As Ranch Ehrlo Society’s family program approaches its’ 10th anniversary, it is undergoing its biggest expansion to date. The demand for its services, in particular those in the Family Treatment Program, greatly exceed its current 15-family limit. A 40 per cent expansion is planned for September 1st, and the FTP will welcome eight new families to its fold.
The Family Treatment Program works to either prevent the placement of children out of the home or to assist families to unite after having a child in out of home placement.
Families from all over Canada come to Regina to be part of the treatment program where therapists and program staff provide intensive in-home services to assist them in obtaining the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully reunify children in their care, or enhance their overall parenting abilities to prevent child placement.
Families may receive assistance with basic skills such as budgeting and grocery shopping while simultaneously receiving counselling in areas such as child development, effective parenting, or communication. Every family is unique and services are tailored to meet the needs of each family attending the program.
“We’re recognizing the demand to try and serve the vulnerable families that we work with,” said Patti Petrucka, the program’s director. “Before coming to the program, these families have commonly utilized every other community service available and it hasn’t worked.”
The expansion will see the addition of two therapists, a new manager, clinical supervisor, three family treatment workers, and a family care worker being added with this expansion.
The additional staff also means the weekly parenting groups offered will be split into two, allowing more one-on-one time and small group discussions and ensuring each participant can get what they need out of their time in group.
“Not only are we expanding in terms of the families that we can serve, our staff complement is going up exponentially, and we’re moving to a new building site,” Patti added.
The new space will be almost 9,000 square feet – triple the size of the current space the FTP is in. There will be more space for group meetings, a family room, a lunch room for staff and families, and childcare space in the same area as the parenting groups.
“Unfortunately children often stay in care until the family is admitted into our program, so that’s why the expansion is being hurried,” Patti explained.
The Family Treatment Program has impressive success rates, with 66 per cent of families remaining together one year after being discharged. Families take knowledge they’ve gained in the program home with them as well, creating a positive ripple effect.
“Ranch has changed my life. When I look at the community today, I see opportunity. I see hope for the young,” said former FTP client David, who has taken what he has learned in the program back to his home community of Sheshatchiu, Labrador.
“I have learned a lot in the short period of time that I’ve attended the Family Treatment Program, through the resources they’ve provided, talking to participants in the program, and listening to participants in the program,” he explained.
The family program has other services for families who are working with child welfare agencies to address varied needs. These services include the Intensive Family Preservation Program and the Family Reunification Program.
