By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

funding cuts

Parent Link centres going away, new service delivery model expected

Nov 9, 2019 | 1:48 PM

Parent Link centres across Alberta have been told their current funding will cease as of March 31, 2020.

In a letter to clients posted on Facebook Friday afternoon, Central Parkland Regional Parent Link Director, Cora Hoekstra, notes they were informed of the news on Monday.

“Parent Link programming in Blackfalds, Lacombe, Rimbey, Ponoka and Wetaskiwin, and our Outreach Parent Link activities in Clive, Mirror and Bentley, as we know it, will end,” she writes. “Lacombe and District FCSS understand that they will have the opportunity to apply for funding under a new framework to continue offering programming to families in central Alberta.”

Social media reaction to the letter described the news as “heartbreaking,” with many lauding the work Parent Link centres do for families.

Parent Link centres offer services related to early childhood development, parent education, family support, child development screening, and also provide referrals to other local resources.

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Hoekstra says while one chapter for these services may be closing, it’s her understanding that a positive new beginning is yet to come.

“There’s a new model for prevention and early intervention service delivery (coming). That’s the piece that’s being lost. They’re calling them family resource networks, which will service a larger population,” Hoekstra explains. “We serve families with children 0-6, and the new family resource networks will be set up to serve families raising children 0-18. It’s going to be an expanded version of what we currently do. This will meet the demonstrated needs of families in central Alberta.”

Hoekstra adds that the 15 years Parent Link has offered services in central Alberta have been emotional and rewarding. Staff at all locations will be affected, and Hoekstra declined to say how many clients they serve, only describing them as “very busy.”

In a statement to rdnewsNOW, Ministry of Children’s Services Press Secretary Lauren Armstrong says Parent Link centres, Family Resource centres and home visitation services are not being eliminated.

“We have launched a new Expression of Interest process to consolidate and re-align the way prevention and early intervention services are delivered across the province. The new Family Resource Networks will rectify the service gap that can exist after age six and align with the precedent-setting Well Being and Resiliency Framework to help at-risk kids grow up to lead productive and meaningful lives,” says Armstrong.

“All current service providers are invited to apply and will continue to operate until March 2020. While I can’t presuppose the outcome of the Expression of Interest process, many current service providers will be awarded new contracts.”

Armstrong adds the current model offers $77.5 million for all prevention and early intervention-related services, while the Children’s Services Ministry will put up $65 million under the new one. She notes other ministries also provide funding for the social sector.