Since 1986, the Children’s Cottage has provided families with the help they need to cope with and overcome their challenges, build on their strengths, keep their children safe, and turn adversity into possibility.
At Children’s Cottage Society, they believe that asking for help is a sign of strength, and that no family should struggle alone. They encourage parents to reach out, and they are there for you with a listening ear and an accepting welcome.
It’s that magical time of the year when Calgary “Stocks The Cottage” with donations of toys, diapers, formula, and more to stock up for next year, to celebrate the season of gift giving! They have updated our program this year to be more convenient to donate, and to help have the biggest impact for Children’s Cottage throughout the upcoming year.
We know the holiday season can be busy and want to make donating to Stock The Cottage convenient for you.
Shop their Amazon Registry and have your donation delivered directly to Children’s Cottage.
Or, if you prefer to deliver your donation personally, there is a wish list you can gather inspiration from!
Programs & Services
Nurturing Newborns
IN-HOME RESPITE CARE FOR INFANTS
Welcoming a new baby into the family is an incredible milestone, but it also brings significant changes and challenges. Parents navigate postpartum recovery, round-the-clock care for their newborn, sleepless nights, and the emotional rollercoaster of parenthood. Understanding their infant’s needs, managing household tasks, and ensuring everyone’s well-being can feel overwhelming, especially when you are new to the city, don’t have friends or family nearby or experiencing your own struggles with mental health.
By providing practical help, coaching and encouragement, and high-quality infant care our Perinatal Support Workers empower families to navigate the transition to parenthood with confidence. This support is crucial for the well-being of both parents and their newborn, laying the foundation for a positive and fulfilling journey ahead.
Crisis Nursery
Families who are experiencing a crisis or difficulty can call the Intake line at the Child & Family Centre and request care for up to 3 days in the Nursery for their children aged nine or younger.
Parents call for a variety of reasons, for example they may be experiencing a health concern in the family, be in an unsafe situation, without housing, or exhausted and in need of rest. Families are brought in according to urgency and severity of need, depending on the availability of space. Families who can’t access space immediately are invited to stay connected and are supported to access the Nursery as soon as space allows. Other support services are offered where applicable to help families in the interim.
Children who stay at the nursery are provided with nutritious meals, clothing, diapers, formula, and toys. Children participate in play-based activities that support healthy development. Children receive developmental screening to identify support needs and where indicated, the family is connected to ongoing services to address any lags that are present as early as possible.
Parents receive solution focused support to help resolve the issue that brought them to the Crisis Nursery, where applicable. Every family who accesses the Nursery is introduced to the Family Support programs offered by the Cottage that can help build their parenting capacity, support the healthy development of their children, strengthen their family’s resilience, and make connections to community resources and services relevant to the family’s unique needs.
CALL WHEN YOU ARE
- Feeling so stressed that parenting feels impossible
- Exhausted by your child’s behaviour
- Experiencing a sudden illness or hospitalization
- Homeless or have financial difficulties
- Feeling alone, sad, tired or overwhelmed
- Afraid that you may hurt your child
- Experiencing marital conflict
WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU CALL
Children’s Cottage Society family support workers will ask about your specific needs and family situation, and work with you to determine which service best suits your needs. They will ask for your address, your children’s names and birth dates, and information about allergies, special needs, or prescribed medications.
There is no cost for using the Crisis Nursery.
More information: https://childrenscottage.ab.ca/programs-services/crisis-nursery/
Brenda’s House Family Shelter
Temporary Shelter for Homeless Families
Families staying at Brenda’s House are able to stay in private rooms with their own washrooms. They are provided with healthy meals in the communal dining room and have access to computers that are helpful in housing searches. Families complete a housing plan within 24 hours of their arrival at the shelter and are supported in securing housing as soon as possible and ideally in less than 30 days.
As families plan for their move out they are connected to community resources that can provide ongoing support. Often these supports are provided by case management programs that are accessed through a triage process operated by the Calgary Homeless Foundation. Staff at Brenda’s House help families through this process with the completion of the NSQ or Needs and Strengths Questionnaire.
More: https://childrenscottage.ab.ca/programs-services/brendas-house/
HomeLinks
Housing Support for Families
Families are connected to HomeLinks through the triage system operated by the Calgary Homeless Foundation and known as CAA (Coordinated Access and Assessment). Once connected to the program families meet regularly with a case manager who works with them to assess their needs and set personalized goals.
Families are also typically provided with a regular rental subsidy that helps them to stabilize housing while building resources. Families are supported to either gain employment where appropriate or stable income through programs like AISH where needed. Parents are assisted in accessing community services and supports, where needed to address other concerns that can impact their housing stability such as mental health challenges, substance misuse, family violence and/or legal issues.
More: https://childrenscottage.ab.ca/programs-services/homelinks/
Family Resource Network
Make connections and access resources
The Calgary West Family Resource Network offers a wide variety of support programs and services for families to build resilience in children, youth, and families. They are a network of agencies that have joined efforts to provide special events, drop-in programs, classes, and so much more!
- CCS Home Visitation – In Home support for families prenatal and children 6 years old and younger
- Families Matter – Family Life Education Participate in a variety of courses, workshops, and programs that help families with strategies for relationship-building, communication, role-modelling, life-changes and more.
- Kindred – Rapid Access Counselling virtually or in person for parents, children, and families.
- Big Brothers Big Sisters – Children have an opportunity to work one-on-one with a mentor to positively build their self-confidence, social skills and relationships. Three opportunities are available: Teen Mentoring, Youth Mentoring and PRISM (healthy relationship programming that connects mentors and young people from the LGBTQ2S+ community).
- Hull Services – Resilient Families in home parenting support for families with children (0-18). Interoception for children who are 8-12 years-of-age by providing tools that help with independent self-regulation techniques and increase the core capability of atonement.
- Home Visitation – This prevention and early intervention parent support program offers parents prenatally and newborns to age six the ability to build on their strengths and gain knowledge of their child’s development through regular home visits.
Families are welcome to self-refer or ask for more information about any of Children’s Cottage Society programs. If you are a service provider and work in the community they serve, or have a great idea to support children, youth and families they also want to hear from you. Please contact the Calgary West Family Resource Network to learn more.
More: https://childrenscottage.ab.ca/programs-services/family-resource-network/
Home Visitation
Prevention and early intervention
Call us when you are:
- An expectant parent or a parent of children under 6 years of age
- Would like someone to talk to about family life and your parenting goals
- Concerned about your child’s development and would like more information
- Unsure of the community supports available for you
You can expect to:
- Set goals and receive guidance for parenting and child development
- Learn more about your child’s development
- Make connections with your community
- Gain problem-solving skills
More: https://childrenscottage.ab.ca/programs-services/home-visitation/
Family Mental Health & Wellness
Consultation and support around mental and emotional wellbeing for the whole family
The Children’s Cottage has also become a partner in the City of Calgary’s Mental Health and Addiction Strategy to provide timely community support to parents experiencing a mental health crisis.
Parents can access immediate support by phone when they are in a mental health crisis, and talk with one of our Connections team members about their situation and kind of the help they are looking for, for themselves and their family. Parents will be provided with assistance to navigate the Calgary system of support and connect with mental health and/or addiction services that will meet their unique needs, including cultural needs.
If parents also need a safe place for their children while accessing support and dealing with their crisis situation, they can connect them to their Crisis Nursery where they can receive 72 hours of respite care for children newborn to age nine.
If a member of your family is experiencing a mental health crisis, contact 403-233-CARE (2273).
Hope’s Cradle
Infant Safe Surrender Site
The Hope’s Cradle is a safe and anonymous surrender site. Parents can surrender an infant without having to interact with anyone. Provided the infant shows no signs of abuse or neglect, the parent’s privacy is protected.
This life saving alternative ensures that infants will have the opportunity to grow up in a safe and supportive environment, when a parent feels unsafe and makes the difficult decision that they cannot keep their baby.
More information: https://childrenscottage.ab.ca/hopes-cradle/
How You Can Help
Make a difference in a child’s life today!
When you donate, attend an event, start a fundraiser, sign up to volunteer, create your legacy, or follow Children’s Cottage Society on social media, you are helping to create a better life for children and families in our community.
By making a gift to the Children’s Cottage Society, you have the power to bring joy, comfort, and security to the lives of children and families at a time when they need it most.
The Children’s Cottage Society works to ensure every child can experience a healthy, happy childhood within a well-supported family. Help them keep their promise by making a gift today.
More / Make an online donation: https://childrenscottage.ab.ca/how-you-can-help/
Wish List
You can make a difference!
Family Shelter – Brenda’s House
- Where you will support families experiencing homelessness by helping with childcare, leading family activities, assisting with programs, or preparing meals.
Crisis Nursery
- Where you will help to make a difference in a child’s life supporting duties such as childcare, playtime, sorting clothes donations, cleaning toys, baking treats, or helping to prepare nutritious meals.
In-Home Infant Respite Program
- Where you can assist parents of newborn infants (up to six months) by providing home-visits for much needed respite.
Special Events
- Where you can help at special events during the year such as Clays for the Cottage.
To learn more about volunteer opportunities, visit; https://childrenscottage.ab.ca/how-you-can-help/volunteer/
