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Parents' Place is a non-profit family resource centre providing service to all families in St. Albert and the surrounding communities.

Parents' Place offers:
    • Educational programs and services that focus on families and children


    • A Home Visitation Program using the "Parents as Teachers" model


    • Head Start and Early Head Start programs


    • A Children's Center


    • Support Groups and Services


    • Lots for Tots (An early childhood resource fair)


    • Exciting community Events
HISTORY

Parents Place has been a viable supporting organization to the community for over 20 years. Established on May 18, 1982, The Society for Education and Support for Parents was formed by three individuals working within the counseling and parent education field. The Society received funding for a research project entitled “A Program for Improving the Self Concept of ECS Children through Education and Involvement of Parents and Teachers through Planning and Research, Alberta Education”.

In 1984, the research group and an interested group of parents expanded to form the non-profit Society for Education and Support of Parents. Initially, courses and programs were offered on a part-time basis in a classroom. Later that same year, the executive identified the need for a permanent facility, thus allowing expansion and integration of services to the community.

On March 20, 1991 the name was changed to the present St. Albert Parents’ Place Association.

The introduction of the Outreach Program in 2001 was a significant milestone for St. Albert Parents’ Place as it enabled the agency to offer programs and services at various locations within the city of St. Albert and the outlying communities.

The Home Visitation (Parents as Teachers) and the Head Start Programs were launched in partnership with the St. Albert Planning Committee in 2002. These programs are proactive and preventative in nature and due to funding restrictions have specific in-take criteria.

In 2003 Parents Place along with two other charitable organizations under the Charles Gale Centre Society moved to a new location in Campbell Business Park, this innovative partnership ensured a fixed rent for fifteen years as well as demonstrated that partnerships are an effective way to enhance resources and deliver services more effectively.

In September 2004, Parents’ Place initiated a six month pilot project to run an Early Head Start program for children and their families with funding provided from FCSS. This is an intervention program that provides support, information and services to families with children 18 months to 3.5 years.

In 2005, the Head Start program was relocated from Albert Lacombe School to the family resource centre located in the Campbell Business Park. This enabled Parents’ Place to maximize resources and build a more cohesive staff team.

MISSION (Adopted in 2006)

Our mission is to provide services and resources that support and strengthen all families.

VISION STATEMENT

To be recognized as a community leader in the provision of family support by offering services and resources that enrich all families.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES: (Adopted from FRP Canada in 2006)

  1. Family support programs are open to all families, recognizing that all families deserve support.

  2. Family support programs complement existing services, build networks and linkages, and advocate for policies, services and systems that support families’ abilities to raise healthy children.

  3. Family support programs work in partnership with families and communities to meet expressed needs.

  4. Family support programs focus on the promotion of wellness and use a prevention approach in their work.

  5. Family support programs work to increase opportunities and to strengthen individuals, families and communities.

  6. Family support programs operate from an ecological perspective that recognizes the interdependent nature of families’ lives.

  7. Family support programs value and encourage mutual assistance and peer support.

  8. Family support programs affirm parenting to be a life-long learning process.

  9. Family support programs value the voluntary nature of participation in their services.

  10. Family support programs promote relationships based on equality and respect for diversity.

  11. Family support programs advocate non-violence to ensure safety and security for all family members.

  12. Family support programs continually seek to improve their practice by reflecting on what they do and how they do it..