Therapy for Children – Play, Art & Expressive Arts
The PACE Program offers therapy for children aged 3 to 10 who do not attend the PACE Family Program. This service is primarily funded by the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD), as subcontracts with Family Services of Greater Vancouver (FSGV) and Vancouver Aboriginal Child & Family Services Society (VACFSS). With parental or guardian consent, the service is provided on a weekly basis to children living within Vancouver boundaries.
Please note that for families connected to:
A) The Family Preservation & Reunification Programs with Family Services of Greater Vancouver (FSGV) or Westcoast Family Resources Society
Children must have an open Family Services file and referrals must be made to the Referral Centre at (604) 875-6277.
B) Vancouver Aboriginal Child & Family Services Society (VACFSS) Children must have an open Family Services file. All referrals are to be made to PACE at 604.266.3148 by the child’s Social Worker. Family Preservation Workers wanting to refer a child for therapy at PACE are to call the child's Social Worker.
About Therapy for Children - Play, Art & Expressive Arts
Play and the arts in therapy offer children, who have experienced loss and/or trauma, an
opportunity to work through, heal and resolve some of their underlying issues in a safe and
therapeutic environment. Play, art and other modes of expression, such as movement,
drama, music and story telling, can be a natural language for children. They are important
outlets for children who are often not able to express themselves verbally with regards to
their fears, worries and concerns. Through these modalities, children create a world that
they can understand, in which they can practice social skills, overcome frightening or
confusing feelings and discover solutions to problems. The imagination offers children a
safe-means of entering, taking control over and transforming experiences and is a
valuable resource for healing and growth.
Through the relationship with the therapist, children’s self-esteem is enhanced and they begin to develop inner controls and the ability to make more appropriate decisions. Just as it is helpful for adults to talk to someone about their worries and concerns, it is helpful for children to have an opportunity to play and creatively express accumulated feelings of sadness, worry, frustration, insecurity, aggression, fear and confusion.
By releasing these feelings, children become freer to behave appropriately and the
frequency of challenging behaviours is reduced, helping increase their readiness for
school, learning and social connections.
A systemic approach is followed at all times. Contact with the birth parents, where
appropriate, is part of this service. Where this is not possible, working partnerships are
developed with foster parents, significant caregivers and other relevant professionals to
support the child in his! her healing process.
Decisions regarding the appropriateness of therapy are made by the referring source and the PACE Intake Team, in consultation with the family, Social Worker, Family Preservation Worker (if different to referring source) and other relevant professionals. Once assessed as appropriate, an initial meeting is held at PACE with the parents (or caregivers), social worker and if appropriate, the Preservation Worker/Family Counselor, to plan together.
When to refer a child for therapy:
If you have any questions or would like to hear more about the Therapy for Children or any of the other services, please contact us:
The PACE Program
1524 West 65th Avenue, Vancouver BC V6P 2R1
Telephone: (604) 266-3141
Fax: (604) 266-3041
Email:
admin@thepaceprogram.ca
www.thepaceprogram.ca