It Starts at Home

This number paints a stark picture of the impacts that intergenerational trauma and colonization continue to have on Indigenous children and their families today.

 There is a critical need for preventative, family-centred supports before child protection concerns arise. 

The Vancouver Aboriginal Health Society (VAHS) is taking strides to reduce the number of children in care and return them to their communities. The “Indigenous Families Reconnecting to Their Roots” project is designed to support First Nations parenting challenges and enhance understanding of child development using an Indigenous lens. It will offer group play activities, parent meetings, peer-to-peer family support, and access to a resource library of books and toys. Additional parenting education, child development supports, and problem-solving strategies will be delivered through group programs facilitated by culturally informed staff. Families will also receive support navigating diagnoses and specialized services when more intensive consultation or treatment is needed. Outreach services will address practical barriers that impact family wellbeing, including food security, housing stability, transportation assistance, emergency clothing, utilities, and other concrete needs. The project also includes violence prevention programming through a holistic approach that integrates Indigenous and mainstream wellness practices.

The Indigenous Reconciliation Fund’s (IRF) support will cover honorariums, program materials and supplies, travel costs, and food. By supporting families early and helping parents reconnect with culturally grounded approaches to raising children, communities can reduce the number of children entering care while promoting healing, resilience, and family unity.

Archdiocese of Vancouver