1 The Community Resources for Children Report A Preliminary Report UEY Red Deer Preliminary Results Research Forum: December 1, 2009 Laurie Lafortune

The Community Resources for Children Report is one of several reports and products released by the Red Deer Understanding the Early Years Project. The UEY Red Deer Project is funded by the Government of Canada’s Understanding the Early Years Initiative. The opinions and interpretations in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Government of Canada. 2

Acknowledgements Thank you to the many caring individuals whose paid and volunteer work in various programs and agencies enriches the lives of families in Red Deer. Many individuals and organizations contributed to the content of the UEY Red Deer Community Resources for Children Report. The Community Resources for Children Report was created through the use of many sources. Existing local inventories of community programs, local research, interviews, and web sources were used to create this report. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy; however, in response to changing needs, programs and services may change without notice. For the most up to date information on programs, fees, dates and times, please contact the agencies directly or access their websites. 3

Early childhood development affects education, health, the social capital, and overall equity within populations. This is key for stable, cohesive societies and economic growth” -Margaret McCain, Fraser Mustard & Stuart Shanker “It Takes a Village to Raise a Child” 4

Why Look at Community Resources? Although it is well known that parents are first and most important in supporting a child’s development, there is a growing awareness of the impact of community in shaping experiences and providing support to children and families. Socioeconomic conditions, along with available services and supports in communities, directly affect the development of children and their ability and readiness to learn at school. It has become clear that looking only at individual and family characteristics does not give a complete picture of the factors impacting on child development. 5

Fast Facts According to the most recent municipal census (2009), Red Deer‘s total population is 89,891 The number of children in Red Deer, age 0-19 (2009) is 19,958. The breakdown of children by age using the most recent federal census data available (2006) is as follows: Under one year 1 year 2 years 3 years 4 years 5 years 6 years Total Children ages Total Children ages

7 Early Learning Opportunities Kindergarten is not mandatory in Alberta, however, 95% of children in Alberta attend. Pre-kindergarten programs are available by an application process in schools for children who may have unique challenges-no fees required. A number of licensed pre-schools and playschools provide early learning experiences-parents pay fees.

8 Early Learning Opportunities con’t. Child Care In total, for all types of licensed or approved child care (day care, family day home, before and after school, and preschools)... There are 1927 licensed child care spaces in the city. (September 2009)

Recreation, Arts, Culture Subsidies for recreation and arts programs and sports team participation are available to lower income families. Red Deer Public Library serves residents at two locations and library cards for children are free. There are 69 outdoor skating rinks, 6 indoor ice surfaces, and 4 pools. There are 16 community shelters, usually located next to an outdoor rink. 9

Recreation, Arts, Culture con’t 10 Art, dance, music, and theatre programs and lessons are offered throughout the city. A number of festivals take place both winter and summer. Playgrounds are found in all residential areas of the city and meet CSA Standards for safety with regular inspections.

Parenting 11 Family Services of Central Alberta is home to Village Gate Parent Link Centre, providing a toy-lending library, parent education, parent-child interactive groups, and other parenting resources. Agencies offering family and parenting programs are typically located in the downtown area, but provide off-site programs to reach other parts of the city. Parenting programs are also available to some individuals, in their own homes.

Children with Special Needs Central Alberta Child and Family Services Authority provides funding for Family Supports for Children with Disabilities and an inclusive child care program. Alberta Health Services provides services for children with physical disabilities as well as developmental, speech and language delays. The Children’s Services Centre is a regional centre located in the downtown area that provides assessment, diagnosis and intervention for children with special needs. 12

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Conclusion The impact of community on positive outcomes for children has been well documented. Red Deer residents are fortunate to have a variety of programs and services for children and families, with active organizations and associations. Through research and collaboration, parents, educators, service providers, government and other stakeholders can work to ensure that all Red Deer’s children have the community resources they need in order to thrive. 16

For more information, contact Laurie Lafortune, Red Deer Understanding the Early Years Coordinator at Family Services of Central Alberta: Research Summaries and the full Community Resources for Children Report will be available at The Inventory of Programs and Services for Children 0-6 is available at Thank you for your participation! 17