What is Ma famille, ma communauté?
Ma famille, ma communauté (My Family, My Community)is a provincial ministerial program that aims to prevent children from being placed by creating a supportive network of caring around them and their families. Ma famille, ma communauté is under the responsibility of the Director of Youth Protection of Batshaw Youth and Family Centres (Batshaw Centres*).
Ma famille, ma communauté is co-constructed by Batshaw Centres and its community partners. This partnership ensures a favourable environment for keeping children in their communities by mobilizing everyone to support vulnerable families.
Ma famille, ma communauté aims to reduce the number of children who go into care and, when placement is unavoidable, to encourage placements close to home. Recruiting and supporting foster families in the community is therefore one of the strategies to avoid uprooting a child.
Who Ma famille, ma communauté is for?
The program is designed for children aged 0 to 17 and their families on the island of Montreal who wish to receive services in English, and for members of Montreal's Jewish communities, in either English or French.
Ma famille, ma communauté is aimed at families whose children are:
- at risk of being placed;
- facing a change in their alternate living environment;
- reintegrating their home.
How does the Team Decision-Meeting work?
The Team Decision-Meeting is at the heart of Ma famille, ma communauté. It brings together around the same table:
- the family,
- their friends,
- the caseworkers,
- the CLSC,
- the community partners such as schools, social pediatric, local organizations (daycare, homework help, etc.).
Together, they share their expertise and resources to explore and find, together and in consensus with the family, the best living environment for the child.
Where is the program offered?
Ma famille, ma communauté was launched on September 20, 2022, in the borough of Lachine for English-speaking children and their families living there, thanks to the mobilization of community partners.
Since then, the program has continued to be rolled out, and is now offered throughout the West Island and in LaSalle. Co-construction continues with numerous community organizations to ensure that Ma Famille, ma communauté is available more and more widely on the island of Montreal.
* Batshaw Centres services are provided to the residents of the island of Montreal who wish to receive them in English and to the Jewish communities of Montreal, in either English or French. In addition, since 2021, they have the supra-regional mandate to serve English-speaking clients in readaptation settings, including First Nations and Inuit youth.
Services offered by Batshaw Centres are provided primarily in accordance with the Youth Protection Act, the Youth Criminal Justice Act and An Act Respecting Health Services and Social Services regarding the placement of children.