Alberta Children and Youth Services

A Report on Parent Link Centres

Lethbridge Symposium

April, 2009

Parent Link Centres

• A network of resource centres serving parents, caregivers and children in Alberta. – community-planned and community-based.– comply with province-wide standards.– focus on “the early years” but also provide

information and supports for families of older children.

PLC video clip insert here

At the Core of PLCs

• PLCs provide five core services:– Parent Education– Early Childhood

Development;– Family Support;– Information and Referrals;

and– Developmental Screening.

Parent Link Centres

• Unique in the context of family resource programs funded by the Government of Alberta.

• Play a key role in prevention and early intervention.

• A welcoming and safe environment where parents can get the parenting resources and programs they need.

• Service coordination point for education, health, FCSS and other sectors.

Grande Prairie

Cross-Ministry Partnerships

• Innovation Projects in Developmental Screening.• “Talk Box” and “Talking is Key” DVD – speech-

language resources with Education and Health.• “Bounce Back Books” – Resiliency project with Alberta

Mental Health Board.• Healthy U Projects: “Snacktivity Boxes” and “Food

Smart Booklets”.

Parent Link Centre Participants

• 2007-2008 Unique Participants:– Children 0-6: 25,146– Youth 7-18: 3,687– Parents/Caregivers: 29,935

Parent Link Centre Services

Total Attendance:

• Early Childhood Development Programs:– Children 0 to 6: 84,029– Parents/Caregivers: 66,543

• Parent Education Programs: 16,687 Parents• Family Support Programs:

– Children 0 – 6: 11,907– Parents/Caregivers: 18,463

Parent Link Centre Services

• Information Referrals: to 19,622 parents/caregivers• Supported Referrals: to 6,725 parents/caregivers• Developmental Screens: 6,168 screens completed

Safe Communities Projects

• Crime Reduction and Safe Communities Task Force. • Tabled its Report in September 2007 with 31

recommendations.• Four priority areas including, “Families, children and

youth”:• Recommendation #16: Implement targeted pilot

projects to provide comprehensive community-based services to at-risk youth and their families.

Multi-Level Services

Intensive individualized interventions

Behavioural family intervention

Building positive relationships with families

Prevention and screening

All children and families

Children and families identified at-risk

Children and families with persistent challenges

Adapted from Powell, D., Dunlap, G., & Fox, L. (2006). Prevention and Intervention

for the Challenging Behaviors of Toddlers and Preschoolers.

Parent Link Projects

• Two New Projects:– Implementation of ASQ-SE– Expansion of Triple P

• Will build upon existing services in PLCs

• Will address both child and family risk factors

Project Goals & Strategies – ASQ-SE

• To provide early identification of potential social-emotional or behavioural issues in young children:

– Strategy: Children will be screened using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire – Social-Emotional Scale (ASQ-SE).

– Staff from all PLCs trained in the use of the ASQ-SE.

Screening in PLCs

• PLCs already use the basic ASQ. • ASQ-SE was developed as a companion tool to the

ASQ.• ASQ-SE also identified as a strategy in Children’s

Mental Health Action Plan.

Uses of the ASQ-SE

• Monitors a child’s social-emotional development.

• Helps guide decisions about referrals for further assessment.

• Determines a family’s need for information and/or support services.

• Encourages communication between parents and professionals.

Project Goals & Strategies – Triple P

• To provide parent training and behavioural family intervention to promote positive and effective parenting skills:

– Strategy: Expand the delivery of Triple P – Positive Parenting Program in Parent Link Centres.

What is Triple P?

• Developed in Australia by Professor Matthew Sanders and colleagues.

• A world-renowned parenting program.

• An evidence-based program that has been researched and evaluated for over 25 years.

Five Levels of Triple P

• Level 1: media-based parent information campaign.• Level 2: Brief one-on-one intervention and advice, and/or 90-

minute seminars. • Level 3: Parent skills training delivered in four, 30-minute

sessions.• Level 4: Intensive training in positive parenting skills, either

through group sessions or individual work with families.• Level 5: Intensive family intervention for parents of children

with multiple behavioural problems.

Expansion of Triple P in PLCs

• Twenty PLCs currently piloting Triple P. • Began with Levels 2 and 3.• This project will add Levels 4 and 5 to the pilot

sites.• Also add Level 1 in 2009-2010.• Funding will be provided for additional staff,

training and resources for PLCs.

Multi-Level Services

Level Enhanced Triple P Intervention

Level 4 Individual and Group Interventions

Level 2 and 3 Individual Consultations

Level 2 Seminars

Intensive individualized interventions

Behavioural family intervention

Building positive relationships with families

Prevention and screening

All children

Children and families identified at-risk

Children and families with persistent challenges

*Adapted from Powell, D., Dunlap, G., & Fox, L. (2006). Prevention and Intervention for the Challenging Behaviors of Toddlers and Preschoolers.

Level 1 Universal Media Campaign

Summary

• The PLC Initiative is a unique, comprehensive, community-based family resource program that is fulfilling a vital function in Alberta by promoting the development and well-being of children, youth and families in the province.

» PLC Service Assessment, April 2008