THUNDER BAY – A new resource guide is helping parents find information and links to city services and community resources.
The guide is a response to the ongoing challenge parents and caregivers face when trying to find easy access to child resources in this region.
Dilico Anishinabek Family Care assistant director of mental health and addiction Tina Bobinski said The Middle Years Resource Guide is a specific guide for northwestern Ontario families.
“It is a guide for parents, caregivers, and community members who are supporting children ages six to 11,” Bobinski said Tuesday morning during the launch.
“It really is exhaustive, and sort of a one stop shop for those services for children.”
The guide has a variety of resources to support the development of the children in that age range.
Everything from parenting, children’s mental health, community resources, recreational, culture, as well as emergency services.
“I think there’s been a lot of attention in the province for the younger years, and not a lot of attention for the transitional age youth,” Bobinski said.
“I think the government sort of recognized that this is a crucial time for children as they develop from children to adolescent.”
The government wants to ensure parents and community members are aware there are a variety of resources to support the development of children.
Bobinski added that challenging behaviours begin to emerge among children during this time, so providing a resource with service information, tips, tools, and how to support those behaviours are important before they need more intensive services.
“There’s a lot of pressure children are developing physiologically, emotionally, and spiritually,” she said.
“They are really starting to think about their future, their place in the community, and their role in the community and that can create a lot of pressure for children.”
The goal is to make sure that parents and caregivers are aware of the resources that can support the development.
