At-risk and high-risk children and youth

At-risk and high-risk children and youth are young people who lack access to opportunities that help them make healthy life choices, develop their abilities and achieve their goals. Such young people are at risk of experiencing social exclusion and poor long-term outcomes, such as poor health, education and employment outcomes. At-risk and high-risk children and youth may:

  • live in a priority community and/or belong to a priority population, such as Black, First Nations, Inuit, Métis, urban Indigenous, racialized or 2SLGBTQQIA+
  • experience other challenges, such as living in poverty, living in a rural or remote community, being in conflict with the law, previous experience with the child welfare or youth justice systems, or having mental health challenges and/or substance use issues

Available programs and supports

Get a mentor

At-risk and high-risk children and youth between the ages of 6 and 29 can get a mentor through Ontario’s Youth Mentorship Program. A mentor can help youth improve their long-term outcomes and achieve success, by supporting them to:

  • improve their performance at school
  • find employment or start a business
  • get involved in their community

Learn more

Connect with an outreach worker

An outreach worker through Ontario’s Youth Outreach Worker Program can help youth and their families improve their long-term outcomes and achieve success by supporting them to:

  • find and get helpful services in their community
  • get involved in positive projects in their community

The program serves at-risk and high-risk youth who are usually 12-21 years old. Workers may also help young people who are 6-11 or 22-25 years old.

Learn more

Get help with behavioural challenges

The Stop Now and Plan (SNAP) Program helps at-risk and high-risk children and youth in Ontario aged 6 to 12 with disruptive, anti-social behaviour learn how to:

  • make good choices
  • cooperate better
  • improve their self-regulation
  • solve problems

The program also helps the parents and caregivers of at-risk and high-risk children and youth to:

  • learn parenting/caregiving strategies
  • improve parent/caregiver-child relationships

Learn more about SNAP

Get help dealing with conflict and violence

The Restorative Justice and Conflict Mediation Program helps at-risk and high-risk youth aged 12 to 21 who are:

  • enrolled in elementary or secondary school
  • involved in a conflict or violence that impacts the school community

The program:

  • uses peer mediation to help youth repair harm and relationships
  • works to build relationships between youth and their schools to help improve student engagement and achievement
  • can refer youth to community services and programs to provide further support

Learn more

How to find programs and supports in your community

Call or text Ontario 211 to find programs and supports near you, including the programs listed above.