For Service Providers
We support Service Providers who are working with (or have previously worked with) at least one young person aged 16 + in/from the child welfare system. Even if finding permanency relationships is not part of your role with a young person, we believe there are ways to work with a Living Expert that will expand their thinking about themselves and their needs.
Working with Never Too Late (NTL) to Find Permanency
We believe that permanency is a right for every person, and that discussions and support to help Lived Experts of any age on their journeys should never end.
If you are a Service Provider looking for permanency for a Lived Expert (16+) or contacting us on behalf of a Lived Expert (16+), here’s what you need to know:
The Lived Expert must consent. We only engage with Lived Experts who request our support. Any shared information must have their explicit permission.
Collaboration is key. We use a team-based approach and expect Service Providers to remain involved in the Lived Expert’s permanency journey.
Lived Experts control their information. They decide who can be included in discussions about their situation.
We expect ongoing communication from Service Providers to ensure continuity and support.
If you are interested in working together, you can contact our
Service Provider Coordinator.
Learn more about…
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Never Too Late (NTL) is designed by and for Lived Experts. We do not replicate other systems they may have encountered. This means:
No files are kept on Lived Experts.
No formal assessments or home studies are conducted.
Flexible onboarding process, to be as responsive and accessible as possible.
We do not make matches between Lived Experts and Humans.
We support belonging, not adoption (although can support legal adoption if that is what is being asked for), through advocacy, training, and connection-building.
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When you contact us about working together…
We will respond via email or telephone to answer your questions and arrange for a virtual meeting with one of our coordinators.
Ideally, the Lived Expert will attend the first meeting. If not, you must confirm they consent to sharing their contact details with us.
In the meeting, we will explain Never Too Late (NTL) offerings, answer questions, and discuss next steps.
If appropriate and with consent, the Lived Expert may share relevant parts of their story.
A joint plan will be created, which may include: Follow-up from the Lived Expert Coordinator, training or education opportunities for the Service Provider, future meetings to continue the support process.
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We believe every Lived Expert deserves a permanent, supportive connection. We are here to help build those connections through advocacy, education, and community support.
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Never Too Late (NTL)’s Service Provider Training is a six-session training designed to equip service providers with tips, strategies, and peer connections that will serve as resources in working with young people.
You can learn more about Service Provider Training and find upcoming offerings here.
Community of Practice
We know that many service providers share our vision of permanency and are committed to meeting Living Experts where they are at when working alongside them. As a sector, we face many challenges and barriers to doing permanency work. Our goal in building a Community of Practice is to have a place for Service Providers who are passionate about permanency to connect with each other and access support at Never Too Late (NTL).
This Community of Practice may be right for you if you:
are working with at least one young person with child welfare experience (16+), even if looking for permanency is not part of your role
share Never Too Late (NTL)’s view that permanency is a right for every person, and that discussions and support to help Lived Experts of any age on their journeys should never end
have concerns about the many needs of young people you work with and a corresponding lack of supports and services
want to learn more effective ways of engaging with young people, especially those lacking healthy, supportive and stable family or social relationships
Peer-Based Offerings
1:1 Support
With a Never Too Late (NTL) Coordinator who is also on a permanency journey with a Lived Expert and has experience working in the sector.
Monthly Education
Offerings
To support continuous growth and learning and build competencies in relevant and related topics.
Community Meetings
Discuss specific scenarios, challenges and opportunities, receive support from each other and from Never Too Late (NTL) coaches.
Occasional Social Gatherings
Meant to offer opportunity for connection and building relationships within the community.
Peer-Based Collaboration Model
We use a peer-based collaboration model at Never Too Late (NTL). This means that coaches who facilitate 1:1 support and community meetings have professional experience in the sector, and we encourage Service Providers in our community to connect and share with each other.
Core Principles of Peer-Based Approaches include*:
Mutuality and respect – a relationship based on shared experience, empathy, authenticity, and respect.
Reciprocal – where all contribute to and gain from the relationship in a shared process of problem-solving.
Non-directive – one person doesn’t ‘prescribe’ what is good for someone else. It enables a person to grow within and beyond what has happened.
Strengths-based – recognizes that people will have strengths and skills and these can be used in pursuit of objectives and ambition.
Inclusive – peer support can help engage with and contribute to communities.
Progressive – a shared learning journey of growth and development.
Safe – being able to express ourselves freely in a supportive relationship where all parties feel safe.