CANMORE – The Bow Valley Family Resource Network is officially open for business – online.
The newly minted, provincially mandated service available for families in communities across Alberta has replaced the now defunct Parent Link Centre, scrapped by the UCP government last year.
Team lead and family support worker Christine deMontigny said the Bow Valley Family Resource Network (BVFRN) is hoping to re-connect and maintain key relationships with families and partners in the region.
"It is about re-establishing ourseselves in the community and letting the community know the supports and services are available and we are still here during the pandemic and health crisis happening at the moment," deMontigny said.
She said there are several differences the valley will notice when it comes to how the new service is replacing the popular Parent Link program, which offered drop-in and support services for families with children under the age of six.
The most notable change being that the BVFRN has a mandate to offer programs for children aged zero to 18 years old and for the time being, all its drop-in programs and resources are available online.
Some things will remain the same, however, like the fact programs are available for families throughout the region, including in Lake Louise, Banff, Canmore and hamlets in the MD of Bighorn.
"Those [programs] have been missing from the community for several months now and we know families are looking for those supports and services in the community," deMontingy said. "We are offering all our programs virtually.
"We are really trying to get the word out there about what are services are and how [families] can reach us."
Community coordinator Cara Crawford said online programming is being offered for ages zero to 12 months, as well as toddlers. There are also plans to introduce programming around the social emotional needs of children in the current public health crisis.
"We have rolled out a few programs for families, all via Zoom, and it is not pre-recorded, it is live," Crawford said.
"We are slowly building our programming, as we try to navigate what the needs are in the community right now."
The network is also hoping to become a virtual hub to support local families during the pandemic.
While the BVFRN continues to work on developing online programming to support parents in the current crisis, staff are also looking to the future and what supports, or programs, may be needed in the long term.
The team is also looking at the potential reopening of its space at the Seniors Centre in downtown Canmore.
"We have made some changes to our space to accommodate those older age groups, as well as offering social connection programming for zero to 18 years old," deMontigny said. "That space will look different."
Another change is in how the service is delivered. Designed as a hub and spoke system, the Town of Canmore was successful in obtaining the contract from the province to operate the BVFRN as the hub, with various spokes or programs offered through it as of April 1.
The BVFRN will provide caregiver capacity building and child development as spoke services funded by the province. Calgary-based agency Closer to Home was successful in receiving the provincial contract to offer home visitation services for children under six years old, even though the Town of Canmore applied to offer that program as well.
The successful provincial funding application for the BVFRN specifically supports four staff members: administrative support, community coordinator, team lead and family support worker. The Town of Banff was also successful in receiving funding as spokes off the BVFRN hub for caregiver capacity building, parent education and social supports.
However, the province did not provide funding for the social connection aspect, or drop-in programs. Canmore council, on the other hand, voted to support delivery of that specific service through the municipality's operational budget instead.
Social connection specialist Julie Strang said it is exciting to be able to expand programming for older age groups in the community.
"I think it is pretty cool to be able to focus on the older [children] as well as cater programming for them," she said.
Caregiver capacity builder Monique DesRosiers said as a result, children won't age out of the program and can stay connected to resources over time.
"The longer we can keep them, support them and connect them to programming if needed ... that is absolutely a positive," she said.
Desrosiers said her role will focus on providing evidence-based supports and services targeted at parents or caregivers. That includes resources needed during this uncertain time in our community. In addition to online workshops, she said support is directly available for parents or caregivers on a one-on-one basis.
"We are here to support them in a variety of different ways," DesRosiers said. "That is what we are passionate about and that is what we are here for."
Strang noted staff members from Parent Link have continued on with the BVFRN, which provides consistency for parents and families, as well as a depth of knowledge for what is essentially a brand new community-based service.
"We are so lucky everyone has chosen to remain with the program and we are set up to provide services in a variety of areas," she said. "It is wonderful to have families from Lake Louise to Dead Man's Flats tuning into the same programs."
Crawford said staff with the network would like feedback from local families about the supports and programs they need right now and into the future.
"We want to hear from families," she said. "We want to know what they need from us. We are here to meet their needs and we want to be able to deliver those programs."
Email [email protected], or call 403-678-2529 for more information about the Bow Valley Family Resource Network. Families are also encouraged to sign up for its newsletter, connect with its Facbook page and access information on programs through the Town of Canmore's website.
