For children ages 5-12 getting parenting supports to help you navigate any developmental, learning, behavior or mental health concerns is the first step.
Parenting supports - Sea to Sky (free - self refer)
Sea to Sky community services –Strengthening Families is a free 6 week parent online workshop. This program improves family communications through videos, role-playing, discussions, learning games, and family projects and increases positive parenting practices, school performance, and parent-child attachment. For children aged 6 – 11 years. https://www.sscs.ca/strengthening-families-program/
Parenting Supports - BC (free)
Confident parents thrive kids anxiety program (ages 3-12 years old) – a phone coaching program for families to teach management strategies for anxiety **Child requires a referral from their primary care provider
https://welcome.cmhacptk.ca/anxiety/
Confident parents thriving kids behavioral program – (ages 3-12 years old) a phone coaching program for difficult behavior, emphasis on positive parenting strategies i.e reward charts *Child requires a referral from their primary care provider
https://welcome.cmhacptk.ca/behaviour/
Big Worries / Fears (ages 3-12 years old - a phone coaching program serving First Nations, Metis, and Inuit families across BC whose children experiencing mild to moderate big worries/fears *Child requires a referral from their primary care provider
Online parentings supports - access online
Collaborative parenting strategies – parenting strategies not linked to a specific diagnosis but rather the approach of working with your child to build lagging skills
Book: “The explosive child” by Dr. Ross Green
Website: Lives the balance: https://livesinthebalance.org/parents-and-families/
Parenting programs for specific age groups for families facing challenges to better understand their situations and build skills that will have a positive outcome for everyone in the family; specific courses also available for co-parenting in divorce/separations - https://www.bccf.ca/program/online-parenting-programs/
Healthy Minds BC: Early Years - resources for: big feelings, facing fears, sensory tools, helping with transition anxiety, recognizing and handling stress, self-care resources
Mental health foundations – excellent parenting videos based on emotion focused family therapy strategies. https://www.mentalhealthfoundations.ca/resources
School based supports: Once in school the publicly available supports for 1:1 consultation/therapy are available through the school system - Ask your school learning support team about these services.
Physiotherapy & occupational therapy: Sea to Sky Community services has physio and occupational therapy consultation services available through the the school district.
Speech and Language pathologist (SLP): available through the the school district.
Learning assessments: psychology assessments for learning disorders and cognitive assessments are available through the the school district.
Publicly available community supports for your child (self-refer to these programs)
Counselling - click here for counselling resources
Key worker program: the key worker works with families whose children could have been exposed to alcohol or drugs before they were born. Key workers will help you develop a support plan and help advocate for your child. https://www.sscs.ca/fasd-key-worker-program/
Dieticians: can call Health Link BC 8-1-1 and ask to speak to a dietician ; or can have your primary care provider refer to to the North Shore Chronic Disease Services (Sea to Sky residents also eligible) - https://www.vch.ca/en/location-service/nutritional-counselling-program-ns-chronic-disease-services - they have picky eating groups & 1:1 dietician advice for selective eaters.
Resources for specific diagnoses: to help you if concerned about a specific diagnosis and looking for more strategies & information
Concerns for anxiety?
Here to Help BC about supporting anxiety - https://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/infosheet/helping-your-anxious-child-or-teen
Anxiety Canada – May Anxiety Plan - self guided modules for learning about anxiety - https://maps.anxietycanada.com/courses/anxiety-plan-children-teens/
Concerns for emotional outbursts?
https://keltymentalhealth.ca/my-child-has-outbursts-anger-and-aggression-what-do-i-do
Concerns for ADHD?
Rolling with ADHD – parenting strategies for children with ADHD, although really excellent strategies for all children, even if ADHD is not diagnosed - https://healthymindslearning.ca/rollingwith-adhd/
Concerns about your child not attending school?
Excellent webinar on school avoidance - https://keltymentalhealth.ca/collection/practical-strategies-school-professionals
Concerns about OCD?
About OCD: https://www.anxietycanada.com/disorders/obsessive-compulsive-disorder/
Book guided therapy: “Talking Back to OCD - The Program That Helps Kids and Teens Say No Way and Parents Say Way to Go” by John March - book that is a self-guided approach a family can take to OCD
Concerned about selective mutism (not talking in social settings)
Anxiety Canada – online articles and videos about selective mutism and approach to therapy - https://www.anxietycanada.com/disorders/selective-mutism/
Concerns for depression?
Online learning tool - a guide for parents nagivating a child's depression - https://healthymindsbc.gov.bc.ca/course/parents-caregivers/
Concerns about self harm?
Concerns about suicide?
If not able to keep your child/youth safe- call 911 or 988 for support
About suicide in youth: https://keltymentalhealth.ca/suicide
Work with your youth or with their counsellor to create - Guide to safety plans: https://keltymentalhealth.ca/sites/default/files/resources/SELF%20Toolkit%20for%20Kids.pdf