Community Care Program

A Decentralized Model - Weechi-it-te-win Family Services

• Did you know child welfare and children’s mental health services have been devolved to the communities and have been in full operation since 2000?
• One unique aspect of Weechi-it-te-win’s decentralized model is our Community Care Programs
• This arrangement is completed through rigorous planning & service agreements with each First Nation community
• Each First Nation community designs its child welfare services with standards of the Ministry and their First Nation communities values

Family Services Workers are members of a First Nation-based team of child welfare workers that also includes Agency-employed or First Nation-employed child protection workers, a community family counsellor and other First Nation service providers.

As part of day-to-day service delivery, the Family Services Worker(s), together with other members of the First Nation child welfare team and Weechi-it-te-win program staff, will provide case management, supervision and support to children, parents and alternative caregivers. With the support of a community-based Family Services Committee or equivalent body, this First Nation-based team shares responsibility for the delivery of a range of family support and child protection services to support the healthy development of children, provide support to parents and alternative caregivers and to work with children and parents to maintain or restore family unity. Family Services Workers are members of their communities and have an intimate knowledge of community members and are in a strong position to provide assessment, planning and referral services for their members.