Programs

At MTF, we provide supportive homes and a variety of services for children and youth who are placed in our care. Our program operates in a family style model with supportive staffing as needed. The children and youth placed in MTF homes come from a variety of different cultural, racial, and religious backgrounds and often present with a variety of needs. 

Children placed in MTF’s care may have a history of exposure to family or intimate partner violence; they may have experienced physical, sexual, or emotional abuse; may have been exposed to parental substance use or mental illness; they may have been exposed to parent-child conflict; or may have parents who are not able to care for them for a variety of reasons. 

Depending on their history, children and youth placed in MTF’s care may exhibit behavioural or emotional dysregulation and may act out with physical or verbal aggression, may engage in substance use, or may exhibit sexualized behaviour. They may have mental health diagnoses including depression and anxiety or may have neuro-cognitive disorders such as ADHD or ASD. Children/youth respond well to support, nurturing, structure, and compassion. 

WHY WE ARE DIFFERENT:

The goal of MTF involves designing treatment foster homes for placement of children/youth in need from various Children’s Aid Societies. 

MTF excels in the provision of quality and unique programming tailored to individual foster children/youth’s needs.

We are different because we have identified the need for quality treatment homes and specialized programming services in a number of communities around the greater Toronto area to meet the needs of the children/youth in their own community wherever possible.   

MTF exists to offer more than the regular traditional residential services without compromising by offering the following programs to enhance treatment and to make life meaningful for every child.  

Our foster parents are trained to operate from a trauma informed lens and are able to provide supports for foster children based on the individualized needs of the child/youth. At MTF, we are privileged to be able to provide a loving and caring family setting environment that allows the children and youth we care for grow and thrive with the goal that they will become healthy and productive members of their community. At MTF, we hope to inspire success in the lives of children/youth through love and compassion.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

MTF operates using traditional foster family homes and can provide semi-independent programs, staff supported programs within the context of the traditional family home using staff support, and respite care.   MTF partners with various community-based consultants including psychiatrists, psychologists, and clinical social workers who can provide therapeutic services on an as needed basis.  Program consultants offer a variety of supports such as developing specialized programs, staff training, clinical case management, group counseling, and/or individual counselling. Our foster homes provide services in the following manner:

1. Traditional Family Foster care provides a homelike atmosphere for children/youth who do not require the intrusiveness of a staff operated setting.  The program is designed for children/youth in foster care who have social, emotional, educational, medical, or developmental needs associated with being at risk and in need of child protection services.  All of the children/youth will have individualized assessments and a customized service plan will be set up to meet the needs of the child and youth.  Foster parents are consistent in the implementation of individual plans.  Children/youth are placed in foster homes based on a best fit model with cultural matching where possible in addition to foster parent’s training and abilities to meet the needs of specific children placed in their care. 

2. Semi-Independent Programing provides youth with an intermediate level of emotional and physical support from a foster parent.  Youth in care in this program will continue to work on issues that may include anger management, the need for structure, self-esteem, impulse control, and building positive relationships.  In addition, they will learn practical life skills with the goal of moving into an independent living situation. Youth in care in a traditional foster home who are moving onto independent living will be able to access this additional support and the program may include the use of Child and Youth Worker support as needed. The program teaches life skills such as cooking, cleaning, budgeting, shopping, and daily chores.  

3. The Staff Supported/Complex Needs Program is for children and youth from birth to 18 who require a high degree of structure, treatment, nurturing, and support for their development.  The program is operated by experienced foster parents with the support of Child and Youth Workers (CYW) who are well trained in conflict management, behavioural intervention, problem solving, and crisis intervention.  Children/youth in the staff supported program may be dealing with several issues such as: anger; anxiety; cultural isolation; physical and/or sexual abuse trauma; exploring sexual and/or gender identity; mood dysregulation; mental or physical illness; and difficulties with coping. The children/youth in this program receive treatment related to these issues from appropriate community- based agencies, including therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists, as well as MTF clinical staff.

4. Respite Care: We can provide care in an MTF home for foster parents from internal MTF homes, other private foster care agencies, or CAS foster homes. Respite care allows the primary care foster parents to have a break when needed. Respite care can also provide therapeutic breaks for foster children as needed.