Child Witness Centre

Published purpose

Through this 30-month project, Child Witness Centre of Waterloo Region will scale their Child and Youth Advocate Program (CYAP) to strengthen the GBV sector. CYAP operates on referrals from local Police once an investigation is underway or the child is already navigating the criminal justice system. The scale-up will increase wraparound services through new partnerships and will draw from new intake streams where a) the child witness is not yet part of a Police investigation or navigating the criminal justice system and/or b) the child and/or their parent/caregiver are either a witness or victim of IPV and referred from the Police, Crown or other partner. This project will address the growing demand the organization has experienced and address the need for a familial approach to GBV. A Partnership Coordinator and Systems Navigator will be hired to establish new referral-in and out partnerships to provide critical supports to children and parent/caregivers. Child Witness Centre of Waterloo Region will monitor and evaluate the progress and outcomes of this project and share information on the promising practice with their stakeholders and the public so that they may replicate it or expand upon it.