NIPAWIN — The province has commited $215,000 in funding for a new Early Years Family Resource Centre.
The centres provide a place where families with young children can access information, services and supports to help them raise healthy children. The provincial government said in a press release expert advice could be made available at the centres on everything from how to connect with your children to how to stimulate your child’s development.
“The big thing is the centres will be universal. Anyone can access them in the community or coming into the community,” said Jan Boughen, program manager with KidsFirst Nipawin. “Everything that will be offered at the centre will be offered at no cost to anyone.”
These centres will also provide an opportunity for interactive activities for babies and toddlers, as well as support groups where young parents can share their experiences with others and seek advice.
“If parents don’t know what services are available for their children, that their children will benefit from, the Family Resource Centre can certainly make referrals to other services in health or education or otherwise,” Boughen said.
The centres will be developed through community partnerships led by KidsFirst, who will be responsible for finding physical space in each of the communities, hiring staff and developing programming for a planned opening during this coming Fall.
Boughen said there has been a committee working on the development of a Family Resource Centre for about two years.
“It is very exciting and it honestly hasn’t completely sunk in yet,” Boughen said. “We know it’s going to be a lot of work getting it off the ground, we know how important it is and we know we want to do it right.”
The partners for the Nipawin centre include the Saskatchewan Health Authority through Primary Healthcare, the Town of Nipawin’s Parks and Recreation Department, Victim Services, KidsFirst Regional, and the North East School Division (NESD).
“The community of Nipawin has benefited greatly by the KidsFirst initiative over the last 10 years, and a Family Resource Centre is an important part of supporting families and pre-school age children in healthy development so they can be ready to be successful in school,” said Don Rempel, director of education for the NESD.
The province is providing $1.5 million through the Canada-Saskatchewan Early Learning and Child Care Agreement for seven locations, which include the Battlefords, Meadow Lake, Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Saskatoon and one in northern Saskatchewan.
Boughen said KidsFirst Nipawin has yet to receive the full parametres of the funding requirements.
