Oct. 15th, 2009 Oct. 15th, 2009
Dear MLA Jenny Kwan,
I am writing about the need to keep our Provincial and Regional Advisors in the Infant Development Program and Aboriginal Infant Development Program of BC.
I am a front line Infant Development Consultant at Sheway – a not for profit organization that offers health and social service supports to pregnant women – following mother and baby until baby is 18 months old – who have substance use issues. I do developmental screenings, assessments and offer Parenting Groups amongst other things. We are located in the Downtown East Side of Vancouver. Approximately 70% of our clientele identify as Aboriginal.
Without Advisor support, I fear that the future of Infant Development in areas of BC that suffer poverty and trauma will be in crisis. Advisors provide training; inform me of current relevant trends and changes in Early Child Development – things that I don’t have time to research while working in this environment. Consultants need this information, and must be up to date in order to provide quality services for our high-risk caseloads.
The networking support that the Advisors provide prevents burn out.
As it stands now, my co-worker and I have a caseload between us of eighty infants under the age of 18 months. We have our hands full and heavily rely on the information our Advisors pass on to us.
I am requesting that you please ask Honorable Mary Polak to reconsider the funding cut to the Infant Development and Aboriginal Infant Development Programs of BC. The Advisors are essential to providing quality services to at risk infants in the Downtown East Side of Vancouver, to the Sheway program and to the future of BC.
All My Relations,
April Kennedy
Sheway IDP
604-216-1699
#101-533 East Hastings St
Vancouver, BC V6A 1P9
akennedy@ywcavan.org
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