(Submitted photo/Government of Saskatchewan)

By Glenn Hicks and Tyler Marr

early childhood education

Family Resource Centre set for Prince Albert

Mar 11, 2019 | 5:21 PM

Local child advocates and educators are welcoming the announcement of a new Family Resource Centre for Prince Albert in the fall.

It’s one of seven communities getting funding from the province for the new sites after a successful roll-out of pilot projects in Yorkton, Sandy Bay and Regina.

Superintendent of the Saskatchewan Rivers Public School Division, Cory Trann, said the centres offer a variety of help to young families.

“It’s a one-stop shop for all young family needs, from learning to health, and everything in between,” he told paNOW. “We see these Family Resource Centres as a great injection of support for young families within our community.”

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The centres offer access to reliable information, services and support for the parents or guardians of young children and helps them raise healthy kids in the community.

The province announced that Prince Albert, The Battlefords, Meadow Lake, Nipawin, Moose Jaw, Saskatoon and one community in the North will receive funding for a centre.

The three existing sites in the province had already received nearly 50,000 visits over the past year, according to the province.

“The benefits of this model can be seen today, and I have no doubt the additional centres will have a lasting impact on all members within their communities,” Education Minister Gordon Wyant said in a media release.

The centres are staffed by experts who are available to provide advice on everything from how to connect with children to how to stimulate their development.

There could also be interactive activities for babies and toddlers, and support groups where young parents can share their experiences with others and seek advice.

The new 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 in the fall of 2019.

Mick Gratias is the program manager for KidsFirst Prince Albert, a home-visit program that focuses on services to parents who are pre-natal or have kids to the age of three. He said they had been working on getting a Family Resource Centre in the city for about two years and the provincial funding announcement came as a surprise as they continue negotiations with the Gateway Mall.

“We weren’t expecting this, although we’re very pleased about it,” he told paNOW. “We still have some steps to take in terms of where in the mall it’s going to go and what sort of renovations will be needed.”

Gratias said they were also liaising with other potential partners such as the health authority and some local service groups who do important work in the community.

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glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow