In 2003, Alberta Children's Services began investigating the types of support that was available to Alberta Parents. This research identified a need for comprehensive, high-quality community-based programs to help parents give their children the best possible start.

To that end, Alberta Children's Services established the Parent Link Program.  Family Centre is proud to announce that it was selected as a Parent Link Centre for Southern Alberta. The Parent Link Program's objectives are:

• to support Alberta's parents in their role as their children's first and most influential teachers.
• to link Alberta's parenting programs and services through a province-wide network that promotes excellence; facilitates the sharing of resources, knowledge and best practices; fosters the creation of partnerships; and encourages cooperation on projects of value to the network as a whole, as well as to individual members.

Parent Link Centres, such as Family Centre, are community planned and community based. They are CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE that provide parents and families with comprehensive support in the form of four core services:

• parent education
• early childhood development and care
• family support
• information and referrals

For anyone familiar with the services offered by Family Centre, it is clear that Family Centre has been operating for quite some time addressing all the core services required to be a Parent Link Centre.

For more information on Alberta Children's Services and Parent Link Centres, please follow this link:

 http://www.child.gov.ab.ca/acyi/page.cfm?pg=Parent%20Link%20Centres

Family Centre Parent Link Satellite Partners

• Southern Region Parents as Teachers

• Fort Macleod Family Centre

• Opokaa'sin Early Intervention Society

• Pincher Creek / Crowsnest Pass Brighter Futures Program

• Making Connections

Southern Region Parents as Teachers:

Our recent partnership with the Parent Link Centre has provided us with the opportunity to expand our early intervention and prevention home visitation program to families with children from birth to five years of age.  An additional half-time Parent Educator can now offer personal home visits, developmental screenings, parent group meetings and referrals to approximately 15 new families.

Contact:  Deb Josuttes, Program Manager/Donna Cushman, Parent Educator,
Phone: (403) 320-5983/(403) 382-7973

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Family Center, Fort Macleod:
The Fort Macleod Family Center is pleased to announce a new partnership with the Family Centre in Lethbridge. As part of that partnership, the Family Centre in Lethbridge has donated funds to help the Fort Macleod Family Center enlarge its family resource library. A variety of resources are now available for loan on a wide range of family and parenting topics such as prenatal care, early development, effective discipline strategies and parenting teens. In addition, other resources from the Family Centre library in Lethbridge will soon be available for use.

As part of its rural outreach program, the Family Centre in Lethbridge has recently hired an Outreach Family Counselor. This person will provide parent education programs, family counseling and information and referral to the communities of Fort Macleod, Cardston, Pincher Creek and the Crowsnest Pass. Situated at the G. R. Davis School in Fort Macleod, the outreach family counselor will begin offering programs and services in mid-May.

The Lethbridge and Fort Macleod Family Center partnership opens the door for a variety of new services and programs to serve the residents of small rural communities in southwestern Alberta.

This Family Centre Satellite Office is located in GR Davis School, 410 - 20 Street, Fort Macleod, 553-0093
 

Opokaa'sin Early Intervention Society:

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Pincher Creek / Crowsnest Pass Brighter Futures Program:

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Making Connections:

This school-based family support program offers a variety of programs to families attending Galbraith, Senator Buchanan and Westminster Schools. The program also has a culturally sensitive component encompassing First nations families attending these schools.

Making Connections welcomes students, parents, foster parents, siblings and extended family members affiliated with these schools.   We accomplish our "making connections" through education, social support and financial support. For the financial support we offer:

• Semi-annual free clothing exchange

• Free haircuts (monthly)

• Subsidy arrangements for courses and sports programs

• Food Bank referrals

• Community Kitchens

• Breakfast Club

Making Connections is FREE with the exception of a registration charge for classes that are provided by other agencies. Making Connections is funded by:

• Sun Country child and Family Services

• Lethbridge School District #51

• Kinsmen Club of Lethbridge

• Local Businesses.

For more information, call 320-9768, or drop by 1801 - 8A Avenue North, Lethbridge.

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