Final report: best practices in child victim/witness programs

2007·1.7 MB·English

by  WorkGroup Designs Inc.

ONTARIO ATTORNEY GENERAL LAW LIBRARY
DEC 1 0 200?
Final Report

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Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2017 with funding from
Ontario Council of University Libraries
https://archive.org/details/mag_00059567
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i Acknowledgements
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The consulting team would like to thank the many justice and other personnel who
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oversight and guidance throughout the project.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
INTRODUCTION
The Ontario Victim Services Secretariat of the Ministry of the Attorney General engaged
WorkGroup Designs Inc. to compile program and service information and analyze best practices
that exist in Child Victim/Witness Programs in 10 communities across Ontario. The information
will provide the Ministry with an in-depth understanding of how services are currently delivered
to child victims, including any best practices that exist as well as the range of clients served in
these communities.
Child Victim/Witness Programs are currently delivered utilizing different program delivery
approaches and have differing levels of funding support from the Ministry. The programs have
developed in the identified communities over many years in response to local needs. Recently,
MAG received a number of requests for funding of community-based programs for additional
sites. The Secretariat wishes to understand the variety of approaches employed in the study
locations and also provide information across program locations as to service delivery models
and best practices. The information will also assist with future program and policy development
related to child victims and witnesses.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Purposes and Objectives
The purpose of the evaluation was to develop recommended best practices for the direct
provision of child victim/witness services which may have broader province-wide application.
The evaluation objectives included the following:
1) Develop detailed descriptions of each centre’s practices, protocols, operations and quality,
utility and timeliness of services;
2) Assess how the needs of un-served and under-serviced child victims/witnesses are met, and
what resources are required to ensure quality service, including Francophone children in
regions designated under the French Language Services Act1, First Nations children,
children from culturally diverse communities, disabled children and vulnerable adults;
3) Assess case specific information sharing protocols and identified issues/risks associated
with sharing of persona! information between the justice sector and community-based
service providers; and,
4) Develop recommendations pertaining to best or promising practices and/or their
components best suited to possible future expansion or adjustment to the child
victim/witness initiatives.
Site Selection for the Best Practices Evaluation
1 It should be noted that until 2006, the funded centres have not been required to meet the requirements of the
French Language Services Act as part of their contractual agreements with MAG.
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Eight study sites were selected by the Ministry. The criteria used to select sites were intended
to enable comparisons of models, assess the ability to address the needs of underserved/un¬
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a served children between a variety of communities, review information sharing practices as well
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r as best and promising practices. Table I shows the sites and site characteristics, including the
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type of site (V/WAP or community-based program, funded or unfunded), and other criteria
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e (Designated under the French Language Services Act, region, type of community (urban/rural),
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c presence of substantial First Nations population, presence of substantially culturally diverse
e communities, and other).
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s TABLE I
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i Site Satellite Site Characteristics
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Type of Site Other Criteria
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e V/WAP/Children’s Centre
S Toronto Centre: Receives Ministry Toronto Region
funding Urban
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Designated under FLSA
ti Culturally diverse
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V Kitchener-Waterloo Centre: Receives Ministry Central West Region
Funded Urban
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London Centre: Receives Ministry West Region
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r funding Urban
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t Designated under the FLSA
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Peel Centre: Does not receive Central West Region
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Ministry funding but would Urban
like to receive funding in the Brampton to be designated
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future under FLSA (Jan 1/07);
al Mississauga currently
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Kingston Napanee Victim/Witness Assistance East Region
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G Program - Directly operated Rural
program of the Ministry To be designated under

y (100% Ministry funded) FLSA (May 1/09)
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Newmarket Victim/Witness Assistance Central Region
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o Program - Directly operated Urban
t program of the Ministry Population growing at high
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A (100% Ministry funded) rate
Culturally diverse
e Previously had a community
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based child victim/witness
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program which had to close
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o due to lack of funding
Sudbury Gore Bay Victim/Witness Assistance North Region
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r Program - Directly operated Rural
st program of the Ministry Designated under FLSA
i (100% Ministry funded) First Nation population
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i Francophone population
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L'Orignal Victim/Witness Assistance East Region
Program - Directly operated Rural
program of the Ministry Designated under FLSA
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