It is available in packages of 10.

The data used to make revisions came from facilitators at workshops in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec, and, most important, from the participating parents, who responded very positively to the program. They left no doubt that, as the authors already knew, there was a need for the information presented in these workshops.
That need was illustrated, fortuitously for the timing of the release of this program, in a Toronto Star article late in 2003 that reported a Peel, Ontario study by the public and Catholic school boards. It showed that more than a quarter of the children in a Mississauga neighbourhood, about three times the national average, were not ready for Grade 1 when they finished kindergarten. The article reported Dr. Fraser Mustard, a leading authority on children development, as saying "lack of readiness in primary years can doom children to years of struggle in school". You can see the article here.

One of the authors of this new book, Dr. Judith Bernhard, a professor in the School of Early Childhood Education at Ryerson University, says, "My experience conducting research made me aware that parents were hungry for information that could help them support their children."

Another author, Dr. Marlinda Freire, a former chief psychiatrist at the Toronto District School Board with a background in pediatrics, says this curriculum not only does "preventive work reinforcing the bonds between parents and children but the group workshops also provide parents with the opportunity to learn from and help each other."

The third author, curriculum writer Vicki Mulligan, says it is "a work in progress. Users of the workshops are invited to participate in the research that will lead to further improvements."

The 10 workshops were originally prepared for Spanish immigrants, but because of the obvious need, they were revised to make them appropriate for all parents of young children. They are available in English only at present, but can be delivered in French or in the home languages of newcomers. The French version will be available soon.
The design is flexible and can be customized for each group of parents. Facilitators do not need previous experience delivering parent education programs because the guide is detailed and includes all necessary background information.

The program, while informing parents of their rights in relation to schools and encouraging them to become involved in their children's education and act as advocates for them, also elicits their knowledge and experience. It encourages networks of support. The philosophical base is respectful of parents.

The facilitator's guide can be purchased for $29.95. Accompanying booklets for parents are also available for $49.95 for a package of 10. (Editions available in English or French.)

For more information see www.ryerson.ca/~bernhard.

This project was funded by the Government of Canada's Social Development Partnerships Program. The opinions and interpretations in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Government of Canada.

This manual and video attempt to answer questions that all parents of young children have, but that are not so easily answered when you first arrive in a new country.

"Where can I find the right kind of help when my child is sick?"
"What are the rules in Canada about who may look after children when parents work or shop?"
"Where can I find out what help is available for parents?"
"Why is the school system so different from when I was a child?"

Forging New Ties, Planting New Roots, both the manual and the video, in nine language versions, are the result of a three-year research project funded by Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) under the direction of two Ryerson University professors, Kenise Murphy Kilbride and Mehrunnisa Ali.

The manual and videos will be available in Amharic, Arabic, Dari, English, French, Mandarin, Somali, Twi, and Urdu. The HRDC funding provides that the first several hundred copies of each will be free to organizations and agencies serving new Canadian parents. After these copies are distributed, to organizations already chosen, additional copies will be available at cost upon request of Chestnut Publishing Group.

Forging New Ties provides links for immigrant parents to the people, programs, and places that are available to assist them within areas of health, childcare and child safety, education, and observing traditions and cultural heritage in different provinces of Canada. Among other information it lists different web sites that provide many facts of value to parents of young children.

As an example of what is in the manual and video, the section on health explains how to find a doctor to suit your specific needs, how to prepare for a visit, gives addresses and web sites for medical organizations in all provinces, explains emergency call procedure and gives information about medical bracelets for special medical needs.

The section on schooling explains how the Canadian system works, tells how to enroll children, outlines parents' responsibilities, explains parent-teacher relationships, provides information on field trips and extracurricular activities, and provides information plus web links about schooling for special needs children.

Other section headings: Child Care, Safety, Discipline, Cultural Heritage, and Parental Well-being.
For more information contact Dr. Kenise Murphy Kilbride at kilbride@ryerson.ca.