WRAPAROUND

Program Overview

Wraparound aims to prevent out-of-home placement for at-risk youth, age 12 to 16, in families experiencing conflict or to help reintegrate youth back into their families and community after being removed and placed in care. Typically, families are involved with a Wraparound facilitator for 6 months to 1 year.
Wraparound is an intensive, individualized process used to engage and support youth and families with complex needs and empower them to take charge of their own lives, find better coping strategies and improve their relationships.
It is a voluntary approach that helps build a team of natural and formal supports and connects families to community resources while recognizing and honoring the family’s unique values, belief preferences, and culture.
A Wraparound Facilitator will:

•       Meet with the family in their home or in the community
•       Initially meeting one time per week, daytime or evenings, for one to two hours; as progress occurs meetings become less frequent
•       Collaborate with the youth and their family to identify their unique strengths, needs, and goals
•       Help develop a team made up of caring, supportive people, chosen by the family
•       Guide the family in creating a unique plan that meets all of their needs
•       Review and adjust Wraparound plans periodically with the family and youth involved
•       Assess for risk/create safety plans if applicable
•       Make appropriate referrals to additional relevant resources

Referrals are received directly from Children’s Aid Society of Toronto (CAST) and Catholic Children’s Aid Society (CCAS). If you are involved with either division and interested in Wraparound, you should speak to your caseworker to see if it is an appropriate referral for your family and ask that a referral be made. There is usually no wait time to start this program, but occasionally there can be a one month wait.

If you are not involved with either division of children’s aid, you may be referred through HelpAhead. If you are an existing YouthLink client, speak to a member of staff to assist with your application. Clients new to YouthLink can reach out directly to HelpAhead at 1-866-585-6486 or www.helpahead.ca.

Wraparound at YouthLink is a standardized service, for the entire family, delivered by Certified Wraparound Facilitators through Wrap Canada. Facilitators are members of Wraparound Ontario. Wraparound’s key initiative is to keep families together.