Connect is a 10-week program to support parents and caregivers of pre-teens and teens with behavioural and emotional problems. Parents meet in small groups with two trained group leaders for 90 minutes each week. Each session provides parents with a new perspective on parent-teen relationships and adolescent development. Parents watch role-plays and try exercises that encourage more choices for responding to their teens’ difficult behaviour. 

Connect has been adapted to be delivered online via Zoom so that caregivers from any location are able to join. Even in areas where Connect is offered in-person, eConnect may offer a suitable alternative for caregivers who face issues with commute time or finding childcare.

To address the unique needs of foster parents, Connect has been adapted specifically for foster parents, providing foundational information about attachment, trauma, adolescent development and challenges in the provision of care. Parents are invited to consider what is in their foster teen’s “attachment suitcase”, the balance between connection and emerging autonomy, and unique challenges such as a loyalty conflicts.

Gender nonconforming and trans youth may face bullying or stigmatization as a result of living in a predominately gender binary society. Caregivers often worry about their teen’s safety and their future, and this can be a source of immense parental distress and family conflict. Caregivers who are looking to connect with their gender nonconforming or trans teens better and learn from one another may benefit from this group.

Built on the foundations of Connect, Reclaiming Connections is for caregivers of Indigenous youth, honouring the diversity of the makeup of Indigenous families, caregivers, and communities. Through continued collaboration and partnership with all levels of community, we continue to gather information and reflect on how to make Reclaiming Connections relevant and ensure cultural sensitivity and safety.