Youth Services Bureau – William E. Hay Centre

youthservicesbureauThe Youth Services Bureau, Youth Justice Services, William E. Hay Centre is a residential facility, located in Ottawa, ON, for up to 32 adolescent males aged 12 to 18 who have been sentenced to a secure custody setting by the Courts.  

Three M.F. McHugh teachers provide educational programming for students who have been placed in open or secure custody through the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Students may be placed in detention pending sentencing, while others may be completing their sentence. The length of stay can vary from a couple of days to years.

Students come to us from a variety of lived experiences. This population has a range of cognitive profiles, identified learning exceptionalities and diagnoses. For example, conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, ADHD, verbal and nonverbal learning disabilities. Many also experience mental health issues including affective disorders.

While in our custody programs, students work to achieve curriculum learning expectations set out by Ontario’s Ministry of Education. We support various pathways including apprenticeship, college, community living, university, and workplace. 

All students have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) which is developed collaboratively by the classroom teacher and student, in consultation with a primary child and youth worker and parent/guardian if a student is under 18. In accordance with their IEP, students are able to access the Ontario curriculum with a variety of assistive technology tools to support them in their learning. 

All classrooms are staffed with a McHugh Teacher and a minimum of one Child and Youth Worker. There is an emphasis on creating safe and secure learning environments to foster student wellbeing and achievement.

Referrals to this program are made through the judicial system.

 

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