To address the current over-representation of Black children in the youth protection system ACDPN in collaboration in the Batshaw Youth and Family Centres, has developed the “Empowering Parents and Families” program. This program is a three-year pilot program and ACDPN is working to maintain its sustainability.
This short term six-week program is for parents and children aged 6-12 years old in the English- speaking Black community. The focus is healthy approaches to communication and discipline. Each session consists of weekly workshops for parents and children and covers several topics including stress management, conflict resolution and active listening. Parents and children will work on a particular topic separately and then come together to share what they have learned. By working together, this presents an extraordinary opportunity to develop strategies and strengthen the family bonds. Before each workshop, the families have a meal together, and then reunite to participate in a fun group activity to close the evening. If needed, transportation is provided and childcare for pre-school age siblings is available on-site if needed.
In addition to providing some important tools and information our main objective is to create a social support network for these families which includes community organizations, public institutions as well as other parents facing the same everyday challenges.
The Empowering Parents & Families program is part of a more global approach that seeks to foster more active involvement of community organizations and to promote the development of community-institutional partnerships with the public network which allows for the ethnocultural and linguistic adaptation of programs and support services to improve outcomes for children and families.