The Centre has these service areas:

ADR-LINK

ADR-Link is funded by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services to connect Children's Aid Societies in the South West Region of Ontario to ADR practitioners for child protection mediation and family group conferencing.

Child Welfare Assessment Services

As contemplated in the Child & Family Services Act of Ontario, members of this multi-disciplinary team assess parenting capacity in families involved with a Children's Aid Society (CAS) for child protection reasons. The goal is to offer an opinion to the Court or to the CAS (or both) about issues such as where the children should live, with whom, and under what conditions. A detailed report is compiled and the author is available to testify if the matter goes to trial. The Centre has conducted child welfare assessments since 1980 and accepts referrals from all parts of Ontario.

Child Witness Project

Members of this team help children and adolescents called to testify as victims or witnesses in criminal court, usually in cases of physical or sexual abuse, peer assaults or domestic violence. Referrals are also accepted for capacity assessments, expert testimony, clinical victim impact statements, and criminal injuries reports. The preparation protocol includes education, stress reduction, coping strategies, emotional support and advocacy. The CWP has been in operation since 1987 and is funded by the Ministry of the Attorney General.

Clinical Consultation to the Courts

In a variety of criminal and civil cases, usually involving interpersonal violence, Centre staff assist the courts through assessment, consultation or expert testimony. Cases may involve criminal trials; youth criminal court trials (see also Youth Justice Assessment below); custody disputes (see also London Custody & Access Project); child protection cases (see also Child Welfare Assessment above); and civil litigation for past abuse and/or third-party liability. The Child Witness Project assess issues such as developmental ability of children to testify. Areas include: impact of childhood abuse or family violence; institutional abuse; clergy abuse; delayed disclosure; parenting capacity; and, criminal responsibility.

Clinical Supports Program

Team members provide a one-on-one, intensive therapeutic service to young residents of 12 facilities in Middlesex County, including therapeutic care and youth justice (custody) settings. They work closely with facility staff to identify candidates for referral. This unique model gives equitable access for youth regardless of their placement because service follows youths who move through the system. This dynamic continuity of service sees the youth as the client of the system (not the agency), affording great flexibility of response. This multi-disciplinary team includes members drawn from social work, education, nursing, clinical psychology and psychiatry. Started in 1997, this team has grown substantially over the years and sees about 400 young people each year.

Counselling

Counselling is undertaken on a fee-for-service basis by psychologists or social workers.

London Custody and Access Project

Sometimes after divorce or other dissolution of relationships, conflict prevents parents from collaborating on decisons about child custody and visitation schedules. The London Custody and Access Project was established in 1980 to help parents, lawyers, and the Family Court develop parenting plans in the children's best interests. LCAP members are drawn partly from Centre staff and partly from outside consultant members. Most custody and access assessments are ordered by the court, but parents can request assessments directly from the Centre (if all parties consent). A detailed report is generated and the author can be called to testify if the case goes to trial.

Parenting Coordination Service

This is a service offered through the London Custody and Access Project provided on a fee-for-service basis to parents who are separating and divorcing. The goal of Parenting Coordination is to develop a parenting plan and put it into practice guided by an experienced mental health professional.

Training and Resource Development Services

By invitation, Centre staff provide on-site training and public speaking in North America and abroad. Our trainers distill the latest research and convey results in an interactive format designed to be relevant for front-line professionals -- either introductory material or advanced skills for seasoned staff. The majority of interest is in the topic of children exposed to family violence, but we also do training in adolescent suicide in residential facilities (prevention and intervention), anger awareness in adolescents, ambiguous loss, bullying in and near schools, conduct disorder, depression and suicide in adolescents, cognitive-behavioural approaches to intervention, interviewing children, peer-to-peer aggression in residential settings, preparing children for court testimony, and vicarious trauma in service providers. We integrate research with feedback from training to create useful resources for front-line professionals. Browse through our training resources, many of which are available on-line.

Research Services

Our applied research program is aimed at identifying the needs of children and families and effective strategies for intervention. Most research reports are available electronically on this web site, reflecting our commitment to make information accessible. Recent projects include a study of youth-on-youth criminal violence, an evaluation of mediation for child protection cases, a study of children of women in prison, and an exhaustive review of research on children exposed to domestic violence. Types of research include: literature reviews to support recommendations on program development and refinement; qualitative studies of children and families; evaluation of intervention programs; and consultation on research design. Results are used to recommend program developments, policy initiatives, and future research directions. We have a rigorous ethical protocol (also available on our web site).

Youth Justice Assessment Team

Judges can order a "medical or psychological" assessment under the Youth Criminal Justice Act to aid in sentencing and a range of other decisions where mental illness or capacity are at issue. Clinicians conduct these forensic assessments as requested by the Youth Justice Court. Team members synthesize information from collateral sources (e.g., school records, physicians, therapy reports) and family interviews to guide recommendations. A consulting psychiatrist is available.

Youth Mental Health Court Service

The goal of this service, a component of the Youth Therapeutic Court, is to identify and support the mental health needs of youth (age 16 or older) charged with a criminal offence in youth court and also having a diagnosed or suspected serious mental illness, traumatic brain injury or developmental disability. Referrals can be made at any point in the court process by the youth, a family member or care provider, a defence lawyer, duty counsel, or the Crown Attorney. Outcomes can include diversion from the formal justice system.