Ascentia House Programme Summary

Ascentia House provides specialized residential care for children and youth under the age of 18 who are in need of a safe, conducive, and structured environment. The residence is designed to accommodate up to four residents, with flexibility to adjust for special circumstances such as sibling groups or high-risk cases.

Ascentia House offers out-of-home care services for children and youth who have been removed from their homes by the Children’s Aid Society (CAS) and for those facing living challenges. The services are centered around trauma-informed care, with a focus on preparing residents for reintegration into family settings, foster care, or independent living.

Ascentia House adopts a trauma-informed approach that recognizes the impact trauma has on youth development and behavior. This approach shifts the focus from blame to understanding the root causes of each resident’s challenges, offering a compassionate and individualized response. The care provided is also culturally competent, ensuring that youth’s cultural, spiritual, and personal identities are respected and integrated into their care plans.

For Indigenous youth, Ascentia House incorporates the Medicine Wheel philosophy, emphasizing holistic care—mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. Every resident at Ascentia House receives a personalized care plan developed in partnership with the resident, their family (when appropriate), CAS, and other key stakeholders. These plans address each child’s or youth’s specific emotional, behavioral, and educational needs, and are reviewed regularly to ensure they remain relevant. Family involvement is actively encouraged whenever possible, with the goal of rebuilding and strengthening family connections to support long-term positive outcomes.

The environment at Ascentia House is designed to promote healing, personal growth, and a sense of safety for children and youth. Residents are encouraged to develop essential life skills, learn emotional regulation techniques, and build healthy interpersonal relationships. Structured programming is provided, focusing on communication, conflict resolution, and coping strategies. Residents also participate in community-based activities, fostering social connections and a sense of belonging that extends beyond the residence.

Ascentia House is equipped to provide care for children and youth with high-risk behaviors, mental health challenges, developmental disabilities, and complex needs. The staff are trained in crisis intervention and are skilled in working with external mental health professionals and social workers to ensure that specialized clinical services are appropriately delivered when needed. Safety and emotional support are paramount in handling these cases, with interventions tailored towards addressing each individual’s unique needs.
The Ascentia House program is outcome-driven, with the primary goal of preparing residents for successful reintegration into a more stable living situation, whether that be with their family, in foster care, or transitioning to independent living. Each care plan includes measurable goals that track the resident’s progress in emotional, social, and academic areas. Success is defined by the resident’s ability to manage daily challenges and their readiness to transition to a permanent or less intensive care environment.

A key component of the Ascentia House model is fostering connections between residents and their community, local agencies, and cultural resources.

Located at the Brockridge area of Pickering, a fast-growing suburb in Ontario, Ascentia House is easily accessible as it can be reached through the Ontario highway 401, the 407 highway as well as the GO train. Ascentia House is close to schools, malls, parks, and community resources making it easy for residents in our care to attend local schools and forge community connections by taking advantage of available local community resources.

Okey Paulicap Okeke MSW, RSW
Executive Director/CEO Ascentia House
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