Early Intervention & Preventive Counselling for Children, Youth and Families
A Langley RCMP Extra Judicial Measures Program
Established in 1977 by Langley RCMP and funded by the City of Langley and Township of Langley
Mission:
To provide an early intervention counselling service working with the Langley RCMP, the community and families toward preventing child and youth entry into the criminal justice system.
Who We Are:
Langley Youth and Family Services (LYFS) is a contracted service with the City and Township of Langley with a mandate to work with the police and the community toward minimizing child and youth entry into the criminal justice system. The primary focus is preventive counselling with children and youth and their families where the children and youth are identified by actual or potential conflict with the law.
LYFS view child and youth behaviour problems as occurring within the context of the family; therefore, interventions are aimed at both building the strengths of the children, youth and their families, and at resolution of family dysfunction. LYFS is committed to on-going service coordination and evaluation with the police and the community.
Goals:
- To provide counselling to children and youth (ages 5 – 17) who are identified by Langley RCMP because of involvement in delinquent or pre-delinquent behaviours.
- To provide counselling to children and youth (ages 5 – 17) who are identified by Langley community agencies because of disruptive behaviour problems.
- To include parents/guardians in the counselling for the purpose of supporting and assisting their role in creating a positive, responsible lifestyle for the children.
- To liaise and collaborate with Langley RCMP and Langley community agencies in order to enhance and develop crime prevention strategies, policies, and services for the Langleys.
Services:
LYFS aims to establish a supportive, therapeutic relationship with clients, facilitating the development and utilization of family strengths and healthy coping skills for both the children/youth and their families. Counselling is provided by professionally trained and registered counsellors. Proactive follow-up with police in attendance for children and youth with behaviour problems, and family inclusion in counselling.
LYFS Develop meaningful behaviour responses which demonstrate:
- Taking responsibility
- Being accountable
- Understanding the effects of their behaviour
- Reasonable consequences
- Repairment
- Restitution
- Ongoing counselling support for positive, responsible actions.
Coordination and collaboration with other services.
Behaviour Checklist*:
You need to be concerned about your child’s misbehaviour:
- When your child is consistently defiant, refuses to comply and you feel helpless.
- When there are frequent complaints from the school about your child’s behaviour.
- When your child is indulging in stealing, lying and hitting siblings and other children in spite of your efforts to stop the behaviour.
- When your child insists on playing with matches and has set fires.
- When the school indicates your child’s behaviour is seriously affecting academic performance.
- When your child spends a great deal of time with friends who exhibit unacceptable behaviours.
- When unacceptable behaviours continue for more than six months.
* Institute for the Study of Antisocial Behaviour in Youth
Referrals:
RCMP Referrals
- Children and youth (5 – 17)
- For involvement in delinquent or pre-delinquent behaviour
- For any identified at-risk behaviour
- Can be utilized as an alternative or in conjunction with court action
Community Agencies
- Children and youth (5 – 17)
- For identified disruptive behaviour problems
Where are the Services Available?
As LYFS is fully funded by the City and the Township of Langley, the program is available, free of charge, to the citizens of the Langleys exclusively. The offices are located in the City of Langley’s downtown core at 5569 204 Street, Langley, BC V3A 1Z4. Tel: 604.514.2900 Fax: 604.530.1835