ONFC Annual Report

ODAWA INDIGENOUS HEALTHY
BABIES’ HEALTHY CHILDREN
Report Contributor: Mary Gunner
Program Description:
The Indigenous Healthy Babies’ Healthy Children (IHBHC) program helps all Indigenous children in Ottawa have the best
start in life. The program is designed to ensure that all Indigenous families and their children (prenatal to age six) who need
assistance with physical, mental, emotional, and social issues, have access to effective, consistent early intervention services.
To provide the best opportunities for healthy child development through home visiting, service coordination, parenting
groups, cultural teachings and traditions and referrals. We also address children at risk, to ensure that they have access to
services and support that will address their needs. The IHBHC program is voluntary and open to any Indigenous family that
requests the service.
How we adjusted our Program to deal with COVID-19:
The EarlyON staff responded immediately to the changes needed to cope during the pandemic. Since the onset of the
pandemic, IHBHC and EarlyON went virtual and all staff expanded their roles to include food support, resource delivery,
transportation and on-line programming.
Partnerships:
• National Art Centre
• Ottawa Public Library
• Children’s Aid Society
• Story Tellers of Canada
• Indigenous Story Telling Network
• Public Health
Success Story:
I was able to help a grandmother who suddenly had to
take in her 4 grandchildren because of the unhealthy
situation the children and daughter were in. We were
able to provide emergency help with winter wear,
clothes as well as the food bank. We also provided
her with craft supplies to help keep her grandchildren
entertained. The mother is now in a women’s shelter
and seeking help for her issues. The grandmother was
very happy and grateful for all the help we gave and
wrote us a letter thanking us. We are continuing to
support her and her family.
We helped a family that was experiencing a variety
of judicial issues, as well the mother having prenatal
health concerns. We were able to come up with an
action plan and the family agreed. We also wrote a
letter of support regarding the fathers’ judicial issues
which were resolved in the best interest of the family.
The family was kept together, the mother gave birth to
a premature baby on January 1, 2021. She and the baby
are doing well and the father was at home taking care
of the other children. We are continuing with ongoing
support such as; home visits; program night; and
providing referrals to other programs and resources.
The family is very happy with the ongoing support and
help we are providing.
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