OUR TEAM

Caribou's MultiDisciplinary Team

The Caribou Child and Youth Centre’s ability to safeguard the interests and well-being of abused children, while at the same time fight for the truth and justice comes from its multidisciplinary team.

OUR PARTNERS

Our Partners in Serving and Protecting Children combine the skills and resources of several agencies into one, The Caribou Child and Youth Centre is equipped to focus on the well being of the children that come through our doors.

  • RCMP
  • Victim Services
  • Children’s Services
  • Crown Prosecution
  • Pace Community, Sexual Assault, and Trauma Centre

By combining the skills and resources of several agencies in one, The Caribou Child and Youth Centre is equipped to focus on the well being of the children that come through our doors. We provide a safe and comfortable environment for the child as they go through this process. We help to simplify the process and decrease some of the stress associated with reports of child abuse. We advocate for the child within the criminal justice system and help find supports within our community.

HOW IT WORKS

Because no one agency or profession alone is fully equipped to prioritize the well being of an abused child. Collaborative efforts of several organizations yield the best results.

Discovering the truth behind suspicion and allegations of child abuse is time consuming and very complex. Balancing the needs of the child as well as the needs of the justice system requires special skills and knowledge, as well as sensitivity. The Caribou Centre’s collaborative approach lends strength to the child during the investigation process and law enforcement and the justice system. Using a multidisciplinary team is considered to be a cornerstone of best practices for Child Advocacy Centres.

Caribou Centre’s members include Law Enforcement, Children’s Services, Crown Prosecution, Pace Centre, Child Advocacy Workers, and Archer the Caribou Centre Facility Dog. This core team remains consistent throughout most investigations. Connecting the insights of these agencies brings a mass of support and protection to our children. Each agency has its own mandate and set of responsibilities, there is always someone to ensure that the needs of the child are met.

The investigation usually begins with a forensic interview at the Caribou Centre. The multidisciplinary team members can observe the interview from a separate room as it occurs or afterwards on a CD or DVD. The end result is that the child is subject to fewer strangers, less interviews and less times of having to tell their story. A prosecutor contributes their expertise and represents the justice system. This has been a contributing factor to higher than average conviction rates for child abusers.

Having numerous agencies working together in partnership also benefits the child and family by minimizing travel to different locations to participate in the investigation. Support services can be accessed quicker and the journey to healing can begin faster.

Although we are learning constantly and growing through our interactions within the team, we believe that as a community we learn the most from listening to our children and responding to their needs first. A child’s need for safety and security, support and understanding is our driving force. Nurturing our children, our future generation, is what it is all about.

OUR BOARD

The Caribou Child and Youth Centre is governed by a volunteer board of directors, operated by a multidisciplinary team and supported by a committed group of volunteers. Board Members include:

  • PRESIDENT: Delbert Lubeck
  • VICE-PRESIDENT: Connie Korpan
  • SECRETARY: Jason Fehr
  • TREASURER: J. Dennis Fitzgerald
  • DIRECTORS: Kaylee Ness, Adele Burke, Jennifer Scott, Lianne Bilodeau, Brent Lawson