Women & Family Support

You Think You May Be Pregnant. Where Do You Start?

You do not have to understand Ontario’s healthcare system before asking for help. If you think you may be pregnant, you can contact a family doctor, nurse practitioner, midwife, sexual-health clinic, community health centre or other qualified healthcare provider. A healthcare professional can confirm a pregnancy and discuss prenatal care.

If you do not have a family doctor, do not have OHIP, or do not know where to go, services may still be available.

Women may need healthcare at different stages of life. You can ask for help finding a provider who makes you feel comfortable. Services may include family medicine, menstrual concerns, contraception, family planning, pregnancy testing, STI testing, cervical screening, breast screening, menopause care and sexual-health services.

Abuse does not have to involve hitting. It can include physical or sexual violence, threats, verbal or emotional abuse, controlling money, taking identification or travel documents, monitoring a phone, isolation, stalking, coercive control, forced marriage, threats involving children, or threatening someone because of their status in Canada.

You can ask for information even if you are not ready to leave. Speaking with a confidential service does not mean that you must end your relationship or make a police report. A trained worker can help you understand your options and develop a safety plan.

Family Court Support Workers help victims and survivors of domestic violence who are involved, or may soon become involved, in the family court process. They can provide information about the court process, safety planning, referrals and practical support. They do not provide legal advice. Find a Family Court Support Worker

Legal Aid Ontario — Domestic Violence. Toll-free: 1-800-668-8258 | GTA: 416-979-1446. Legal Aid Ontario — Domestic Violence

Raising children in a new country can involve unfamiliar schools, childcare systems, benefits and government programs. Sahan can help parents find the right starting point.

• Toronto Child Care Fee Subsidy: 416-338-8888. Eligible families may receive help paying for licensed childcare. Apply early because wait times may apply. Toronto child care support
• EarlyON Child and Family Centres offer free programs for children from birth to age six and their parents or caregivers. Toronto EarlyON centres
• One Stop Talk: 1-855-416-8255 — free, confidential mental-health support from registered clinicians for children and youth under 18. Interpretation can be requested. One Stop Talk

Parents can ask their child’s school about registration, special-education services, an Individual Education Plan, educational assessments and transition planning. Sahan can help parents locate school-board information and organize documents, but school and special-education decisions are made through the education system.

Parents who are worried about a child’s substance use can use Sahan’s Youth Substance-Use Prevention & Family Resources page. For peer pressure, unsafe situations, violence or online exploitation, use Youth Safety, Peer Pressure & Positive Choices.

A diagnosis does not automatically connect a family to every available service. If your child has autism or another disability, there may be several systems to contact: healthcare, school, children’s disability programs, autism services and adult developmental services planning.

Women may experience stress because of pregnancy, parenting, violence, bereavement, family separation, war, displacement, migration, isolation, caregiving or financial problems. Asking for help does not require a diagnosis.

Health811: 811 — healthcare advice and navigation. 211 Ontario: 211 — community and social-service navigation. 9-8-8: call or text 988 — suicide crisis support.

If substance use is the main concern, see Youth Substance-Use Prevention & Family Resources.

• Toronto Rent Bank provides grants to eligible Toronto residents who are behind on rent or need help with a rental deposit. Application support: 416-397-7368. Toronto Rent Bank
• Ontario Works and ODSP: Social Assistance Support Line 1-888-999-1142. Ontario social assistance
• Ontario Electricity Support Program: 1-855-831-8151. OESP and LEAP
• Employment Insurance maternity and parental benefits: EI maternity and parental benefits
• Use 211 Ontario for food banks, meal programs, clothing, furniture and other community supports.

Legal and family problems can become more difficult when they involve violence, children, housing or financial dependence. Sahan provides legal information, navigation, document support and referrals. When legal advice or representation is required, Sahan can help identify Legal Aid Ontario, a community legal clinic or an independent qualified provider.

See Legal Information, Navigation & Notary Services and Understanding the Criminal Justice System.

If a woman experiencing abuse is being threatened about her status in Canada, identification documents or access to government services, she can seek confidential safety and legal information. Sahan can help identify Legal Aid Ontario, a community legal clinic, victim services or an independent qualified provider.

Sahan Community Network is a nonprofit community organization. This service focuses on legal information, navigation, document support and referrals. Sahan does not represent community members through this service. Community members remain free to choose their own lawyer, paralegal, clinic or other legal service provider.

Older women may need help navigating healthcare, home care, benefits, transportation, housing, food programs, caregiver services, elder abuse supports or technology.

Ontario Health atHome coordinates home and community care. Telephone: 310-2222 — no area code required. Ontario Health atHome

Seniors Safety Line: 1-866-299-1011 — a free, confidential 24/7 service for Ontario seniors experiencing or at risk of abuse. Support is available in more than 200 languages. Ontario elder abuse information

Call 211 for local seniors’ programs.

You do not have to navigate everything alone. Sometimes the hardest part is figuring out which office to contact. Sahan staff and volunteers may be able to help you:

• identify the service that fits your situation
• understand publicly available information
• find interpretation or language assistance
• help organize forms and supporting documents for eligible government and community services where appropriate
• help make telephone calls or online inquiries with the service user
• book appointments where permitted
• print, scan, upload and organize documents, including from the service user’s own account when appropriate
• access a computer or internet connection
• connect people with Legal Aid, community legal clinics, qualified community agencies or independent professionals when appropriate

You can bring us a letter or government document you do not understand. You can tell us what problem you are trying to solve even if you do not know the name of the program.

Toronto
Sahan Community Network
1735 Kipling Avenue, Lower Level, 101, Toronto, Ontario M9R 2Y8
Telephone: +1 416-668-9156
Ask Sahan for Help

Please do not include detailed medical information, abuse details, or confidential information about a child in the website contact form. If there is immediate danger, call 911.

External organizations operate independently from Sahan. Confirm current information directly with the provider. Resources last reviewed: August 23, 2026.