child and Family Services open a file.

Where are these services provided?

Services are provided within the Edmonton and area.

Supported Independent Living for Youth - Edmonton

Catholic Social Services provides Supported Independent Living programs through the provision of room and board, On-Call supports, supervision, Service Planning and individualized skill development on a twenty four (24) hour basis to youth living in Bear Paw housing unit, owned or leased by the proprietor. The Supported Independent Living Program provides support to semi independent youth, who have status under the Child, Youth, and Family Enhancement Act to acquire the necessary skills required to transition to independent living within the community.

Referrals

Through Edmonton and Area Child and Family Services.

Services are provided to youth with legal status pursuant to the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act. All youth referred to the Supported Independent Living program must meet the following criteria:

  • Family and/or kinship supports and/or community resources are not sufficient to stabilize the youth in independent living
  • The youth and their Case Worker have identified the need for supported independent living
  • The youth has status under the Child, Youth & Family Enhancement Act and is between 16 and 18 years of age or has had his or her status extended beyond age 18.
  • The youth is in transition from another residential or foster care placement or has established the need for support services to live independently
  • The youth is enrolled in or actively seeking an educational, volunteer or employment program or other meaningful activity
  • The youth has expressed a commitment willingness to live in a supported independent living situation

Turning Points

Supported Independent Living Program offers a number of different streams or options for Supported Independent Living. The different options are outlined below.

Bear Paw Facility ( "Maskocici" in Cree)

  • Serves youth who have a higher degree of need compared to those in a traditional SIL placement.
  • Placement in this program provides more intensive supports and living arrangements, offering life skills training, outreach, on-site staffing, program guidelines and a more structured environment.
  • The building has a Live-in Worker for additional supports and Child and Youth Care Worker (CYCW) provide Life-Skills Coaching and access to a 24-hour On-Call staff.
  • Bear Paw offers furnished apartments, thus greatly reducing or eliminating the initial start-up costs associated with community placements. Turning Points Community Placement Accommodation
  • Serves youth who have graduated from Bear Paw or another supported residential program, and have been screened as suitable for increased independence in the community.
  • Suitable youth applicants have developed living skills and achieved goals that will enable them to live independently in the community with minimal support and supervision.
  • These teens continue to have access to the 24-hour program On-Call and are still supported by a CYCW that provides outreach services and links youth to community resources, education, and vocational programs.
  • For those youth who have proven their independent living skills within a community placement and achieved stability in most aspects of their lives, the Next Step Turning Points program is offered.
  • This component places the onus on the youth to initiate program contact and support as required.
  • The goal of this program is to prepare the youth for the transition to complete independence within the community. Youth are assigned a Child & Youth Care Worker who assists in learning basic living skills. These include, and are not limited to budgeting, safety, sexual health, healthy relationships, cooking, personal boundaries, and home management. Youth are provided with the following:
      - Access to 24-hour support
      - Life Skills instruction
      - Aboriginal Elder Support
      - Access to Aboriginal Resources
      - Monies for rent, utilities, food and personal incidentals, clothing, laundry, transportation

Day Program Support

This program is designed to allow the CYCWs work in a supporting role in proximity which will encourage the youth to make positive lifestyle choices. SPECIALIZED SERVICES Turning Points Program provides a supported living experience and a program of specialized services for each youth accepted into the program. Aspects of this service are:

  • An intake to assess the needs of the youth and, where appropriate the youth’s family needs;
  • Effective, supportive transition of the youth from his or her present living situation and admission into the program;
  • An individual Service Plan and goal programming based on needs assessment and resilience measure for the youth;
  • Permanancy Planning with the child’s parents and/or guardian, with the participation of the child where feasible, for resolution of problems that necessitated placement;

Group Care for Children and Youth - Edmonton

Treatment is provided in community homes for children and youth whose primary concerns are related to mental health needs FASD and high-risk behaviours who cannot safely live in their family home, in foster care or kinship care. This program provides 34 group care beds for children and youth where the primary focus is to increase the capacity of these children/youth to effectively manage social relationships, life skills, school participation, and community integration. Support services are also provided for the family of these children/youth.

Am I eligible?

Children with Child Welfare Status from Edmonton and area Child and Family Service.

Where is this service provided?

Edmonton

How much will it cost me?

No charge. The program is funded through a contract with a Children and Family Services (CFSA) .The CFS will access with the family its capacity to provide financial support for the child's care, such as clothes and school expenses.

How do I access this Program?

Referrals are made by the regional Child and Family Services Authority (CFS).

Who do I contact for more information?

Intake worker (780) 471-1122

Program Outcomes

  • Improved self-regulation, social and relation skills as well as a healthy connection to family or family substitutes.
  • The child will develop healthier relationships with peers and adults.
  • Families will learn appropriate techniques to reduce their stressors and to understand/ manage their child.
  • To achieve stabilization for the client within the group care setting and his or her immediate community, such as school or family.
  • A reduction in dysfunctional behaviours associated with a diagnosis.
  • Successful transition to either family, foster care or independent living. 

Testimonials

From children:
“I like the time here. I have learned other ways to express my feelings and today was good.”

“I am glad I fund a foster home and I’ll be sad and miss everybody.”

“I learned lots when I was here. I will miss you guys a lot.”

From parents:
“We feel there was a definite positive influence on our son by the staff. I have a good feeling and respect for the people helping him.”

“The staff is friendly and knowledgeable and very committed. Because of the home, we now have resources we were not aware of. Thank you one and all.”

Kinship Care - Edmonton

Family Links

Family Links support families who provide Kinship Care - the full-time care, nurturing, and protection of a child/youth by relatives, members of the child’s band, godparents, stepparents, or any adult who has a significant bond with a child. Family Links keeps children and youth connected to their extended family and community.

Who do we serve?

Family Links provides support to any prospective kinship care provider. If you are caring for or need to care for a family member or child under the age of 18 with government status and are needing to provide ongoing or consistent support, Family Links may be able to assist.

What does the Program offer?

Through funding from the Edmonton and Area Child and Family Services Family Links provides:

Financial Support

A monthly maintenance payment and reimbursement for other related costs to raising a child.

Fees and Funding

There is no fee for service. Funding is provided by the Region 6 Child and Family Services.

Emotional Support

  • Non-judgemental support in times of need
  • Knowledge and insight into a child/youth’s physical, mental, and emotional needs
  • Liaison with the Edmonton and Area Child and Family Services
  • Advocacy for services and resources
  • A Home assessment with an Agency Placement Coordinator Program Training

Getting Started

If Family Links sounds right for you, call us at (780) 471-1122. Our program workers will do an initial assessment, and get you connected with the resources you need.

Group Care for Children and Youth - Red Deer

Residential support is provided in community homes for children and youth whose primary concerns are related to cognitive disabilities , mental health needs, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and high-risk behaviours who cannot safely live in their family home, foster care or kinship care. The primary focus is to increase the capacity of these children/youth to effectively manage social relationships, life skills, school participation, and community integration.

Am I eligible?

Children with an Intervention support plan from Child and Family Services.

Where is this Provided?

Red Deer

How much will it cost me?

No charge. The program is funded through a contract with Children and Family Services, Central Region.

How do I access this program?

Referrals are made by the regional Child and Family Services Central Region.

Reach Out