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Taking great care of our children and families by minimizing the spread of COVID-19 is a priority at Norwood. We are monitoring and following all measures announced by the provincial government. You can find full information here > How current programs are affected: Our fall programs will proceed as outlined in our most recent Program Guide, with reduced numbers in some instances:​ Head Start, Parent Respite and Home Visitation/Family Support programs remain unchanged In-Person Parent Education Groups and Parent and Child Groups will proceed, but with reduced numbers Online groups will be unaffected How we are keeping families safe: all staff are fully vaccinated masking is mandatory for all adults in Norwood Centre's public spaces such as entrances, hallways, washrooms children are not expected to mask there are hand-sanitizing stations in all entrances and at several points in hallways staff wear masks when working with adults out in the community We strongly encourage all parents/caregivers to get their COVID-19 vaccinations! Learn more >

Only vaccination records with QR codes can be accepted for entry to Norwood Centre as of November 15. Get your record > _____________________________________ To serve our families as effectively as possible through the continuing COVID pandemic, Norwood Centre will be implementing the Government of Alberta Restrictions Exemption Program effective September 22, 2021. We thank you for your patience as we sort out new procedures for our families and staff members. What does this mean to you? In short, it means you must provide proof of vaccination per the current requirements provided by the Government of Alberta before entering Norwood Centre. Every person eligible to receive the vaccine, including staff, contractors and volunteers, must be fully vaccinated in order to enter. To facilitate implementation of the Restrictions Exemption Program, the front door of Norwood will be locked. Ring the doorbell when you arrive and a staff member will come out to meet you and check your vaccination record. If you are bringing a child to their program and are unvaccinated or don't wish to show proof of vaccination, the staff member can walk your child to their room. Previously announced safety measures still apply: Masking and physical distancing (remaining 6 feet apart) are mandatory while in the building, even for those who are vaccinated. Children are required to wear masks on school buses. Children are not required to wear masks while in their classrooms Programs delivered virtually or via telephone: Adult program participants who are unvaccinated or choose not to provide proof of vaccination will be invited to attend programs and services virtually or by telephone. Vaccine support: If you need support in getting your COVID-19 vaccination, call us at 780-471-3737. September 16 COVID-19 Measures Due to rising COVID rates, the Government of Alberta has announced new measures to reduce the spread of the virus. In response, Norwood Centre will be temporarily changing some in-person programs and services to online and/or telephone delivery. Head Start and Parent Respite programs will run as usual onsite at Norwood Centre. Parent education groups and parent/child groups will be delivered online, usually via Zoom. In-home family support services will be delivered online or via telephone. For participants still attending Norwood Centre in person, the following rules apply: Masking and physical distancing (remaining 6 feet apart) are mandatory while in the building. Children are required to wear masks on school buses. Children are not required to wear masks while in their classrooms. Staff will be in touch with individuals and families currently registered in programs or groups to provide full details. We encourage program participants over 12 years old to become vaccinated—please connect with Norwood staff for resources or referrals. Please also contact Norwood reception at 780-471-3737 if you have questions or concerns, and watch for updates here on our website or on our Facebook page. Thank you everyone for your patience and cooperation!

On November 24, leaders from the C5 agencies had the opportunity to meet with Minister of Children's Services, Rebecca Schulz, to learn more about the new federal/provincial agreement on affordable and accessible childcare in Alberta. The C5 is excited about the potential positive impacts this agreement will have for parents in our province and eagerly await upcoming details. The group also discussed the importance of Collaborative Service Delivery, which improves outcomes for children in care. Working together, agencies can ensure culture is embedded into practice, leading to better communication, decreased stress, and - ultimately - family reunifications. The C5 comprises Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society , Boyle Street Community Services , EMCN , Norwood Child and Family Resource Centre, and Terra Centre . Group photo, clockwise from left: Mohamed Elsaghir, C5; Lux, FRN; Jordan Reiniger, Boyle Street; Krysta Fitzgerald, Boyle Street; Cheryl Whiskeyjack, Bent Arrow; Meghan Klein, EMCN; Rebecca Schulz, Province of Alberta; Laurie Fagan, Norwood Centre; Karen Mottershead, Terra Centre

In 1989, world leaders made history by creating the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. It is the most ratified treaty in history and has transformed children's lives around the world. Would you like to know more? Listen to some words from our children in the following three videos: CHILDREN have RIGHTS and they need to know about them. As responsible caregivers, it is our role to nurture children's full potential by acting in their best interest and ensuring that their rights are respected and uplifted. If you have questions, please connect with a Norwood Team Member 9516 114 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T5G 0K7 (780) 471- 3731 #NorwoodNCD2021

Fruit toppings were chopped up and blue pancakes were made in preparation for our families arriving to celebrate National Child Day 2021. Those who could not attend in person received theirs packaged up and delivered, along with all the supplies needed to follow along with the day's activities via Zoom. The stories selected for Norwood Centre's National Child Day story time were Awasis and the World Famous Bannock and The Wonderful Things You Will Be. You can hear Staci read them below! Watch for more great photos of our celebrations and if you were there and have photos to share on Instagram or Facebook, please tag them with #NorwoodNCD2021 so we can all find them!

Drop-in Parent/Child Group Starts December 6 10:00 - 11:30 am Clareview Recreation Centre, 3804 139 Avenue, Edmonton It’s one thing to sign up for a course and listen to someone tell you about general good parenting. It all sounds so easy and obvious when they say it – so much easier than when you have to try and remember what to do while your child is melting down in public, biting another child on the playground, or throwing their dinner at your head. What if instead you could join a group of parents to discuss the actual parenting issues you are dealing with today, then practice with your child afterward in a parent-child play group? You will have a parenting coach right there to help you build positive interactions with your child and calmly resolve any behaviours that come up while you both play and socialize. At the same time, you will learn how to promote your child’s healthy brain development through play! For more information, call 780-471-3737

Tuesdays 5:30 - 7:00 pm November 2 - November 23, 2021 ​Norwood Gym and Multipurpose Room Sometimes fathers underestimate how important they are in their children’s lives. In fact, a father’s active involvement is critical to children’s healthy cognitive, emotional, and social development. This course will help fathers recognize the value of their parenting role and provide steps for becoming a more actively engaged father. Over the course of 4 sessions, this course will examine: • A father’s role • Communicating with children • Effective discipline • Managing emotions • Family life, role modeling and routines • The importance of fun! • Self-care for dads The course facilitator will provide concrete examples, tips and techniques to help you be the best dad you can be. Sign up today! Call 780-471-3737 Like all our parenting classes, this class is free of charge.

We at Norwood Child and Family Resource Centre were delighted to hear yesterday’s federal-provincial announcement on bringing affordable childcare to Alberta. As a community non-profit that works exclusively with families of young children, we know how critical this agreement is, particularly to low-income families. We are thrilled that the agreement includes funding for thousands of new licensed childcare spaces over the next few years, as well as funding for early childhood educators (ECEs). Well-qualified, educated ECEs are critical to the health, safety, and development of the babies and children entrusted to their care. We will be eagerly reading all we can on this agreement over the next days and months. Congratulations, Alberta and thank you to Prime Minister Trudeau, Premier Kenney and Minister Schulz, as well as all the tireless advocates who helped bring this agreement to fruition.

Norwood is hosting a free family picture day on November 16th!! 😊 We have a professional photographer coming in to take photos, as well as edit them. She will send these photos back to us when they are ready, and we will send them to each family. And guess what? We are able to open this day up to all of our families by providing outdoor timeslots for those who are not yet vaccinated. When: November 16th, 2021 – 2:00pm - 7:00pm Where: Norwood Multi-Purpose Room and outside, in the park beside the building Registration: With reception at 780-471-3737 by November 15, 2021 Each family will have a 15-minute time slot. Outdoor timeslots are available from 2:00pm - 3:45pm; indoor timeslots are available from 4:15pm - 6:45pm. Please arrive five minutes early for your family's photo shoot. We are excited to see you all there!

November is Financial Literacy Month, estabished by the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC), part of Canada's federal government. During this month, FCAC works with organizations across Canada - like Norwood - to host events and share resources aimed at helping Canadians understand their finances and empowering them to manage their money, save, and know their financial rights and responsibilities. In support of Financial Literacy Month, Norwood Centre is offering two free online workshops in November: Benefits and Credits for All Learn more about the benefits and programs available to help you build a solid financial foundation: Canada Child benefit, Child Disability Benefit, Disability Tax Credit, GST, Canada Workers Benefit, Climate Action Incentive, Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP) Tuesday, November 16 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Income Tax Basic Concepts This workshop will help you better understand Canada's tax system and what you need to file your taxes, walking through the different areas of a tax return like net income, taxable income, deductions, non-refundable tax credits, total payable, etc. Tuesday, November 23 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm To register for one or both of these free financial literacy workshops, call 780-471-3737.

Outdoor activities are essential for children's development, but children are spending less time outdoors mostly due to a focus on structured, academic-oriented activities and an overabundance of screen-based entertainments. Outdoor play provides a great many benefits for children past the basics of fresh air and sunshine. It: improves physical development: ie, physical coordination and movement of the body. When children play outdoors, they increase their ability to balance, jump, climb, throw, run and skip. improves social development: children gain social skills by interacting, collaborating, and negotiating with others. increases imagination: children can pretend to be anything they want; for example, to be a bear in the wild or a chef in the kitchen. increases knowledge of and appreciation for the natural world: children learn about the natural elements and their surroundings when they are outside. So grab your and your child's shoes and get outside for a while every day. Whether you explore your back yard or head to your local playground, both of you will benefit: outdoor time is great for grownups too!

From the Head Start team Children are naturally curious and eager to learn about the world around them. Through play, they have the opportunity to discover, explore and be creative. To help your child be successful, provide them with plenty of play time - this includes you and them playing together! Play develops important skills and behaviors in early childhood. Activities you and your child can do together: Read to your child every day - even if it means reading the same book more than 100 times. It takes more than 5,000 "reads" to become a reader. Ask your child about the books you read together, using questions like " Why did you like the story?', " Which story is your favorite?" and "What do you think is going to happen next?" Play board games, puzzles and card games like 'Go Fish'. Get hands on using playdough, finger paints, beads and blocks. Bake together! Make cookies or muffins or your whatever your family's favourite snack is. Visit the playground often so your child can meet other children and stay physically active. Use art materials like crayons, paints, play dough, scissors and paper to encourage creative expression. Praise your child's drawings, paintings, and writings, and put them up on the fridge or around the house to show you value their work. Remember to follow your child's lead - what are they interested in, what do they want to do, and how do they want to use the materials around them?!