– following success of three-year ‘pilot’ offering counselling to ‘troubled’ youths

FAMILIES with children that are exhibiting disruptive behaviours can now reach out to the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security (MHSSS) to be a part of their “Family Matters Programme”, which offers regular face-to-face counselling sessions to families facing such difficulties.

Following a three-year pilot programme that concluded in July, and involved some 260 families, the Ministry has announced that the decision was made to have the programme expanded to be available to families countrywide.

The programme will target youths between the ages of 10 – 17 years old who need help with anti-social behaviours which negatively impact their family networks.
The Ministry has already released a brochure and advertisement video for the programme, in the hope that more families will come on board to utilise it.
“Families are valuable to the nation; we are here to help the youths in your family through a transformative programme that addresses disruptive behaviours. Please don’t hesitate to call us; we are here to help you and these young people,” Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, said of the programme.

The pilot programme was sponsored by the USAID Community Family and Youth Resilience (CFYR) project, and involved families from five communities, namely: Sophia, Lodge, East Ruimveldt, La Penitence and Corriverton.

During counselling sessions, which are typically held in the families’ homes, the counsellors attempt to strengthen the bonds that hold family members together and connect the family to the wider community.

During the pilot programme, 15 fifteen family counsellors, 14 part-time counsellors, and 10 MoHSSS representatives were trained by USAID/CFYR.
Eligible youth were identified through the Youth Services Eligibility Tool (YSET) assessment, used to determine their level of risk. Risk factors were adjudged based on criteria such as anti-social tendencies or risky behaviors; weak parental supervision; critical life events; impulsive risk taking; neutralisation of guilt; negative peer influence; peer delinquency; family anti-social behaviour and self-reported delinquency.
The initiative is a collaborative effort between the Childcare Protection Agency and the Family Enhancement Services of the Probation and Social Services Department, implemented under the theme, “Family Matters Transforms the Ways Families Function So they Can Better Protect At Risk Youth”.
The programme consists of seven phases that are completed across seven months, whereby trained family counsellors carry out regular face-to-face counselling sessions with participating youths and their families.

Phase One involves referrals and collaboration; while Phase Two is Establishing Agreements”. Phase Three is Redefining; Phase Four is celebrating changes; Phase Five is Integrating; Phase Six is Next Level Arrangements; and Phase Seven is “Re-evaluating”.

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