Article by Danielle Lepage

Developing young children into healthy, successful adults is a community responsibility, says the executive director of Catholic Family Services in Regina.

David Sax, along with representatives from the United Way, the YMCA, the Regina Early Learning Centre, and CUETS, announced Wednesday the start of a multi-generational program for young parents and their infants aged zero to three years.

Baby Families and Schools Together Canada will begin working with 12 to 14 families in the city next Tuesday.

"It's an incredible way of working together with families to build on their strengths," Sax said at the launch held at the YMCA.

The two-year program, which originated in the U.S. in 2000, is an intervention and prevention program that brings together grandparents, parents and infants together with trained professionals. The sessions and activities strive to enhance parent-child bonds, develop communication and parenting skills, promote infant development, reduce stress and encourage young parents to be in charge of their children.

"One of the ripple effects we're starting to see is parents suddenly realizing they cannot only be successful as parents, they can also do things with their skills and they can band together to do things in their communities." Families in the program will spend three hours, one night a week for eight weeks with the F&ST team.

"During that time, they have a meal and they have a variety of structured play activities with a team. The team is there to basically guide, introduce and support the families throughout the experiences that they're having," said Sax. Activities are developed to increase interaction and parents will learn how to engage their children educationally and emotionally. The program incorporates music, literature, drama and imaginative exercises.