Infant Development Program · Itsy Bitsy Yoga - A developmentally focused program for babies and...

AiMHi Mission Statement

Strong communities recognize and celebrate the value of all citizens. AiMHi contributes to a strong community by providing advocacy, supports and services to people who have special needs and

their families.

Our culture supports people to have good lives at work, at home and in the community.

A CARF Accredited Agency

A CARF accredited agency

Infant Development Program

950 Kerry Street Prince George, BC V2M 5A3 Phone: 250.564.6408 Email: [email protected]

Sponsored by AiMHi, Prince George Association for Community Living

Funded by the Ministry for Children and Family Development March2018

It’s an Opportunity

For families to:

ü Learn new ways to encourage your child’s development

ü Meet other parents ü Discuss parenting ideas ü Make the best use of other community

resources and activities

For your baby to:

ü Become more independent ü Discover abilities ü Learn new skills

AiMHi Infant Development Program Code of Ethics Our program is guided by the principles of Family Centered Practice. Family Centered Practice is a way of delivering services that recognizes each family as unique. This approach identifies and builds on the family’s existing strengths, targets family centered goals through supports and services and emphasizes the parent and caregiver’s ability to promote their child’s development. Physical, social, emotional, behavioural, communication and intellectual development depend in part on experiences provided by the child’s family. We aim to provide services and visits that are flexible, accessible and responsive to the needs of your child and family. Your participation is voluntary and offered at no cost to you.

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Notes / Questions

AiMHi - Our Sponsor Services Provided

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The Infant Development Program (IDP) provides home visiting services to infants from birth to three years of age and their families, who need extra help for a variety of reasons. Services that are usually provided by the AiMHi Infant Development Program include:

Home Visits - Offered at a time that is good for baby and family. - Frequency and length of visits are arranged in

conjunction with the needs of your family and your consultant‘s availability.

Individualized Planning

- Consultants listen to what the family wants or needs and help in those areas.

- Goals for service are developed with families and are reviewed regularly during home visits.

- Consultants can provide needed information, share resources and help connect families to other services when necessary.

It is the philosophy of AiMHi that people who have a developmental disability have the same rights, needs and feelings as everyone else. We endeavor to promote physical, intellectual, social and emotional growth for all. We avoid establishing limitations on people and instead, provide individuals with opportunities to develop their individual strengths because we believe there is always potential for growth and development. At AiMHi we strive to deliver these services in the least restrictive, most culturally normative settings as we can. Consequently, the people we support live and work in culturally valued settings. It is the responsibility of AiMHi and its employees to facilitate normal physical and social integration with the community by utilizing community recreation and cultural resources. We believe that people who have disabilities have the same rights and privileges as other citizens. To this end, AiMHi will assist individuals to understand what is involved in exercising their rights and actively promote them. These rights include freedom from discrimination, the right to register to vote, freedom from abuse and neglect, the right to privacy, the right to communicate, the right to be informed and to give consent, only to name a few.

Services Provided continued Support Services AiMHi, PG Association for Community Living…………..250-564-6408

Aboriginal Head Start……………………250-563-3884 or 250-564-1840

Aboriginal Infant & Family Development………………….250-564-5941

Aboriginal Supported Child Development…….250-564-3568 ext234

BC Children’s Hospital (toll free line)…………………….1-888-300-3088

Carrier Sekani Family Services………………………………….250-562-3591

Childcare Resource and Referral………………………………250-563-2483

Child Development Centre (CDC)…………………………….250-563-7168 (physiotherapy, speech and occupational therapy)

Elizabeth Free Society……………………………………………..250-563-1113 Intersect (Child & Youth Mental Health)………………….250-563-6639 Kikino Child & Family Services…………………………………250-563-1661

Babies New Beginnings (pregnancy outreach)…………250-614-2229

Northern Interior Health Authority………………………….250-565-7478

Public Health Nursing (Family Resource Centre)…..…250-565-7332

Skill Building Toy Library……………………………………….…250-564-6408

Strong Start Centers………………………………………………..250-561-6800

Supported Child Development…………………………........250-563-7168

Financial Resources

Child Care Subsidy………………………………………………..1-888-338-6622 BC Early Childhood Tax Benefits……………………………1-877-387-3332

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Assessment Information - Assessment information is collected over time and can be

measured in a variety of ways. Methods include formal and informal assessments, screening tools, and referrals to other agencies and through on-going dialogue with families.

- The Infant Development Program primarily uses the Developmental Assessment of Young Children 2 (DAY-2) for formal assessment.

Family Support

- The Infant Development Program helps families to meet each other. This may be through support groups, play groups or one-on-one meetings.

Equipment

- When necessary, the Infant Development Program can help a family find equipment through other agencies or help families find funding for equipment if it needs to be purchased.

- The Infant Development Program also has toys, equipment, books and other resources that can be borrowed for a short time.

Infant Massage

- Our Infant Development Consultants are certified Infant Massage parent educators who have completed extensive training and practicum work on infant massage techniques. They are committed to helping you learn interactive communication through loving touch.

The Infant Development Program Consultants

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Jessie Sprague started with the Infant Development Program in November 2009. She has Certificates in Early Childhood Education and Infant/Toddler Education and in Infant Development/Supported Child Development. Jessie is a certified Infant Massage instructor (IAIM) & Itsy Bitsy Yoga instructor. She has diverse experience working with young children and their families for the past 20 years in various childcare and community programs. She is a long time resident of Prince George and is married with two children. Judie Russman has been with the AiMHi Infant Development Program since December 2000. She was a director of an Early Childhood and Infant Toddler Program in North Vancouver for 17 years. Jude is a Certified Infant Massage Instructor (IAIM) & Itsy Bitsy Yoga instructor. She has a Diploma in Infant Development a Certificate in Infant Mental Health from York University. Judie is currently working towards a Certificate in Mental health and Addictions through UNBC. She is married and the mother of grown children.

Itsy Bitsy Yoga - A developmentally focused program for babies and tots

(3 weeks to 24 months) designed to nurture infants and compliment a tot’s curiosity and exploration of movement. Your Consultant can share Itsy Bitsy Yoga opportunities as they arise.

Team Meetings - When a family is involved with a variety of services, it can

sometimes be beneficial to arrange a team meeting. This can bring the team members together to discuss how services can be coordinated and how better to ensure that services are meeting the family’s needs.

Family Education and Workshops - Consultants inform families of workshops which may

interest them. Sometimes the Infant Development Program will set up a workshop or collaborate with other agencies to present relevant workshops and presentations.

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Parenting Programs Consultants are trained to deliver:

- Active Parenting series – for families of children ages 1-4

- Watch, Wait and wonder – a program to enhance parent-child relationships.

- Pathways to Competence – parenting program focused on social & emotional development of children from birth to 7 years of age.

- Circle of Security Parenting – a relationship-based program designed to enhance attachment security between parents and caregivers and their children.

Shelley Anderson started with the Infant Development Program in August 2002. She has extensive experience working with children and their families with over 30 years’ experience as an Early Childhood educator in daycares, preschools and a specialized program for children who witness violence. Shelley also worked as a Family Support Worker for an Aboriginal Agency and in a treatment program for children with severe behaviour problems. She has a Diploma in ECE, a B.A. in Child and Youth Care, a Diploma in Infant Development, a Certificate in Infant Mental Health and is a certified Infant Massage Instructor and Itsy Bitsy Yoga instructor. She has three grown children and is a grandparent to three grandchildren.

Prince George Infant Development Program Consultants

The Infant Development The Role of the Family Program Consultants

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Lisa Engstrom has been with the AiMHi Infant Development Program since August 1999. She has a Diploma in Early Childhood Education from College of New Caledonia, a B.A. in child and Youth Care from UVIC, a Diploma in Infant Development/Supported Child Development from UBC, a Certificate in Infant Mental Health from York University and is currently working towards a mental health and Addictions Certificate from UNBC. Lisa is a certified Infant Massage Instructor & Itsy Bitsy Yoga instructor. Juanita Hunder has been with the AiMHi Infant Development Program since November 2017. She has a Diploma in Early Childhood Education and a B.A. in Anthropology with a Minor in First Nations Studies. She has spent her career supporting families with children primarily under the age of 3 years old. She was born in Northern BC and has spent all of her career working with northern families. She is married and the mother of one.

Infant Development Consultants encourage families to be actively involved in the program. Families identify their own goals for service in partnership with their Consultant and progress is monitored through an on-going process during home visits and/or assessments. To ensure your privacy, your child’s information is kept in a secure location. Your Consultant will share Consent to Release Information with you and also agrees to an Oath of Confidentiality that further protects your information. Your Consultant will be happy to answer any questions you have regarding the confidentiality of your information. As per AiMHi’s Conflict of Interest Policy (G-2), all employees will disclose any potential conflicts of interest and each instance will be addressed on an individual basis. Further information on AiMHi’s Conflict of Interest Policy (G-2) and AiMHi’s Oath of Confidentiality is available upon request. The AiMHi Infant Development Program is accredited through CARF. To access current and historical information regarding AiMHi and its programs, go to www.aimhi.ca. Look for the drop-down box on Performance Improvement.

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Cooperation with Other Services Some families have several programs involved. The Infant Development Program Consultants are generalists, helping to promote the child’s development and informing the family about other services. Public Health Nurses see infants and children and refer them to the Infant Development Program if needed. They also help coordinate services, provide teaching and support to families and promote healthy lifestyles. Physicians (family doctors, pediatricians and other specialists, including those at BC Children’s Hospital) provide medical information, infant care and provide families and IDP with important child-specific information. Therapists - Children needing specialized therapy services such as physiotherapy, occupational or speech therapy, can be referred to the Child Development Centre. Your Consultant can arrange visits together with a therapist, if you wish. If children need only speech therapy, they may be referred to the Northern Interior Health Unit. Government Ministries - the IDP Consultants help families to access programs provided by the Ministry for Children and Family Development, or Community Living BC, and help them to determine whether or not they may qualify for such services. These include day care, respite care, the At-Home Program and supported child care.

Infant Development Programs in BC were built around and are encouraged to follow an Infant Development Program Manual. This manual was originally developed by a Provincial Steering Committee and a Provincial Advisor. The manual can provide direction for the operation of Infant Development programs. Each of the five provincial regions has a Regional Advisor for Infant Development Programs to assist communities to implement and operate Infant Development Programs.

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History & Administration of the Infant Development Program

AiMHi Program

The AiMHi Infant Development Program has been in operation since 1979 when it was known as the Infant Stimulation Program. We have seen over 3700 children since 1979. The program is funded by the Ministry for Children and Family Development (MCFD) and is sponsored by AiMHi (Prince George Association for Community Living), a non-profit society. We provide monthly statistical information to our funder such as; the hours spent directly with families, the number of families on caseload and receiving visits and families who identify as being First Nations or Aboriginal. We also report the number of new children to the program.

The first home-based infant Development program (IDP) in British Columbia was started in Vancouver in 1972 by a committee of parents of infants with developmental delays and professionals involved with providing services to these children. These parents and professionals were aware of research showing that support and assistance with developmental programming was beneficial to families of young infants with developmental delays. With support and funding from the Ministry for Children and Family Development, similar programs were developed elsewhere in BC. By 2006, Infant Development Programs were operating in 52 communities in BC. IDPs in BC are funding the Ministry for Children and Family Development are sponsored in local communities by registered non-profit societies. These societies include Day Care Societies, Community Service Organizations, Community Living Associations, Child Development Centers and others.

Program Evaluation

The IDP Consultants meet together regularly to review the programming for each child (called case review) and discuss concerns, provide ideas, etc., in order to provide the best possible service to families. We also have an internal system in place for ongoing monitoring of the quality, appropriateness and utilization of the services provided. This is called our Quality Records Review and is conducted monthly.

Each year the AiMHi Infant Development Program sends out questionnaires to all families and to professionals to determine if the needs are being met and how services can be further improved. We also ask families to complete an exit survey when leaving IDP services. If you have any concerns or suggestions about the services being offered to your family, please feel free to call our office at 250-564-6408. This program is here to assist you and your family. Your comments and suggestions are most welcome!

Transitions – Moving Through Life

Transitions can be stressful, especially for parents whose children have extra needs. Infant Development consultants help families when their child is ready to move on from the Infant Development Program. Together, you and your Consultant will review all information available, discuss options for additional referrals and create plans for moving forward. Infant Development Consultants help families through this process by helping to find a program; passing on appropriate information to the caregiver should they wish this, and assisting the child to settle into the new setting.

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