1. A Bit About YOUR
Clients, Students, Residents, Service Recipients, etc...1

2. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Self
Actualization
No Self
Actualization
Self Worth
Lack of Self
Worth
Belonging-
Love
Unloved-
Isolated
Safety
Lack of
Stability
Basic Physical
Needs
Lack of Basic
Physical Needs
Lack of full use of potential
Feelings of insecurity &
inferiority. Anxiety about
personal worth
Feelings of loneliness,
rejection, and alienation
Feelings of fear due to
chaos and disorganization
Preoccupation with
survival. Physical suffering.
Source- “Crisis Management”, OSSTF, Toronto
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3. Myths of Adolescence
• Many teens are on the border of experiencing
serious behaviour problems
• Rebellious behaviour is an indicator of
developmental problems with this stage of
life.
• There is a “generation gap” between teens and
adults -the “peer group” overrides the
influence of the “parent group”-undesirable
friends lead “good kids” astray.
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4. Tasks of Adolescence
• To achieve physical maturity
• To explore sexuality
• To establish intimate relationships
• To move toward social maturity
• To attain intellectual maturity
• To gradually become independent from family (Self Sufficient)
• To achieve economic independence (Financial Sufficiency)
• To develop a belief system and the skills to follow those beliefs
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5. Problems Occur!
Most teens progress
through the challenges of
adolescence fairly well but,
not all youth are able to
cope!
Substance Abuse
Suicide
Violence
Sexual Assault
Weapons
Bullying
Theft, Robbery, Extortion
Gang Violence
Sports Violence
Dating Violence
Vandalism
Hate Motivated Crimes
Assault
Harassment (Racial/Ethnocultural)
Abuse
Crisis
Threats
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6. • Q- What are some
sources of a
Human Service
Professional’s
legal authority?
• A- Education Act
and Regulations,
Criminal Code,
Trespass to
Property Act,
Child and Family
Services Act,
Youth Criminal
Justice Act, Day
Nurseries Act to
name a few.

7. 7
Q- Can a Human
Service
Professional
search a student’s
locker?
Situation-You hear from
many students that
Geordie is telling
everyone that he brought
a gun to school.
A-YES
Education Act, Clause 265(a)
to maintain proper order
and discipline in the
school “Search” must be
reasonable
Section 8, Charter of Rights
and Freedom

8. Q- Can a Human
Service
Professional
arrest a student?
Situation- You encounter
Geordie in the hallway.
You know that Geordie
has been expelled from
all school board
premises.
A- YES
Trespass to Property Act
Criminal Code-Section 494

9. Q- Can a Human
Service
Professional
search a student?
Situation-You see a youth
put something in his sock
that resembles a
cigarette.
A- YES
“Search” must be resonable-
Section 8, Charter of
Rights and Freedoms

10. 10
Q- Can a Human
Service
Professional use
physical force?
Situation-You see a physical
fight occur between two
children.
A- YES
Education Act-Clause 265 (a)
-To maintain proper order
and discipline in the
school
Criminal Code-Section 43
For correctional and
disciplinary purposes

11. 11
Q- Can a Human
Service
Professional
legally detain a
student?
Situation-You hold a
homework club after
school for students who
have been suspended for
consistently “skipping”
classes.
A- YES
Trespass to Property Act
Criminal Code-Section 494
(1986)

12. 12
Q- Can a Human
Service Professional
be convicted for
failure to report
their suspicions of
child abuse?
Situation-You speaks with a child
who has suspicious cuts on
the top of his head. The child
appears very withdrawn.
The child does not have a
lunch, is unkept and does not
have sufficient clothing for
the weather. You also see
what appears to be cigarette
burns on the child’s gums
and tongue.
A- YES
Child and Family Services
Act-Section 72(a), liable
to a fine up to $1000.00

13. • Keep sight of student individuality
• Combine modalities and disciplines
• Encourage students to take control
• Alter environments to promote behaviour change
• Create programs with positive peer influence (youth/child
engagement model)
• Model appropriate beahviours (Values, Ethics, Character)
• Expose students to continuous or intense programs
• Make the student accountable
• Deal with behaviours with a skilled approach
What can you do?
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14. The At-Risk Tree:
A Metaphor
Source for next 7 slides- “At-Risk Youth”, 2004, Jeffries, Benedict, Ellen and Robert McWirter14

15. Soil- Environment in which we were raised
(socioeconomic, cultural, political, economic, neighborhood)
Roots- Family, School, Peer Groups
(conflict, friction, parenting styles, mental illness, inner city school, gheto’s )
Trunk- Supports branches, nourishes leaves from soil
(strengths, weaknesses, talents, disAbilities, risks and protective factors, attitudes,
skills)
Branches- Represents our adaption to community
(5 risk factors- School drop-out, substance abuse, risky sexual behaviours, violence,
suicide)
Leaves/Fruit/Flowers- Contributions to Community
(Children, Career, Volunteering) (Some children are healthy and whole, others are
damaged, and still some fall from the tree)
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16. •The helper is the Gardner!
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Mentor
Guide
Support
Model
Teach
Direct
Help
Counsel
Program
Re-Pot (Plant)
Accept
Water
Nourish (Nurture)
Prune
Feed
Staking
Trimming
Provide Sun

17. Gardner=YOU
• Nurturing sometimes has to be
directed to the soil, sometimes
toward the roots, sometimes
towards the trunk or branches,
but always the intent is to
improve the fruit of the tree!
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18. Who presents the most
challenges?
• Living in poverty
• African
American’s/Latinos*
• GLBT*
• Gang Members
• Pregnant Teens
• Violent youth
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• Single parent households
headed by women
• Kids who are left alone
between the hours of 3-
6pm
• Kids who are the result
of teen pregnancies
• Drug use
• Teens who don’t use
contraception

19. Definitions of...
• Minimal Risk
• Remote Risk
• High Risk
• Imminent Risk
• At-Risk
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