Family and Youth Services

Supporting families and youth to build on their strengths
and develop positive relationships within the family and community.

Family & Youth Services Programs

Aboriginal Youth Special Project | Children's Counselling Service | Circle of Support

Family Preservation and Reunification | Family Support | Parent Support Circles

Special Services to Children | Youth in Transition to Adulthood

Aboriginal Youth Special Project
This program is directed towards aboriginal children who are not Sechelt Nation. An Elder and a Spiritual Advisor provide cultural guidance and direction to the Coordinator and children/youth in the program, to nurture a sense of belonging, pride and cultural awareness.

Aboriginal Youth Special Project  604.885.5881 ext. 229
Chris Denley  Email Chris

Children's Counselling Service
(was Children’s Sexual Abuse Intervention Program)
The program, funded by the Ministry for Child and Family Development, provides counselling and treatment for children and youth aged 4 to 18, who have been, or are suspected of having been, sexually abused.

This program helps children deal with the effects of trauma at each developmental level. The goals are for optimum, not minimum, functioning, for the children to experience joy in their lives, not just to get over the misery.

Referrals may come from MCFD, Child and Youth Mental Health Services. Parents and professionals can call MCFD at 604.740-8900 to request referrals to this program. The service is free and confidential.

The counsellor may work with the individual child or may include family members in the work. The therapists use art and play therapy and creative expression along with other forms of therapeutic interventions.

Counselling is offered in Gibsons at Farnham Family Place (Farnham Road) and Sechelt (Inlet Avenue). Each location has a specific room set up as a children’s counselling office. The rooms have tools, toys, art supplies and other resources that are typically used for counselling of children/youth.

Children's Counselling Service will help if the client is moving to another community, by providing information about programs in the new community and how to get connected.

Children's Counselling Service (was Sexual Abuse Intervention Program)
604.885.5881 ext. 228
Lynn Mackay, Coordinator/Counsellor  Email Lynn
Michele Beaudry, Counsellor  Email Michele

Circle of Support
The FASD Support Services program is here to provide education and broaden awareness of FASD within families and the community;
to support parents and caregivers in building upon their strengths to care for children and youth living with FASD and to help develop a support network for children and youth living with FASD.

Referrals can come from teachers, doctors, social workers, probation officers or other community professionals, or you may contact us directly.

Those eligible for the program are children and youth living with FASD. This includes children and youth who demonstrate the symptoms associated with FASD but may not have a diagnosis; parents living with FASD; caregivers of children and youth living with FASD.

Circle of Support Services provide one to one support, groups and support circles; consultation; help to build a support network; community capacity-building.

Circle of Support  604.885.5881 ext. 245
Jen Davey  Email Jen

Family Preservation and Reunification
This program is designed to offer counselling and support to families and caregivers anywhere on the Sunshine Coast. Families must be referred to this particular service by the Ministry of Children and Family Development.

A qualified staff person works on a very intense basis with families, sometimes seeing them several times each week, possibly for extended times each visit.

One of the aims of this work is to maintain the child within the home by strengthening the parents’ or caregiver’s skills, developing problem-solving techniques, changing family dynamics, improving family communication skills and teaching conflict resolution.

A second aim is to reunite children in care with their birth parents or extended family members whenever possible, and to reduce the length of time children are in the care of the Ministry. The staff person also works individually with children who have behavioural and/or emotional problems.

Group parenting classes may also be offered, depending on the need. Parents and caregivers in this program may also participate in other programs of Community Services.

Family Preservation and Reunification  604.885.5881 ext. 229
Chris Denley, Program Director   Email Chris

Family Support
Family Support Services assist and support parents in their role as caregivers, with the goal of promoting parental competency and strengthening family life, leading to healthy child and family development.

This free, confidential program is available to all parents, who may apply directly. The Family Support worker provides information, education, help and support to parents in several different ways:

parent education groups based on material from Parenting Wisely, and other leading educators.

individual / family sessions (usually up to six, perhaps more upon review) at the Family Support office, 5638 Inlet Avenue, Sechelt (Community Services) or at Farnham Family Place, 624 Farnham Road, Gibsons.

the Family Support Worker is available by appointment, for a phone consultation, or to provide referral services.

Family Support 604.885.5881 ext. 235  Email the Family Support Program
Doris Rank, Family Counsellor

Parent Support Circles
Parent Support Circles are offered with the sponsorship and assistance of the Parent Support Services Society of BC.

Parent Support Circles help and encourage parents to learn positive parenting. This is defined as learning to distinguish punishment from discipline; knowing that children’s rights don’t undermine parental rights; valuing children for who they are, instead of who we think they should be.

Parent Support Circles are confidential self-help groups offering weekly, two-hour meetings facilitated by trained volunteers. Participants can enter the group at any time; between-meeting support is offered by facilitators and co-participants. The circles give parents a chance to share concerns, support each other, and learn parenting and life skills. They also connect participants with other services and resources in the community. Groups are usually offered in both Gibsons and Sechelt.

Parent Support Circle  604.885.5881 ext. 229  Email Parent Support Circle

Youth in Transition to Adulthood
When youth are discharged from care, usually at age 18, they are not always emotionally, educationally or financially ready. This program is designed to help youth in important and practical ways, preparing them for life outside care, and to make a smooth transition into adulthood.

Through one-to-one counselling as well as group work, youth get help to meet a number of goals:

practice life skills in “real world” situations;
build connections with an appropriate adult;
identify a mentor, whether a relative or staff member, who can provide on-going support after discharge from care;
work through their relationships with their family of origin before discharge;
expand life skills training to include vocational and / or computer training, and long-term academic planning towards post-secondary education;
completion of a high school degree or GED for those youth who are struggling at school and who do not want to pursue post-secondary education.

Among the life skills that youth will learn is the ability to obtain and maintain housing, often a challenge due to the lack of suitable housing, and the unwillingness of landlords to rent to young tenants.

Youth get help to learn independent living skills while they work towards their need for a permanent family connection. Studies have shown that this two-pronged approach is more likely to help youth achieve self-sufficiency.

Youth in Transition to Adulthood  604.885.5881 ext. 231
Steve Oka  Email Steve

Special Services to Children
The child and youth care workers in Special Services to Children help children who have mental, physical or emotional challenges by working with them individually and in small groups in the community. Staff have training to work with children with autism and schizophrenia, as well as those challenged by social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. Workers last year offered intensive goal-oriented, one-to-one and group support for more than 40 children.