Have you heard about ‘Check Early, Check Often’? The Family Action Network has just released video featuring parents, service providers and community leaders talking about the importance of regularly checking your child’s development through the early years. The video explains the benefits of following your child’s development right from their infancy through to when they enter school.
Getting familiar with the Ages and Stages questionnaire, which is the tool used by local service providers and parents to check children’s development for the last two years was great for parent Anna Piotrowska-Mosher. In the video, she says “I feel more confident about (my child’s) development, and I know where to ask questions and who to direct them to.” The video is part of FAN’s “Early Screening Toolkit” project, which has been funded through the Columbia Basin Trust and Teck Metals Ltd., Trail Operations. “We are thrilled to see this video go live.” Says Christy Anderson, FAN Executive Director. “It has been a dream for some time to have a promotional piece that gives parents and caregivers a deep understanding of the importance of checking their children’s development and that features many of local service providers in our region.”
Other tools developed through the Early Screening Toolkit project include the familyactionnetw.wpstagecoach.com website, parent resources, and the 1-800# parents can call if they have questions about their children’s development or need to connect to a local service provider. These tools, along with the recently announced addition of several ‘Check Early Check Often’ Centres, are providing a strong support network for local parents and caregivers of young children to access information about their children’s development.
“We hope the video can be shared far and wide.” Says Anderson. “When parents know the importance of checking development, just as they would take their child for a checkup to the dentist or an eye doctor, and have access to the Ages and Stages questionnaire, they feel better informed about the age-based milestones their children will pass through. When we are checking development regularly, we can both celebrate our children’s accomplishments and know where to seek additional support if they encounter difficulties along the way.”
To watch the video, click on this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfnlBpPP0-c
For more information on early childhood developmental check-ups please contact FAN at 1-855-368-3707 or visit one of our Check Early Check Often centres: https://familyactionnetwork.ca/ages-and-stages/checking-development/
