Families & Schools Together (F&ST)

F&ST has been proven to help children by enhancing their relationships with their families, peers, teachers, school staff and other members of their community.

F&ST takes place in schools where parents can interact with their children and connect with other parents, community resources and teachers. This program also helps parents understand their child's development, and learn skills that will help them keep the lines of communication open between family members. By developing these skills as a family, they help their children to be more resilient to daily pressures and support success in school.

F&ST families graduate to F&STWORKS which helps them continue to strengthen their family ties and to be active residents of a supportive network.

The F&ST program occurs in three stages:

• Outreach including home visits that invite parents to involve family members.
• Eight to ten weekly sessions led by a team consisting of community agencies, school personnel and a parent who graduated from F&ST. The team helps participants learn how to build stronger relationships with their children and within their communities.
• Two years of follow-up through monthly parent-led groups (F&STWORKS) to help participants maintain their family relationships while building community leadership skills.

F&ST serves elementary school children in Kindergarten to Grade 4 and their families. Baby F&ST serves families with infant children up to three years of age. Early Childhood F&ST serves children aged three to five years in a preschool setting. 

Baby F&ST

• An eight-week program offered twice a year in partnership with the Calgary Board of Education at the Louise Dean Centre.
• Working with new, young moms, their infants or toddlers and the child’s grandparents to promote healthy family relationships and prevent issues from arising.
• A three-generational group program where community professionals and volunteers help the parents build relationships with their families and strengthen their relationships with their babies. 

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