Victor wraparound services is an intensive, holistic method of engaging with individuals with complex needs so that they can live in their homes and communities and realize their hopes and dreams. When we hear a success story of someone who has made huge progress in this program, we get so excited to share it. This is Cameron's story. 

A Family Divided

Cameron was initially referred to Family Vision wraparound in November 2017. At that time, he and three siblings were placed with their paternal grandmother in Stockton, while another sibling was adopted into a home in Linden and yet another sibling was placed with a maternal grandfather on the East Coast. While living with his grandmother, Cameron struggled as a result of his trauma, exhibiting extremely defiant and aggressive behavior. Cameron ran away from his school campus on a regular basis and had very few skills to manage all of his complicated feelings.

Cameron's grandmother proceeded to adopt his three siblings while Cameron remained a dependent of the court. As Cameron started to stabilize, his grandmother decided to adopt him as well, prompting the closure of wrap services. In less than two months, Cameron was re-detained by Child Protective Services and placed into foster care. His grandmother was unable to meet his needs and manage the stress of his behaviors.

Progress in Wraparound

Family Vision started working again with the family, this time not only supporting Cameron with his development but also supporting his grandmother with her reunification case plan. The team supported them through a change in school placement and the transition to another foster home. Cameron worked hard with his Family Support Counselor and Intensive Family Services clinician to learn verbal and physical boundaries, gain coping and anger management skills and begin to process his trauma. Cameron shifted from acting out to speaking out. He started to experience success in school, built confidence and a better self-image.

Cameron's grandmother also made progress. She took advantage of Empowered Parenting, support groups and self-care events to learn new strategies and become a more effective parent for Cameron. His grandmother was open and receptive to coaching from her Family Partner, and increased her organizational skills and follow through with tasks. As Cameron and his grandmother worked individually on their common goal to be reunited, Child Protective Services rewarded their progress by granting longer, more frequent visits so they could rebuild their relationship. Cameron started overnight weekend visits to experience and adjust to the new structure established in his grandmother's home. This process was not without its challenges, but the team remained steadfast and persistent, meeting several times per week to support the family with coming back together.

Reunification

Cameron was officially placed with his grandmother on June 13th, and continued to practice his skills over the summer. The family consistently accessed community resources, engaged in bonding activities and worked together on projects to further strengthen their attachment to one another, build trust and practice respect. The Child Protective Services case was expected to remain open for family maintenance until December... however, due to their tremendous progress an October court date has been scheduled instead, which will likely result in this family’s full independence from formalized services. It is safe to say that this family invested themselves in the wraparound process, implemented strategies and tools provided by the team and therefore experienced a transformation which enables them to be self-sufficient moving forward.

We Measure Success by Our Clients' Outcomes

At Victor, we celebrate the success of our clients. In our mission to be a catalyst for sustained improvement in the lives of those we touch, we see stories like Cameron's as proof that we are living up to this mission. Do you want to be inspired by the work you do and improve the lives of others? Consider a career at Victor. Click below to find out more.

*The names in this story have been changed to protect the privacy of the clients. The pictures are licensed stock images, not photos of the actual clients.