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Parenting Programs and Supports

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Page Summary

Halton Region offers free parenting programs, including Triple P Online, Healthy Babies Healthy Children, prenatal and breastfeeding support, and more.

Make the Connection Online Parenting Program Research Partnership

Halton Region is partnering with the University of Ottawa to provide residents with the online Make the Connection (MTC) program. The goal of MTC is to help improve parent-child relationships and build secure attachments.

Research has shown the in-person version of MTC to be an effective and evidence informed program. The University of Ottawa is now doing a research study to evaluate the new online version. Learn more about how you can get free access to the program when participating in the research study by providing feedback.

What is Make the Connection?

Make the Connection is an evidence informed parenting program for parents and caregivers of children 0-3 years old. The program was created by psychologists to improve parent-child relationships during the first 3 years of life. Building a positive relationship with your child can support healthy growth and development throughout their whole life.

How does the program work?

The Make the Connection program is offered to parents for free when you provide feedback on the new online program, which helps researchers measure its effectiveness. The in-person version has been offered in the past and was evaluated with positive results.

The program is delivered online and will take 8 weeks to complete. Each week a new module will be released. Each module will take you about 15 minutes to complete. The interactive program has hands on strategies to help create and maintain a secure attachment relationship and fun activities to create that loving connection with your child.

Please note that you may be required to wait 8 weeks before accessing the program if randomly assigned to the research control group.

Who can sign up?

Any parent or caregiver who lives in Halton with a child aged 0-3 can access the Make the Connection program for free.

As part of the research project, you will be asked to complete a feedback survey before and after the program. If you participate in the research, you will receive a $5 Tim Horton’s gift card for each survey you complete.

How do I sign up?

To register:

  1. Complete a consent form and questionnaire (external link).
  2. Check your email inbox for a coupon code and link.
  3. Click the program link provided in the email, then click or tap "Add to Cart."
  4. Enter your coupon code and sign up information.
  5. Check your email inbox for instructions on how to get started.

HaltonParents

HaltonParents provides information and resources on pregnancy and parenting, including access to Public Health Nurses (PHNs) and Dietitians. Through HaltonParents, Halton Region offers a variety of free parenting programs that:

  • help you manage the transition to parenthood;
  • support the healthy growth and development of your child; and
  • help build your confidence to parent your child in a positive way.

Connect with HaltonParents.

Healthy Babies, Healthy Children (HBHC)

Being a parent can be exciting and challenging. You may have questions about feeding your child or want to learn more about your child’s development and behaviour. Ontario’s Healthy Babies Healthy Children (HBHC) program, offered by the Halton Region Health Department, provides parents to be and families with young children who are in need of extra support with home visits by public health nurses and trained family visitors.

HBHC provides parents with information and guidance on how to:

  • have a healthy pregnancy
  • feed their child
  • help their child learn and grow
  • keep their child safe
  • build a positive relationship with their child
  • take care of their health and well-being
  • connect with services and supports in their community

Families can receive visits by a public health nurse and a family visitor. The visits are done in your home or at a place and time that works best for you and your family. You can decide what you would like to work on because you know your family best. Public health nurses are registered nurses who work in the community. They are skilled in health teaching and can help families build solutions to challenges they may be facing. They can also help connect you to the services you may need. Family visitors work closely with public health nurses to support parents with young children and share ideas and activities that can help families promote their child’s development.

To learn more about HBHC call 311 and ask to speak to a public health nurse.

For healthcare providers and other community agencies looking to make a referral, please use the Coordinated Referral Form (PDF file).

Halton Online Prenatal Program

Engaging and interactive FREE online prenatal classes available to parents-to-be or support persons who are residents of Halton. Learn about pregnancy, labour and birth, breastfeeding, newborn care, and Halton resources/supports at your own pace, using a computer or mobile device.

Halton Prenatal Nutrition Program (HPNP)

Do you want to learn how to improve your health and the health of your baby? Halton's Prenatal Nutrition Program (HPNP) is free and runs year round. Come out weekly and enjoy a healthy meal in a friendly environment, surrounded by other pregnant and new parents looking to learn and meet new friends.

Halton Breastfeeding Connection – Parent-to-Parent Phone Support

The Halton Breastfeeding Connection is a volunteer program that provides free parent-to-parent telephone support for expectant and breastfeeding parents.

Parenting Support Group

Are you pregnant or have a baby that is not yet crawling? Are you looking to meet others while getting support adjusting to being a parent? Join this weekly program to learn about taking care of yourself and your baby in an inclusive and supportive environment. Sessions are led by a Public Health Nurse and an Early Childhood Educator from EarlyON.

This program is closed for 1 week over the school spring break in March, the last week of August, and for 2 weeks over the December/January holidays. Registration not required. For more information, please call 311.

Location

Kids & Me Drop-In Neighbourhood Groups

Kids & Me is a free weekly 1.5-hour parenting and early learning drop-in program for families with babies or children up to 6 years of age. You and your child can make new friends, enjoy playing with other children and get extra support if needed.

Kids & Me is more than just a regular drop-in program as it follows a routine with a time for play, snacks, and stories. This gives children an opportunity to practice moving from one activity to another. The program is run by a Public Health Nurse, Early Childhood Educator, Child Development Consultant, and a Librarian. You can ask parenting questions about things like healthy eating, growth and development, speech and language, sleep, and routines. You can also get help connecting to community programs and services.

The aim of this program is to support you as a parent and to help your child learn, play with other children, and follow routines to get them ready for childcare or school.

Locations

These drop-in programs follow the school calendar (starting the second week of September) and are closed during the December/January holidays, spring/summer breaks and all statutory holidays. Call 311 for more information. Registration is not required.

Burlington

ROCK EarlyON - St. Mark (Google Maps link)
Mondays from 9:30 to 11 a.m.

Halton Hills
Milton
Oakville

Triple P Online

Triple P Online is a Triple P – Positive Parenting Program® for parents/caregivers of children aged 2-16. It is an online, evidence-based program you can complete in your own time in the comfort of your home. There are two versions of the online program:

  • for parents/caregivers of children aged 2-12 (available in English, Dutch/Flemish, French, German, Arabic, Spanish)
  • for parents/caregivers of children aged 10-16 (available in English and Spanish)

All parents/caregivers can benefit from parenting programs like Triple P Online.

Triple P Online can help you:

  • strengthen your relationship with your child
  • build your parenting skills and confidence
  • develop realistic expectations of your children and yourself
  • encourage positive behaviour
  • learn proven strategies to help manage and decrease challenging behaviour
  • create a supportive, healthy family environment
  • teach your child the skills they need to get along with others
  • take care of yourself as a parent/caregiver

How to register for Triple P Online

If you live in Halton region, you can register for Triple P Online for free by calling 311 or emailing haltonparents@halton.ca.

Once registered with HaltonParents, you'll receive an email with a code to access the program. You will have access to the program for a year.

Ready, Set, Go!

The Ready, Set, Go! program covers topics such as:

  • How to prepare your child emotionally and physically for school
  • The importance of play
  • Packing healthy lunches
  • Checklist for starting school
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