Family Supports

Taking Care: Physical and Mental Well-being for Families during Separation and Divorce This workshop will examine the specific challenges that family restructuring can bring and focus on strategies to promote self-care in adults and children to enhance overall family well-being during separation and divorce. Participants will learn strategies and develop tools to keep themselves and their children emotionally safer through family transitions, as well as recognizing the importance of taking care of oneself physically, emotionally and spiritually while navigating the family justice system. Email to register: strengtheningfamilies@ywcalgary.ca

Recognize and Respond: Understanding and Supporting Children’s Needs Separation, divorce and family restructuring can bring about a variety of different changes and challenges for both children and their families. Participants in this workshop will learn more about recognizing and understanding children’s needs and emotions during difficult times. Additionally, participant will explore different strategies and skills to be able to more effectively respond to their children’s needs. This program is free of charge and open to individuals across Canada. A certificate of attendance is provided upon request based upon participation. Email to register: strengtheningfamilies@ywcalgary.ca

Early Experiences: The Influence of Stress on Children’s Development This workshop will explore the impact of family violence and other family conflict on children is developing brains. Stress and anxiety can be healthy responses to difficult situations for children, but when stress and anxiety is prolonged and frequent it can lead to negative health outcomes for children as they grow. Participants in this workshop will learn strategies to recognize and respond to their children when they are experiencing stress and anxiety learn ways to keep their children safer through difficult times. Email to register: strengtheningfamilies@ywcalgary.ca

Strides Forward: Strategies and Supports for Effective Co-parenting Learning how to move forward and navigate a co-parenting arrangement amongst changing relationships can be difficult. Join Family Access Services to learn more about common challenges associated to co-parenting, the benefits of establishing a healthy co-parenting arrangement and different strategies and ideas for making co-parenting more manageable. Email to register: strengtheningfamilies@ywcalgary.ca

Changing Families: Amendments to Canada’s Divorce Act Changes to Canada’s federal Divorce Act came into effect in March of 2021. Come join YW’s Family Access Services team to learn more about these changes and the impact they may have on Canadian families experiencing separation and divorce. Participants will learn more about the impact of family conflict on children, describe how the changes can help keep families safer and apply this knowledge to improve navigation of the family justice system Email to register: strengtheningfamilies@ywcalgary.ca