Call Our 24/7 Crisis Line: 613-234-5181
FAQ - Parents
Common Questions from Parents
Answer: Yes. Please contact us so that we can create a safety plan and walk you through the next steps.
Answer: It depends. We will make sure that there is as little interruption as possible to your child’s school year and support you through ensuring their safety throughout your stay.
Every effort will be made to keep your children in their normal routine, including attending school. However, for various reasons such as school boundaries, safety, transportation, etc. it is not always possible for your children to remain in their current school. For these reasons, you may need to transfer your child(ren) to a school within IHO's school boundary. We can help you with this process.Answer: IHO can provide childcare on several days of the week so parents can use it to attend meetings or take time to themselves. It is not full-time daycare and provided based on need.
FAQ - Kids
Common Questions Kids Have Before Arriving at IHO
Answer: [other parent] loves you and I love you very much. I’ll let you know about contact with them as soon as I can, I just need to figure some things out first.
Tip: Providing answers that do not commit you to a specific time.Answer: you can bring your dogs, cats, bunnies, small mammals, etc.
Answer: We can be sure to take your most favourite things in [this bag]. When we get to IHO you will get to have lots of space to play where there are toys, books, arts & crafts and play structures outside. You might even meet a kid there your age.
Child & Family Program
What you and your child(ren) can expect during your stay.
Families are deeply impacted when witnessing and/or experiencing abuse. For children, the impact can show up as changes in behaviours such as: regressions in learning, difficulty concentrating or completing tasks that were possible before; behavioural challenges such as withdrawal or acting out; conflicts with peers; fear and/or anxiety. Our child & family support worker is here to help you normalize and navigate these types of challenges. Together, we can create a plan with you and your child(ren) that supports you in re-building your connection with each other.
What do we Mean by Re-building Your Connection with your Child(ren)?
A common component of abusive relationships is the intentional undermining of the victim/survivor’s relationship with their child(ren). Additionally, all programming at IHO is aimed to create safe, fun and inclusive spaces for your family to spend time together, bond, repair and/or strengthen your relationships. Our child & family support worker is able to provide guidance and support on:
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Parenting through crisis
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Safety Planning for children & families
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Navigating various systems related to children, youth & parents such as custody/access and schooling/daycare.
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Referrals to counselling & additional community-based resources: day camps, youth groups, parenting support
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We offer counselling for children or families on a referral basis.
IHO values fun and laughter and play can be so healing. We put a lot of emphasis on our recreational programming to create opportunities for kids to feel joy and to have the space to just be a kid.
Our on-site recreational programming + child care worker organizes fun and age-appropriate activities for all children that stay at IHO. Some of those activities are:
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Arts & crafts nights
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Movie nights
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Outings to museums & parks
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On-site visits from interesting critters & creatures like Little Ray’s Nature Centre
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Homework Club
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Birthday celebrations
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Holiday celebrations
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