MCH’s Family Check-Up® program partners with local day care to coach families in need
“I’m your support person. I’m your coach. It’s okay, we’re going to do this together.”
Angela Burroughsford
This is how Angela (Angie) Burroughsford, registered early childhood educator and family support clinician in McMaster Children’s Hospital’s (MCH) Child and Youth Mental Health program (CYMH), approaches working with families in the Family Check-Up® program.
Family Check-Up supports parents, caregivers, siblings, and loved ones of children and youth with complex needs, developmental issues, and behavioural challenges.
“I was able to address parents’ anxiety about the program by being right in the classroom and speaking with them in person.”
Up until now, the program has been available for MCH families. But in a recent pilot project, MCH partnered with a local daycare centre and before/after school program, St. Patrick Early Learning and Care Centre, where Burroughsford was able to bring her expertise to several families enrolled there who needed support.
Family Check-Up improves family dynamics
While Family Check-Up is available to families of children aged two to eighteen, this pilot program focused on younger kids who attend St. Patrick Early Learning and Care Centre.
“The daycare provided a list of kiddos who were showing some struggles, so I could connect directly with the families,” says Burroughsford. “I was able to address parents’ anxiety about the program by being right in the classroom and speaking with them in person.”
The program consists of three parts.
The first, a “get to know you” session, focuses on how things are going in the family through conversations virtually or in-person and questionnaires. The aim is to get to know the parents , the child, and the relationship between parent and child. This includes learning about parents’ mental health, how they are functioning within their relationship, and what their support network looks like, and learning about the child’s emotional, behavioural, and developmental functioning.
Part two involves a set of interaction tasks, where Burroughsford observes how parents and children interact with each other through specific tasks that are timed and recorded to review together. These include play-based tasks for younger children, communication tasks for older children and limit-setting tasks such as asking the child to put toys away in a certain place. This part takes place at RJCHC, or in the case of the pilot program, at the daycare.
The third part focuses on feedback and setting goals. This is where Burroughsford might suggest referring the parent to community programs or services for assistance with mental health, addictions, finances, relationship counselling, organizational skills, or other supports that may be needed. She also gives feedback about the child’s behaviour, emotional functioning, and peer interactions, and finally, shares feedback about the parenting style. Are parents setting limits and being consistent in following through and keeping to those limits? How is the quality of the parent-child relationship? Is the parent showing positive parenting skills?
After the third session, Burroughsford and the family set goals and areas to focus on together.
Often, parents are invited to attend the free “Everyday Parenting” sessions offered at RJCHC, also led by Burroughsford. This session is separate from Family Check-Up and is offered both virtually and in-person. The number of sessions depends on the family’s needs and readiness for change.
Bringing mental health expertise into the classroom and home
Charlotte Marcano
Charlotte Marcano, 5, attended kindergarten at St. Patrick Catholic Elementary School last year and was part of the before and after school program, which takes place in the Early Learning and Care Centre on the property. It was her first year at the school and she was showing signs of anxiety, panic attacks and isolating from her peers.
“Charlotte had a few episodes where she could get a little anxious and have a small meltdown prompted by things like not wanting to go into the classroom after the playground or if she was using a pencil and someone took it without permission,” says Gustavo Marcano, Charlotte’s dad. “We were approached by the teachers and set appointments with Angie who gave us guidelines and tools on how to manage episodes.”
Charlotte is now in first grade and thriving.
“We are very happy with the outcome and would recommend this program to anyone who feels the need to address this type of behaviour with their kid. Just to have someone to listen to us as parents and let us get it off our chest, that in itself is a win. Having tips and advice from someone who knows their stuff is even better,” says Marcano. “My wife and I are very proud of Charlotte. A big thank you. Keep thriving and helping people.”
Charlotte’s family are still enrolled in Everyday Parenting and seeing changes, little by little. After the program, they say they noticed improvements in Charlotte’s behaviour and had new tools to use at home.
“We are very happy with the outcome and would recommend this program.”
Burroughsford attributes the family’s success to their commitment to implement the skills they learned, not being afraid to talk about things they did not understand, and to role play when learning new parenting skills.
“It’s important for the family to realize that I am their coach, they are the ones in the driver’s seat,” says Burroughsford. “This family was very engaged and wanting change. It has been fantastic to work with such committed parents in wanting what is best for their daughter.”
Connecting families to additional supports
Family Check-Up allows MCH experts to connect families to other supports they may benefit from. About half of the families who participated in Family Check-Up at the daycare went on to participate in Everyday Parenting and half received referrals to other programs at RJCHC, including the Autism Program and Developmental Pediatrics, and within the community, including parental mental health supports.
“It’s important for the family to realize that I am their coach, they are the ones in the driver’s seat.”
“These families were unaware of the services available for their family and themselves. They needed support in navigating what would be the best program for them,” says Burroughsford.
“Often times the programs within the city have waiting lists. With this pilot I was able to work collaboratively with the community programs and find the most suitable program for the family. I would then assist the parent in completing the referral process and provide support while they waited.”
Supporting parents to support their kids
The program provides a comprehensive view of family dynamics.
“Parents can often feel overwhelmed and unsure of how to support their children, particularly when facing mental health issues. Family Check-Up focuses on a strengths-based approach, highlighting what parents are doing well and building from those successes. This positive framing helps empower parents, building confidence in their parenting abilities,” says Burroughsford.
“The Family Check-Up not only strengthens family relationships but also promotes complete wellness for both parents and children.”
Burroughsford says the families she had the privilege to work with were families that may not have had the chance to receive supports until there was an extreme crisis. Often the families were not aware of the services available and did not know how to advocate to receive them.
“Maintaining a program like this within the community helps to provide stability and consistent resources for families. And, it further enhances collaboration among teachers, parents, and community professionals, creating a comprehensive support system,” she says.
“Overall, the Family Check-Up not only strengthens family relationships but also promotes complete wellness for both parents and children.”
The Family Check-Up is a Trademark of the University of Oregon. This pilot project was partially funded by the Lisa Brown Foundation via Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation.
