The MFRC Prevention, Support and Intervention Coordinator offers free, short-term confidential prevention, intervention and consultation services to CF members and their families. This program is designed to enhance the family’s social functioning and emotional well-being. Group supports are currently being offered in collaboration with the Personal Development and Community Integration Coordinator offering a Special Needs Parenting Support Group and with the Deployment Support Coordinator offering Deployment and Post Deployment Support Groups. Here, members and families can come together to discuss common issues of concern in a supportive atmosphere.
In recognition of the preventative and proactive approach central to caring for CF members and their families - Family Care Assistance, Emergency Child Care Services and Emergency Respite Child Care Services are also available through the Prevention, Support and Intervention Coordinator. An assessment of your needs is determined and an action plan developed. The MFRC maintains a list of qualified emergency Child care providers who can provide childcare during an emergency. An emergency childcare plan is a written plan outlining your regular back-up childcare arrangements and all other emergency arrangements for your family. CF members are required to prepare a Family Care Plan (FCP form DND 2267) which is located on the member’s personal file at their unit. The Family Care Plan describes the CF member’s plan to care for his/her family during an emergency call. We can assist with the preparation of your family care plan and if requested, support the implementation of an alternate arrangement if an emergency arises.
Further details can be found at:
Emergency Child Care Services are available during emergencies or short notice deployments, when the families’ usual childcare plans are not immediately available for emergencies. A local home care agency has been contracted to provide childcare in emergency and respite situations. The agency has ensured short notice availability of qualified caregivers to meet a families’ specific needs.
If an emergency arises during business hours, 8:00am-4:00pm, you can contact the MFRC directly to make the necessary arrangements. After hours the Commissionaires or Military Police can be contacted. They will contact MFRC staff for authorization.
An emergency is generally expected to be resolved within a 24 or 72 hour period. MFRC will assess the situation with the family on a daily basis to determine the need or alternate arrangements.
When Emergency Child Care is available:
The first 72 hours of emergency child care will be freely funded by the MFRC. If more care is required a sliding fee scale will apply for the first child, and other children in the family will be 100% subsidized for the emergency situation. Under no circumstances will parents be given funding directly. An emergency can be considered under the following list of circumstances:
- When the CF member is employed or deployed away from home and the spouse or caregiver is unable to provide immediate care for the child due to illness or other family emergency.
- When the CF member is required to report for duty of any type with less than seven days notice. This presumes the spouse or caregiver cannot readily accommodate the emergency situation.
- When a single parent CF member is unable to access the regular childcare provided in an emergency situation.
- When both parents are CF members and when one has already been deployed and the other is required with less than seven days notice to be away from home due to operational demands or family emergency.
- When there is an illness of a child that would prevent a parent from accessing regular arrangements for care at a time when the CF member is away.
- When respite childcare is required due to the total family situation, unusual stress and or fatigue, including the CF members work commitments. The 72 hours of funded care need not be continuous and shall only be undertaken on the advice of a medical or social services professional e.g. physician, public health nurse, social worker, chaplain, psychologist etc.
- When there are circumstances not covered above and childcare is believed to be the solution. The MFRC Executive Director and a Department of Military Family support staff member must approve such cases.
NOTE: There are provisions made under this program for respite childcare, which is usually considered a continuous service. Unlike an emergency which covers a specific situation and time.
For more information please see the family Services Coordinator for details.
All families are encouraged to complete an Emergency Childcare Plan with the MFRC
Information, assessment and referral services are also available to individuals and families who require additional or specialized services within the military and civilian communities. Assessment and referral services are available through the Prevention, Support and Intervention Coordinator in areas including, but not limited to:
Long term counselling, addictions assessments, child/adolescent therapy, legal services, financial counselling, medical services, mediation services, special needs services, emergency child care services and support groups. A list of common referral are provided
Workshops and Information sessions can be offered on a variety of issues and topics of interest to individuals and families. Military families wishing to engage in a particular workshop or offer suggestions for workshops may contact the Prevention, Support and Intervention Coordinator. Educational resources are also available if you or a family member require literature about a personal/family problem. Materials may include books, articles, and pamphlets on areas of interest or referral agencies both in the military and civilian communities.