It’s true when they say ‘Family’ is everything! Our strength for good and bad days. No wonder, family is what keeps us connected with our past and buck up to give in the best for our future. Though family plays a vital role in defining one’s personality, but its role in the character building of a child is significant. Therefore, it provides a sense of security to the children and impacts their development. However, on the flip side, a toxic family compared to a healthy family tie can have an adverse impact on the family members, specifically children. Thus, family bonding and seeking for resources to support it is critical for a family to grow.
Based on research, we have listed five organizations in Ontario that facilitate children and families and the early childhood education profession. For example, MCRC and YMCA have been rendering their services in a professional way to the community. Moreover, other organizations are Halton Children’s Aid Society, Ontario Association for Families of Children with Communication Disorders (OAFCCD) and Ontario Coalition for better child care.
ORGANIZATION NAME: Milton Community Research Centre
LOCATION: 410 Bronte Street South. Milton, ON. L9T 0H8
GOALS: MCRC, is a non for profit and multi-service organization. In addition, It aims to develop and deliver services to support children, their families and related professionals.
CURRENT INITIATIVES:
It provides the following services to Milton and surrounding communities currently:
- Early On Sites: These are free of charge early learning programs for children, parents, and caregivers.
- MCRC Parents resource library: It offers a variety of resources and workshops to parents to facilitate learning for the children.
- Licensed Child Care programs: MCRC provides early learning and child care at an affordable cost and subsidy for deserving families. It follows Reggio Emilia approach where learning is encouraged through play and based on the child’s interest.
- Halton Resource Connection: MCRC provides training, support and resources to facilitators and organizations working with children and youth.
- Infant Food Bank helps local families in need by providing diapers, formula, baby food, and cereal monthly.
ORGANIZATION NAME: Milton E.C. Drury YMCA
LOCATION: 255 Ontario Street South
Milton, ON L9T 2M5
GOALS: The YMCA goal is to make communities home to the healthiest children, teens and young adults. YMCA has its presence for family bonding and resources to support it all over Canada. Therefore, It adopts a holistic approach in community health-promoting physical, mental and social well-being. In addition, It also provides customized programs supporting local needs and diversity.
CURRENT INITIATIVES:
- Child Care: YMCA Milton Child care centre aims to provide quality licensed care for 18 months to 4 years of age. This is so the child can learn, grow and thrive with the help of qualified early childhood educators. It is based upon a curriculum that facilitate play experiences.
- YMCA before and after school program: Kindergarten (ages 4 & 5) and School Age (ages 6 – 12) programs. For example, these are designed to support children’s developmental needs, independence and strong leadership skills.
- Day Camp Programs: It accommodates 80 campers a week in the facility of two gymnasiums and outdoor fields. These are for sports and active games, art and science experiments. Day camp programs include basketball, soccer, build, move, launch, cheer, dance, etc.
ORGANIZATION NAME: Halton Children’s Aid Society
LOCATION: 1445 Norjohn Court Burlington, ON L7L 0E6
GOALS: Its goal is to help children, youth and families thrive by protecting children and youth, strengthening their well-being and supporting lifelong, enduring relationships.
CURRENT INITIATIVES:
- Helping families: The Community Protection Department investigates all allegations of abuse and neglect. It then provide support to families of children and youth who may need protection.
- Kids/youth: YouthSAID is a networking group run by youth for youth. It gives youth in Halton the opportunity to speak freely on their issues or concerns. In addition, it advocate for change for all youth.
- Adoption: adoption workers assess people who want to adopt a child from children’s aid. Moreover, based on that, they provide pre-and post‐adoption support to children, their parents and adoptive parents.
- Fostering: Foster care services are provided by children’s aid societies (CASs) who are mandated by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services to protect children and youth.
- Our Kids Network: It includes Sector leaders from education, government, health, mental health and special needs. In addition to police services and the multicultural community too. Also, It provide direction and planning on child development from pregnancy to 18 years. You
ORGANIZATION NAME: Ontario Association for Families of Children with Communication Disorders (OAFCCD)
LOCATION:933 Alice Street
Woodstock, Ontario N4S 2J9
GOALS: The goal is to facilitate all children by giving them access to speech and language services so they can be successful at home, in school and in the community. In addition, It aims to increase public awareness regarding the benefits of services, support families to cater to their child speech and language needs, working with the community, government organizations and volunteers.
CURRENT INITIATIVES:
- Parent guide for support: supporting students with speech and language impairments. Speech-language pathologists work with parents so they can support their child’s success.
- Creating awareness for the need for the organization services. This is done by creating early detection urgency. For example, by contacting speech-language pathologists, local preschool speech and language program or the local school special education department.
- Outlining tips for improving oral and communication skills. It includes general suggestions for vocabulary development and natural language intervention techniques. Also it includes how to improve the use of language in school-age child, improving memory and comprehension.
ORGANIZATION NAME: Ontario Coalition for better child care
LOCATION: 489 College Street, Suite 206, Toronto, ON M6G 1A5
GOALS: To advocate for more affordable child care and funding to support quality including wages for early childhood educators and child care staff.
“low fees or no fees for parents; decent work and pay for educators; and an expansion of public and non-profit services.”
CURRENT INITIATIVES:
- For example, Public speaking at events, conferences and community colleges for affordable , high-quality childcare.
- Working with parents, early learning and child care sector to educate decision-makers about the importance of early learning and child care.
- In addition to Monitoring national, provincial, and local changes affecting early learning and child care. Encourages stakeholders to send message to MPP or City Councillor to raise voice and make a difference to benefit child care.
- Publishing the Guide to Early Learning and Child Care in Ontario and other publications.
- Encouraging membership as most of their funding comes from the memberships. Therefore, this includes memberships of child care centres and trade unions. Also from passionate individuals who believe every child should have access to high-quality child care.
We hope that this information on Family bonding and resources to support it will come handy for you.
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