These services are targeted at children, youths, their parents and family members who are facing serious problems at a personal, family or social level (negligence, neglect, physical or sexual abuse, psychological maltreatment or serious behaviour disorders).

The implementation of measures is essentially made up of psychosocial services and outpatient rehabilitation services. Specifically, the objectives are as follows:

• put an end to the situation that compromises the child’s safety or development;
• prevent, as much as possible, any risk of the situation recurring;
• maintain the child in his/her family environment, and if he/she must be placed, improve all the conditions promoting his/her quickest return possible to his/her family environment, or, if a return is impossible, ensure that he/she has another permanent living environment.

The goal is to find the means to allow the child or youth to meet his basic and safety needs, and to do so as soon as possible after a voluntary measures agreement is reached, or pursuant to a court order (judicial measures)* (???).

How do I access the services?

The implementation of measures is completed following the assessment of a report in accordance with the Youth Protection Act (YPA). Where the safety and development of a child or a youth are deemed to be compromised under the YPA, measures are implemented to end the compromising situation. These measures can be implemented after signing a voluntary measures agreement, or pursuant to an ordinance issued by the court*(???).

Who will I be dealing with?

Psychosocial professionals working in partnership with other professionals to best meet the identified needs of children, youths and their families.

What should I expect?

The services offered are focused on the needs of the children, of the youths and their family. They are basically organized around a tailored response or individualized service plan, with several partners working together.

Once a case is assigned to a professional, he/she will work with the child and his/her family to prepare the tailored response or individualized service plan, in accordance with the voluntary measures agreement or judicial measures. The plan outlines the objectives to be met in order to put an end to the protection situation experienced by the child or youth, and identifies the actions needed to meet the objectives.

Where a child is entrusted to a foster family, the family must be involved in developing the response plan, which specifies expected objectives and response methods.

Where a child is entrusted to a rehabilitation unit, the response plan is developed by the case worker responsible for implementing the measures and the educator in charge.

Where and when are services provided?

Implementation of measures services are offered across all the territories of the Outaouais region through local service points. Professionals implementing measures travel to the different environments of the child or youth, i.e., his/her natural environment, his/her foster setting, his/her school or at the premises of other professionals involved (physician, psychologist, psychiatrist, etc.).