Intervention Step-By-Step Guide

Over the Phone

A. INTERVENTION – OVER THE PHONE:

At the start of a phone conversation, it is very important to:

1. Establish privacy and reassure the person of your legal and professional responsibility to maintain theirconfidentiality
2. Pick a code word for future contact to ensure the person’s safety and ability to approach you at a later time, in the event that the phone call is interrupted or disconnected.

Talk to the person immediately; remember the one-chance rule.

Consider the need for immediate protection and placement away from the family where necessary. In all cases, assess the risk of harm facing the individual and yourself.

If the young person is under 16 years old, initiate a strategy discussion under child protection procedures to decide whether the young person is suffering, or at risk of, significant harm. Contact the nearest Children’s Aid Society agency to report the situation, or for further guidance and information at (416) 987-7725 or www.oacas.org.

Explain their options to them, and recognize and respect their wishes. If the individual does not want social services involved, you will need to assess your legal reporting duties requiring you to take further action.

Refer them to relevant and appropriate resources.

Try to arrange an in-person meeting as soon as possible at a time and place that is most suitable and safe for the client. If successful, ask the person to bring a photograph and their passport details if possible.
Gather as much information as possible. Focus on the most important information.

B. INTERVENTION – IN PERSON:

See the person immediately in a secure and private place.

See the person on their own, even if they attend with others. Politely inform them of your organization’s policy to speak to individuals alone.

Reassure them of your legal and professional responsibility to maintain their confidentiality.

Consider the need for immediate protection and placement away from the family where necessary. In all cases, assess the risk of harm facing the individual and yourself.

If the young person is under 16 years old, initiate a strategy discussion under child protection procedures to decide whether the young person is suffering, or at risk of, significant harm. Contact the nearest Children’s Aid Society agency to report the situation, or for further guidance and information at (416) 987-7725 or www.oacas.org.

Explain their options to them, and recognize and respect their wishes. If the individual does not want social services involved, you will need to assess your legal reporting duties requiring you to take further action.

Gather as much information as possible. Focus on the most important information first.

Refer the person to relevant and appropriate resources.

Establish a means of safe future meeting or contact.

CONSIDER:

• Evaluating your current safety planning guide to include needs of young people who may be facing a forced marriage.
• How do you adjust your current plan to include threat from parents instead of threat from spouses?
• Can you anticipate any challenges you might face carrying out these steps?
• Can you think of any ways to overcome these challenges?
• Can you construct alternate ways of carrying out the difficult intervention steps to get the same result?