All sponsorships are subject to review and approval by the planning committee. All sponsors will also receive:

Opportunity to provide premiums for Delegate bag.
Display Table (includes one full conference pass).
An additional conference registration pass is available for Platinum, Gold and Silver sponsors upon request

Platinum Sponsors

Article Directory
Credit Card
Tires Online
Sciatica
Student Loans

Hotel room block has been set up at The Westin Edmonton (a 5 minute walk from the Shaw Conference Centre where conference sessions will be held).

Identify yourself as a delegate of the Family Centred Care Conference to receive the group rate of $168 plus taxes.

Conference Pricing

All prices below are in $CAD.  GST is not applicable as conference host (Alberta Health Services – Capital Health) is GST exempt (GST exemption number R124072513).
Early bird registration deadline is Tuesday March 31, 2009.  Final registration date is Thursday May 14, 2009.  Register early as space is limited and will be assigned on a first come, first paid basis.  In 2007 this conference sold out 6 weeks in advance.

Full conference registration includes the welcome reception, all conference meals, and the May 25 open house/tour of Stollery Children’s Hospital.  One-day passes include meals for that day as well as the welcome and open house/tour.

Terms and Conditions

Cancellation/Substitution Policy

Refunds will be provided for conference registrations cancelled in writing and received by Thursday May 14, 2009.  A cancellation penalty of $75 CAD (GST not applicable) will apply.  Substitutions can be made at any time, but will require advance written notice.

All refunds will be via cheque issued in $CAD.

Conference Registration Payment Options

Credit Card.  Visa or MasterCard  through third party secure payment gateway, Beanstream.  You will receive an electronic confirmation and an electronic receipt.  The vendor on your credit card will read EIQ-ChFccConf.

Cheque or money order. You will receive a registration confirmation email that will serve as your INVOICE FOR PAYMENT.  Corporate payees can insert a purchase order number to facilitate payment by your accounts payable department.  We are unable to administer purchase orders with the exception of providing this provision.

Cheques and money orders denominated in Canadian dollars should be payable to Impact Events Ltd. (fiscal agent for the conference).  They should be mailed to the following address and must be received by Thursday May 14, 2009.

Impact Events Ltd. for Family Centred Care Conference
937 Burrows Cr.
Edmonton, AB  T6R 2L3
Phone 780.905.0433

Upon receipt of your cheque or money order, you will receive a payment confirmation email from Impact Events that will serve as your RECEIPT FOR PAYMENT.  No other invoices or receipts will be issued.

Dr. Hains shares how the teaching of the peace process has helped with her work with students with severe behavior disorders and how many of the Indigenous teachings can be applied to working with families of all backgrounds. Dr. Hains has discovered that the youth have found this process to be easily integrated and applied to situations that they encountered.

Learning objectives:

To teach an Indigenous Peace Process.
To explain how this process has helped youth.
To teach about how this process can helpful for families.
Family-Centred Service: What is it and why should I care? Lessons from families of children with disabilities

The phrase ‘family-centred service’ (FCS) is widely used in child and youth health, and most people would state that they were entirely in favour of it! However, many might be hard pressed to articulate exactly what FCS means, how to put these principles into practice, or whether and how it makes a difference. This purpose of this talk is to address these issues, citing several lines of research that provide background support to what it is, its value, and how to measure it validly.

Learning objectives:

To provide listeners with a conceptual framework of FCS that will enable them to consider whether, and how well, they implement it in their settings.
To provide evidence that links ‘processes’ of service delivery with parental ‘outcomes’ that they value.
To present evidence about the physical and mental health of parents of children with ‘complicated lives’ and to argue that some of this morbidity is potentially preventable with FCS.

Strengthening Family Resilience

Research on resilience –the ability to cope, adapt, and thrive in response to crisis and prolonged adversity—can inform and inspire practice to empower families facing the challenges of their child’s illness, disability, or loss. Dr. Walsh will present her Family Resilience Framework, identifying key processes for practitioners to target: to build families’ resources, strengthen supportive bonds, find blessings amidst suffering and loss, and experience the potential for positive personal, relational, and spiritual growth through their collaborative efforts.

Learning objectives:

Participants will gain knowledge of research on resilience and ways to apply to families facing child health crises.
Participants will learn to identify 9 key processes to target for family resilience.
Participants will gain principles of an approach valuable with a diversity of families and a range of health care situations.

This theme will focus on the importance of inviting and understanding the perspectives of children, youth and families as they negotiate service systems (e.g., health, education, social services, etc.). What are their experiences, needs, and challenges? How is practice strengthened by listening to their voices?

Finding the Strength: Empowering Families

This theme will focus on the importance of recognizing, understanding and building family resilience and capacity. What strategies can service providers develop to better support and strengthen families? How can we work with families to address their information, psychosocial, and health needs? How can professionals develop programs that appreciate child and family diversity?

Partnerships and Working Alliances

This theme will explore the importance of true collaborative relationships among children, families and professionals. How can we include children (where appropriate) and families as partners in decision-making at all levels of service delivery, policy development and service planning? What are the advantages of building working alliances for children, for families and for service providers?

Meeting the Transition Challenge

This theme will explore factors which influence child and family adaptation to a variety of transitions (e.g., between service sectors, between developmental stages). How can service providers support families as they encounter changes in children’s developmental needs, health needs, resource needs, and service provision? How can we work collaboratively to streamline services across disciplines and sectors?

Implementing FCC: Successes and Challenges

This theme will showcase successes in Family-centred Care. Stories of success at the individual, service unit, or strategic level will be presented. What are the key components of successful programs? What are the challenges of implementing FCC? What are strategies to address challenges?

Multicultural Practices and Intercultural Understanding

This theme will explore challenges and opportunities for designing services that consider the needs and perspectives of a variety of cultures. How do we advance culturally-sensitive practice? What do families from minority cultures tell us they need? What policies, procedures and strategies have been effective in meeting these needs?

Together these networks are working to advance family centred practices across health regions and child serving sectors throughout the province. This includes engaging families in research, policy development and planning for services, as well as in decisions regarding their own treatment needs.

The purpose of the conference is to bring parents, professionals, policy makers, and researchers together to develop a common understanding of family centred care and how it can be adapted within a variety of settings. This common understanding will contribute to more consistent and collaborative approaches to care, ultimately improving the experience and outcomes for children and youth. This goal is aligned with interest in health regions to adopt a more family centred approach, as well as with the family centred focus of the new Family Support for Children with Disabilities Act.

Who should attend?

Service providers, professionals and managers from all sectors serving children, youth and families (health, mental health, children’s services, education, insurance, addictions, justice, community agencies, child care).
Researchers, academics, policy and decision makers, funders, students.
Families and caregivers.

What is Family Centred Care?

A collaborative partnership between families and service providers that is based on mutual respect, trust, honesty, and open communication. Families will be involved in all aspects of the planning, delivery and evaluation of services. Professionals will support, teach and partner with families through their service experience.

What You Will Learn

As a result of participating in this conference, attendees will report:

Increased knowledge of how to advance family centred approaches in a variety of settings.
Increased appreciation of the importance of collaborating with families across the continuum of services.
Increased ability to implement family centred approaches in their practice/work environment.

2007 Testimonials

“This was my first conference on FCC. It met my expectations and has assured my attendance at the 2009 conference in Edmonton. Thank you!”

“This was an excellent conference and has inspired me to return to my work with families and expand on my family centred approach!”

“You have done an excellent job of choosing keynote speakers who address issues that are foundational to work across health sectors. I look forward to the same in 2009.”