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INUVIK
A new program starting in Inuvik is aimed at keeping families healthy and supporting them with home visits.

Beth Wiley shows the difference between a well developed brain and one that hasn't made as many connections through early child development. - Danielle Sachs/NNSL photo

Called Healthy Families, Heather Wheating is the co-ordinator and Beth Wiley is the full-time home visitor.

The home visits are an important component to the program, said Wheating.

"It's where families are at their strongest," she said. "One way to think of us is as a coach."

Through the home visits, Wiley leads the primary caregiver through an activity that centres on child development, attachment or bonding.

It revolves around self referral. Families that are interested can just walk in or phone the centre to arrange a visit.

"It's strength based," said Wheating.

"We're there to work with the parents and teach them empathic parenting, like how to respond to an infant's needs."

The Healthy Families program has its roots in Hawaii where it started in the 1970s. Since then, it has spread all over the world and is proven to be cross-cultural, said Wheating.

Wheating and Wiley completed specialized training to be able to offer the program and the two are excited to get it off the ground.

"We have an awesome opportunity now to help kids for the future," said Wiley.

The program has been run in Yellowknife for eight years and is also offered in Fort Smith and Hay River. Currently, the GNWT has an initiative to offer the program in every community.

"There are things we don't do," said Wheating.

"We won't drive someone to get groceries but if there's a need for a lift to a doctor's appointment or vaccination, we can do that. This is about empowering families, not creating a dependence."

The program is open for expecting mothers and families with children up to five years old.

"It's the first three or four years that 90 per cent of the brain is developed," said Wiley.

"Early interaction impacts our abilities to connect with other people. The things that make our communities strong starts early."

For now, the focus is on spreading the word on home visits with a nutrition program soon to follow, said Wheating.

"The nutrition program won't be home based because social interaction is also a key part," she said.

The toys that Wiley and Wheating use to demonstrate some of the activities are all homemade. Empty canning lids are turned into a rattle and an old tube is covered in tape and used as a ramp, telescope or megaphone.

"These are all made out of household things," said Wiley.

"You don't need to spend $100 on that perfect toy to play with your kids."

Healthy Families is not the same thing as the Healthy Babies program run out of Ingamo Hall.

"This is a good compliment to it but we're focusing on almost micro-parenting skills," said Wheating.

"Our goal is to meet families and the community where they're at and add to programming. I feel really lucky to be a part of this."

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