Yesterday, Healthy Living, Youth and Seniors Minister Jim Rondeau recognized the important contribution Families First Home Visitors make to the health and well-being of families in our Province by proclaiming June 14th as Home Visitors Day in Manitoba.
"Families First has made a measurable difference in the lives of families and children across the province," said Rondeau. "On behalf of all Manitobans who have benefited from their support and advice, I'd like to commend the home visitors who are at the heart of this innovative and important program."
With the Province’s social service system stretched to the limit, it’s more important than ever to talk about, celebrate, and continue to expand preventative programs like Families First.
"It’s the workers involved in this program who have made this a model of caring and support… across the province, Families First Home Visitors are there to provide families a chance to grow stronger, before things become critical,” said MGEU President Peter Olfert to roughly 150 workers, supporters and clients at the official proclamation.
In conjunction with the event, the Province also released a new evaluation report on the program which found that participating families:
• developed stronger positive parenting skills, such as encouraging their children and playing games or sports with them;
• decreased negative parenting practices, such as comparing their children to others;
• increased social supports through families and community organizations;
• felt a stronger connection to their community; and
• strengthened mothers' sense of control in their environment, self-acceptance and overall purpose, commonly used indicators for mental health and well-being.
The evaluation was based on data collected by home visitors and public-health nurses between 2000 and 2007. The benefits highlighted in the report were considerably better than those found in previous evaluations of home-visiting programs in other jurisdictions. Rondeau says these results are encouraging, because early parental behaviours and a mother's mental well-being have an impact on child development and safety.
Almost all mothers with newborns in Manitoba are contacted by a public-health nurse, which is how they can access the program. Families facing more challenges are given the opportunity to participate in Families First and are matched with a home visitor who meets with the family on a regular basis, for up to three years.
The home visitor helps the family build a strong, healthy and nurturing relationship with their children by sharing information and suggesting activities tailored to each family's situation such as:
• health, safety and nutrition;
• learning through play;
• solutions to challenging situations;
• accessing health-care and community resources;
• healthy infant and child growth, development and learning; and
• building strong family relationships.