Grande Prairie Family Education Society (Facebook)

By Liam Verster

Family supports and services

Grande Prairie Family Education Society named as Family Resource Network hub

Apr 21, 2020 | 6:00 AM

The Grande Prairie Family Education Society has been named as the local representative for Alberta’s Family Resource Network (FRN).

The FRN is a spoke and hub model, which replaces the Parent Link program, and is designed to coordinate early intervention services and supports to families in the Grande Prairie region.

Executive Director of the Family Education Society, Brandy Pilon, says this model will be the bridge to services in the community.

“So for families, any families, in Grande Prairie and area to be able to reach out to the FRN, and be able to get directed to the services they need, and the difference will be for families with children (aged) zero to 18. So we don’t need to try to navigate ‘where do I need to go for supports?’ we should be able to go to our FRN, and have a streamlined process to supports that families are needing in that time, for all ages, zero to 18.”

Pilon adds that under this new model, some services will stay the same, but there will also be some new additions and changes to services provided by the Society, including the home-visitation program, Healthy Families.

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“We will continue to be providing home-visitation programming in this area, the difference will be that that program will now be primarily focused for families [with children ages] zero to six. And then there will be other agencies providing supports, more in home supports, for ages seven to 18. We will also be parent education and care giver supports, and what those will look like will likely be a little bit different than some of the programs that our community was used to, but it will absolutely still meet the needs of families, [aged] zero to 18 all the way up. So there will still be a lot of programs for families to access for supports.”

Pilon could only speak to the changes in the spokes associated with the Society, but does say other resources in the area are associated in the FRN, and families in need of those supports will be linked to them through the FRN.

“We will be abel to provide referrals and supports for those internal pokes, but we will also be providing referrals to all agencies, to families to access all agencies in Grande Prairie. So we should be very highly knowledgeable about all the services available to families in Grande Prairie and area. So hopefully families will not slip through the cracks, they will be able to get direction on where their needs would best be met in services.”

Pilon says despite the change in operations, there won’t be much of a change within the Society. Some positions have been reallocated and a few more will be opening up, though she couldn’t say how many.

She adds that, though there was anxiety and apprehension when the framework of the new model was announced to replace Parent Link, the Society has been really excited to see this network come to fruition.

“We need a better system that streamlines referral processes and access to services for families. And I’m really hoping that we’re going to see some really positive change, that families aren’t going to be slipping through the cracks. That they only need to be able to access one place, and we should be able to send them out to all the wonderful resources we have in Grande Prairie. We have a number of family service organizations and programs in Grande Prairie, and so we are really excited to be able to help, encourage, and direct families to those appropriate services.”

The Grande Prairie Family Education Society is still operating during the COVID-19 pandemic, and has already begun their work as the hub for the Family Resource Network. Pilon says they are available to direct families to the supports they need through phone calls at 780-830-0920, and online through their website.