Voluntary Family Planning
What is a Voluntary Family Plan?
A Voluntary Family Plan (VFP) allows families to work with their extended families and other community supports to identify and address concerns so that they may better care for their children. The objective of VFP is to use community resources to address issues before child safety concerns arise. VFP also assists vulnerable families to access services necessary to address identified concerns and increase family strengths.
Who Requests a Voluntary Family Plan?
Voluntary Family Planning (VFP) is for Aboriginal families that voluntarily request support to resolve concerns about the care for their children, prior to child protection involvement with a MCFD or Delegated Aboriginal Agency Social Worker. VFP is also requested by families that have children with complex needs, when the family needs assistance to develop and manage a network of services. Schools, community, or service provider organizations may refer families to SIWS for VFP, if they believe the family requires support to care for their child.
What are the activities and who participates?
The SIWS Family Advocate is a neutral coordinator / facilitator who will:
- Identify and support family, community members, and professionals to participate in the VFP process.
- Identify specific community and cultural resources that may benefit the planning process.
- Facilitate a “family driven” collaborative meeting with participants to develop a Voluntary Family Plan that everyone agrees to.
- Access services necessary to achieve the goals in the plan.
- Support monitoring and implementation of the plan.
What are the outcomes ?
The outcomes of the Voluntary Family Plan are:
- A Voluntary Family Plan document describes goals, action steps, and timeframes to address issues identified by participants.
- More families that voluntarily identify and address issues before a child safety concern arises, thereby reducing the need for MCFD or Delegated Agency Child Protection Social Workers to become involved.
- Improved family strengths and resilience for the care of children, resulting in a reduction in children removed from their families and community.
Have a referral?
If you know an individual or family who you feel could benefit from these services, please give us a call at 778-426-2997, or complete a SIWS referral form and send it back to us via e-mail: intake@siws.ca or fax: 778-426-2998.
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