Alberta Children and Youth Services allocated approximately $1 million from the 2009-10 child care budget for the creation of more than 300 new child care spaces in Alberta for families accessing emergency and second-stage shelter services. To date, 23 applicants have received funding under the new Women’s Shelter Child Care program.

Children affected by family violence have gone through difficult and often traumatic experiences and need special attention and care as they deal with changes like moving and separation from family, friends and pets. The Women’s Shelter Child Care program will offer unique programming for families accessing these services such as:

• teaching children about healthy lifestyles, relationships and personal safety (including safety planning), and
• offering specialized domestic violence counseling and play therapy groups for the children.

“These programs will provide children exposed to domestic violence with a safe environment where the staff understand the dynamics of their experiences and can assist them in growing into strong and healthy adults,” said Tarchuk. “Each shelter that receives funding will establish a program that addresses the unique needs of local children and families.”

Improving access to existing programs for those affected by family violence is a mandated priority for Children and Youth Services and part of the government’s commitment to building safe communities that support the most vulnerable people in Alberta.