Many parents wish children came with instructions. You’re not alone. We have a program for you!
The Circle of Security Program can help you strengthen your parent-child relationship and gain confidence to better understand and support your child, especially during times of upset or distress.
This FREE 8-week virtual group will enhance your ability to support your child to achieve increased calmness, cooperation, and effective communication. You will gain knowledge and a deeper understanding of how behaviour and connection can impact your relationship with your child. As a caregiver, you will understand the importance of building a secure relationship with your child and help them to know that they can turn to you for support when confronted with difficulties or challenges.
The Circle of Security Parenting program is intended to support parents:
- To better understand their child especially during times of upset and distress
- To enhance parent’s ability to support their child to achieve increased calmness, cooperation, and effective communication
- To enjoy increased confidence, happiness, and delight in interactions with your child
- To gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of the interaction between behavior, connection, and relationships with their child
If you think that this group is what you have been looking for, CALL us at 416-438-3697 x19055 for more information, and to be placed on the waitlist.
Attendance for every session is imperative to gain the full benefits from the program as each week builds on the topics presented from the previous week. If a group member misses 2 or more sessions, they maybe be asked to withdraw from the group and register for the next group session.
2024 Fall Groups
OPEN FOR REGISTRATION
Program focus: Mental Health
What is One Stop Talk/Parlons maintenant?
One Stop Talk/Parlons maintenant (OST/PM) offers free virtual counselling services and seamless entry into child and youth mental health services across Ontario. The program serves as a single access point to mental health services for children and youth aged 0-17, connecting them with registered and experienced therapists across the province. Our agency’s therapists and an integrated network of province-wide infant, child, and youth mental health agencies support this program.
Service Details
- Counselling by registered therapists spanning Ontario, including our agency’s therapists
- Immediate access to free therapy; no prior booking or appointment required
- Focuses on addressing one issue at a time and provides the freedom to access the service as many times as needed
- OST/PM is not anonymous – the program requires children and youth to provide information about themselves, including their name, date of birth, and postal code, to receive service
- Start with a conversation, leave with a plan. No matter why you connect, children and youth co-create a personalized plan with their therapist, which is shared with them
- Navigation services are available if additional assistance beyond the session is needed. OST/PM directly refers clients to additional services as close to them as possible in the child and youth mental health sector
- OST/PM has dedicated Francophone therapists and interpretation services to over 200+ languages, including ASL
Who can contact One Stop Talk/Parlons maintenant?
- Children and youth (aged 0-17 years) located in Ontario
- Parents and caregivers located in Ontario are recommended to access the service with their child(ren)
When is the service available?
- Monday to Friday, 12 PM to 8 PM EST
- Saturday 12 PM to 4 PM EST
Entry to the service closes 45 minutes before posted closure time to allow all clients to be served by end of service
What can we help with?
No issue is too big or small. If it’s important to you, it’s important to us.
To connect with a therapist, visit onestoptalk.ca or call us at 1 855 416 8255.
Program focus: Communication Skills, Community Awareness, LGBT, Mental Health, School, Skill Development, Socializing, Violence Prevention, Youth Engagement more…
The Respect in Schools Everywhere (RiSE) Program is a youth-led, school-based violence prevention and mentorship program for grades 9 – 12 students. RiSE provides resources and programming for grades 7 – 8 students in feeder schools to the host school.
Youth participants are responsible for developing and facilitating workshops focused on bullying, mental health, social media education, stigma, and conflict resolution. RiSE has developed a program model for schools that is evidence-informed practices and incorporates current and relevant research. RiSE is currently delivered at David and Mary Thompson however any high school may request the program at their site.
Get In Touch with RiSE on Instagram
Program focus: Abuse, Anti-Human Trafficking, Behaviour Difficulty, Budgeting, Case Management, Child Welfare, Communication Skills, Developmental Disability, Employment, Housing, Immigration, Legal, LGBT, Life Skills, Male identified, Mental Health, Postnatal, Psychoeducation, Resume building, School, Sex Work, Sexual Relationships, Skill Development, Socializing, Substance Abuse, Trauma, Work more…
The Gender-Based Violence Program provides free support to individuals who are involved or at risk of being involved in human trafficking or those who have been involved in the sex trade by choice, circumstance, or coercion. The program is grounded in treating trauma, relational therapy and addressing human rights. Our team works from a strength based, sex-positive, harm reduction and trauma-informed approach. We believe in empowering survivors to have self-worth and to build healthy support systems.
Our team is composed of Trauma Therapists, Community Outreach Workers and Peer Navigators. The GBV program offers the following services centred around client-directed service planning:
- Trauma Therapy. Our therapists use a trauma-informed approach to help clients overcome psychological trauma. The GBV program recognizes that individuals who access our services often experience a combination of acute and developmental trauma. An acute trauma can be one where a person perceives a threat to one’s life, body, or emotional safety. Developmental trauma can occur because of adverse and chronic childhood experiences, such as neglect and abuse. As a result of trauma, people may have difficulty coping with their experiences, which can be very distressing and disruptive to daily functioning. Our therapists support individuals by working toward managing trauma symptoms, reducing shame and blame and building healthy relationships. Our therapists apply various therapeutic modalities in this process, including relational therapy and EMDR, as well as provide psychoeducation for participants and their family.
- Community Outreach & Education. The GBV team is available to provide outreach and education to youth 12-29 years old in various settings. Outreach and education take a preventative, non-judgemental approach to human trafficking/sex trafficking and incorporate topics such as healthy relationships, safety, consent and boundary setting. Concurrently, as part of our outreach, the GBV team can provide education on the topics of sex trafficking and trauma-informed care to service providers.
- Case Management & Service Navigation. Our Community Outreach Workers assist individuals with finding safe and affordable housing, accessing financial assistance, finding medical care, obtaining identification documents or legal consultation, school enrollment, job searching and can provide external referrals when needed. Assistance with life skill development, goal setting and budgeting support is also available
- Peer Support & Navigation. Our Peer Navigators actively advocate to reduce and end sexual exploitation. They act as support workers to encourage trauma recovery, build hope, confidence, and resilience within participants. The lived experience of the Peer Navigators lessens the isolation that many survivors feel, by creating a sense of belonging, connecting survivors with each other and to community-based resources. They can also offer assistance with appointments, court support, and aid with safety planning
- Support Group. Our Peer Navigators run an online support group with support from one of our Trauma Therapists. The group focuses on life skills and social/recreational activities.
- Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Counselling Program. This program offers short-term (8-12) immediate counselling sessions for children and youth who are victims of internet sexual exploitation and to their immediate family members. *ICE is available by referral only via the Ontario Provincial Police and BOOST. Learn more about ICE .
Any questions can be directed to the Gender-Based Violence Program at GBVinfo@stridestoronto.ca or 416-438-3697 ext. 13265.
On November 9, 2022, the Government of Canada endorsed the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence. Preventing and addressing GBV in Canada requires a coordinated national approach, with federal, provincial and territorial governments working in close partnership with survivors, Indigenous partners, direct service providers, experts, advocates, municipalities, the private sector and researchers.
The work of Strides Toronto’s Gender-Based Violence Program supports the vision of a Canada free from gender-based violence and supporting victims, survivors and their families regardless of where they live.
Eligibility details
- Youth aged 12 – 29 years
- Residing in Toronto
- Involved in or at risk of being involved in human trafficking and/or current or previous involvement in the sex trade by choice, circumstance, or coercion
- All gender identities welcomed
- Have an identified need or goal to address
Please note that we are not a crisis service. If you are in immediate danger, please contact 911 immediately. The Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline (1-833-900-1010) is available 24 hours, 7 days a week for telephone support and referral information.
Get in touch with us on Instagram
Program focus: Abuse, Autism, Behaviour Difficulty, Developmental Disability, LGBT, Mental Health, School, Sex Work, Skill Development, Trauma more…
Help Ahead: Access for Infants, Children, Youth & Families
Help Ahead is a free referral phone service to help connect infants, children, youth up to 18 years old and their families to mental health and addiction services in their community. Our goal is to help those in need find and get mental health help as efficiently and quickly as possible.
Anyone under the age of 18 experiencing a mental health issue or anyone who wants to support someone under the age of 18 and wants access to mental health services can call.
If you are a young person, you might call if you:
- Feel anxious or worried
- Feel depressed, sad or angry
- Are being bullied
- Don’t feel yourself…
- Want more information about mental health and addiction services in your community.
If you are a parent/caregiver of an infant or child, you might call if:
- Your infant/child is crying inconsolably; having tantrums; irregular sleep or eating patterns;
- You are worried about your infant/child’s development; feeling overwhelmed and frustrated by parenting; or asking, “is this just a phase?”
- You want more information about mental health and addiction services in your community.
Service providers, doctors, teachers, school social workers, child protection services and any other support service can call Help Ahead too for more information, but we will need the expressed consent of the person or parent to refer to a service.
Program focus: Abuse, Behaviour Difficulty, LGBT, Mental Health, Nutrition, School, Sex Work, Trauma more…
The What’s Up Walk-In® Clinic is Toronto’s only free, six day a week mental health counselling walk-in service for children, youth, young adults, and families. The clinic helps with issues such as depression, anxiety, self-harm, suicidal ideation, sexual identity matters, bullying, behavioural concerns, addictions, and anything else that might be on one’s mind. All the information you provide is confidential.
Therapists offer single sessions up to an hour long. We don’t judge. We will support you in your concerns and work collaboratively with you. The focus is on abilities, resources, and skills that you have, or you want to develop. Together we will target a priority concern and develop a plan with you that you feel comfortable with. If you feel you need more help, you can come back to the What’s Up Walk-In. All our therapists are clinically trained.
The clinic is barrier free, and accessible. No health card or appointment is necessary and it’s completely free! The What’s Up Walk-In network is a collection of 6 agencies operating at 8 sites across the City of Toronto.
Hours of service
Virtual Sessions
Friday, 2 PM – 8 PM Last registration: 6:30 PM
To be connected to a counsellor for a telephone or video session, call us at 416-438-3697 press 1 and then enter ext. 12230 for reception.
In-person Sessions at Strides Toronto (as of March 1, 2024)
Monday – Thursday, 12 PM – 8 PM Last registration: 6:30 PM
Friday, 12 PM – 5 PM Last registration: 3:30 PM
Saturday, 10 AM – 4 PM Last registration: 2:30 PM
Location: 1200 Markham Road, Suite 200, Scarborough
- Call to schedule sessions in Tagalog, Mandarin, Cantonese. Interpretation in other languages can be planned in advance.
- No appointment is necessary; first come, first served.
- Registration closed 1h 30 mins prior to the end of in-person service hours.
- Capacity at times reached before last registration.
- Services closed on statutory holidays.
- Face masks are available for in-person sessions.
Supported by RBC:
In partnership with:
Program focus: ADHD, Autism, Behaviour Difficulty, Child Development, Communication Skills, Developmental Disability, LGBT, Mental Health, Parenting, School, Skill Development, Socializing, Trauma more…
Children, youth up to age 18, their mental health professional and families can access psychiatric consultation via virtual platform. Youth and family must be connected to a service provider to support the referral process.
This service requires a referral by a mental health professional who has worked with the child/youth and family and is knowledgeable of their situation. The mental health professional will be involved in the entire process following the psychiatric consultation and will follow up with the client on any recommendations.
All referral forms must be faxed to 647-689-2788. If you have any questions, please email the Urban Tele-Mental Health Service Coordinator at urbantelementalhealth@stridestoronto.ca or call us at 416-438-3697 ext. 14292.
Program focus: Behaviour Difficulty, Child Welfare, Life Skills, Mental Health, Trauma
Priority Access for Child Welfare (PACW) Services helps children and youth that are at-risk of being placed in child welfare because of challenges at home; severe difficulties at school that could lead to loss of school placement; or has significant mental health and/or addiction issues and child welfare has become involved. Depending on the need of the family, therapists can meet with youth and their caregivers weekly or bi-weekly for 3 to 6 months.
The goals of the program are to reduce the severity of the difficulties in the home, improve relationships and reduce the risk for out-of-home placement. Services are offered in a range of settings (e.g. our office, the community, child welfare office and sometimes the home) using a treatment plan that is created collaboratively with the child/youth/family. Trained therapists provide children/youth/families with tools to help develop healthy behaviours, better relationships and enable youth to function positively and effectively in the home whilst addressing their mental health and/or addiction issues.
Referral details
A referral needs to be made to Strides Toronto by one of the Child Welfare agencies:
- Children’s Aid Society Toronto (CAST)
- Catholic Children’s Aid Society (CCAS)
- Native Child and Family Services
- Jewish Family and Child Services
The social worker from the Child Welfare agency will ask for consent from the family and send Strides Toronto the referral form asking the therapist to help support family. Our therapist will then contact the family directly and we will all agree a time to meet.
Program focus: Behaviour Difficulty, Child Welfare, Communication Skills, Mental Health, Socializing
Our Intensive Child and Family Service is offered to children and their caregivers who are experiencing social, emotional, and/or behavioural challenges that interfere with their daily lives and may lead to family breakdown in either their home, school and/or community. Often families eligible for this service are living with complex needs that may be impacting multiple domains of their lives.
Services are provided in-home, in-community, in-office or other settings which would be most helpful to supporting change. These services are provided by a Child and Family Therapist who will meet as frequently as required to help make a difference, offering service in a flexible manner that may include individual treatment, family and/or group therapy.
Referral details
Contact Strides Toronto Intake at 416-438-3697 ext. 19055 to initiate a referral.
Intake will help determine if Intensive Services is the most appropriate service for you or if there is an alternate service that may better meet your needs.
Program focus: Abuse, Behaviour Difficulty, Child Welfare, Mental Health, Trauma
The Infant Mental Health program offers a variety of family-focused, multidisciplinary mental health assessment and treatment services that are inclusive and accessible to all families living in Scarborough. Services are provided at Strides Toronto, in the home, or in the community at a time convenient for the family.
The program strives to strengthen parent child interactions by focusing on building positive family relationships to improve healthy social and emotional development of infants and children (birth to 3 years old) in partnership with their families and communities.
Parents with young children under the age of 3 years who are concerned about their children’s behaviour (separation anxiety, sleep difficulties, eating concerns, excessive crying, or challenging behaviour) are eligible for this service.