Resources
ALIGN’s Well-Being Toolkit Community of Practice (CoP)
The CoP is an informal community of like-minded practitioners and evaluators in the child and family serving sector who are interested in growing their organization’s impact on child and youth well-being.
ALIGN CONNECTIONS For Indigenous Children/Youth & Caregivers June 2025
CONNECTIONS is monthly newsletter designed to support Foster and Kinship Caregivers to ensure First Nations, Metis & Inuit children in their care have access to cultural resources, activities and events that broaden their cultural awareness.
CCCYT Launching New Podcast Beyond the System: Former Youth in Care Empowered by Experience
Hosted by the CCCYT’s former youth in care advisory committee, this podcast raises awareness about trauma as it relates to (former) youth in care.
International Youth Day Celebration August 12, 2025 (OCYA)
This year’s theme, “Advocacy through Storytelling,” highlights the power of youth voices, creativity, and connection. Youth Day provides a platform for young people to learn about their rights, share ideas, and gain inspiration for their personal and professional growth.
ALIGN's Well-Being in Child and Family Services Toolkit
The way we define and understand child and youth well-being matters.
ALIGN's Indigenous Cultural Understanding Framework (ICUF)
A Digital Interactive Journey to increase cultural understanding within Alberta agencies so that all Indigenous children living in Alberta can live in dignity and respect, supported by people with a deeper understanding of Indigenous worldviews, history and current reality.
The Online Safety Toolkit
The Online Safety Toolkit (OST) provides information for 2SLGBTQ+, BIPOC, youth, parents, women and girls, men and boys, and for anyone in the community who needs support to have a safe and healthy online presence.
ALIGN Report "Empowering Futures: Gatherings for Indigenous Child Welfare Sovereignty" April 2025
The ALIGN gathering, Empowering Futures Gatherings in Treaty 6 (Edmonton) and Treaty 7 (Calgary), focused on Indigenous Child Welfare Sovereignty, allowing us to engage in deep discussions about Indigenous jurisdiction over child welfare, the barriers and opportunities in Alberta, and what meaningful action looks like moving forward.
ALIGN CONNECTIONS For Indigenous Children/Youth & Caregivers May 2025
CONNECTIONS is monthly newsletter designed to support Foster and Kinship Caregivers to ensure First Nations, Metis & Inuit children in their care have access to cultural resources, activities and events that broaden their cultural awareness.
Results Are In! The Family and Natural Supports Program Improves Youth Well-Being and Prevents Homelessness (homeless learning hub)
This infographic provides aa snapshot of how the Family and Natural Supports (FNS) program supports youth and their families, including those they consider significant in their lives—such as chosen family, Elders, coaches, and teachers—to foster stronger relationships, resolve conflicts, and help prevent youth homelessness.
Cope - A Valuable Resource for Caregivers of Children and Youth Who Have Experienced Trauma
Are you a caregiver of a child who has experienced trauma? Register for COPE and learn strategies to help you and your child cope and recover.
ALIGN's Presentation of the Well-Being Toolkit at the 2025 Symposium on Child & Youth Trauma
ALIGN would like to extend our sincere thanks to the 2025 Symposium on Child & Youth Trauma conference planners for creating a meaningful and collaborative space and opportunity to share the ALIGN Well-Being Toolkit with attendees. It was a privilege to share our work with such an engaged and thoughtful audience, and we deeply appreciate the platform to discuss tools that support the well-being of First Nations, Metis and Inuit children and youth and the integration of traditional Indigenous knowledge with modern practices.
ALIGN Empowering Futures Presentation Materials
This event allowed us to engage in deep discussions about Indigenous jurisdiction over child welfare, the barriers and opportunities in Alberta, and what meaningful action looks like moving forward.
ALIGN CONNECTIONS For Indigenous Children/Youth & Caregivers April 2025
CONNECTIONS is monthly newsletter designed to support Foster and Kinship Caregivers to ensure First Nations, Metis & Inuit children in their care have access to cultural resources, activities and events that broaden their cultural awareness.
Alberta.ca Deaths of children, youth and young Adults Receiving Child Intervention Services March 2025
Published March 2025 Deaths of Children, Youth and Young Adults Receiving Intervention Services April 1, 2015 to February 28, 2025
Alberta.ca Increasing Financial Support for Foster and Kinship Caregivers
Minister Searle Turton announced that if passed, Budget 2025 will provide a two per cent rate increase for foster and kinship caregivers, an investment of $3.1 million, to help support with the costs of raising a child or youth in their care.
A Guide to Serve & Return (Center on the Developing Child Harvard University)
The resources in this guide offer more on the science behind serve and return, practical ways to implement it, and strategies to support caregivers and children.
MHRC Report Unsupported Needs: Access to Mental Health and Substance Use Services...
Diving deeper into national trends of mental health service access, this report explores how severity of mental health symptoms or substance use behaviours relates to how Canadians are accessing support
OCYA Calling for Change Investigative Reviews Consolidated Report 2023-2024
OCYA is excited to share the latest initiative from the OCYA, focused on advocating for positive change in youth services. This call for action invites everyone to be part of a movement that’s shaping the future for Alberta’s youth.
ALIGN Introduction to Child Intervention In Alberta Online Self Study Guide
This self-paces online self-study guide is an orientation for those new to the work with children and families in Alberta.
‘We Need to Take Care of Our Own Children’ (The Tyee)
Inside the fight for Indigenous jurisdiction over child services in Canada. First in an occasional series.
Caring society files motion to force Canada back to negotiating table on child welfare reform (APTN)
Chiefs in Ontario decided last week to continue negotiating and refining the existing FSA. Then Patty Hajdu, minister of Indigenous Services wrote to the AFN national chief saying the government’s mandate “does not permit further negotiations at a national level.” That seemed to cut First Nations outside Ontario out of future negotiations.
10 Well-Being Strategies for Frontline Workers Who Support Children/Youth Experiencing Trauma (ALIGN)
ALIGN Association knows frontline workers who support children experiencing trauma often face significant emotional, psychological, and physical challenges in their roles. It’s essential for them to prioritize self-care to maintain their own well-being and continue offering high-quality care. Here are ten strategies for frontline workers to take care of their own well-being in the workplace:
Updates & Revisions - The Alberta Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act Policy Manual
The enhancement act policy manual contains policies and procedures that direct casework staff when delivering services under the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act.
Well-Being EBlast December 2024 The Village: Supporting Staff in Seeing the Impact
This month we feature Val Crosby, Executive Director of The High Level Toy Lending Library, which currently provides Mackenzie Family Resource Network (MFRN) services
Caring for Foster Kids During the Holidays: Bringing Joy and Stability to Their Lives
As a caregiver, fostering a sense of joy, comfort, and security during the holidays can make a world of difference.
This December, Be Part of a Provincial Story of Well-Being Impact! (Well-Being Eblast Nov 2024)
This December, we invite you to share your organization’s work of supporting Well-Being and create a Provincial Story of Impact with the ALIGN Well-Being Impact Portal and Dashboard. .
Inuit-Specific Child Welfare Data Discussion Paper Nov. 2024
An Act Respecting First Nations, Inuit and Metis children, youth and families has created national standards, the commitment to resources and the ability to exercise jurisdiction over child and family services by Inuit Treaty Organizations. It has the potential to change outcomes for Inuit children and families across the country.
Celebrating Success at the "Our Children, Our Way" Conference
We were honored to present at the Our Children, Our Way conference this year, hosted by the incredible Mary Teegee and her team. Mary, a recent presenter at ALIGN’s own Walking the Children Home event, graciously invited us to share our work, and we were thrilled to connect with so many passionate professionals and community members dedicated to Indigenous child and family well-being.
ALIGN’s Ongoing Engagement Executive Director’s Update: Assembly of First Nations Special Chiefs Assembly
We are pleased to share that ALIGN recently attended the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Special Chiefs Assembly (SCA) on Long-Term Reform of the First Nations Child and Family Services (FNCFS) Program, held from October 16-18, 2024, on Treaty 7 Territory, in Calgary, Alberta.
MCHB: Centering Stories in an Ecological Framework (ALIGN's Well-Being Eblast Oct. 2024)
This month we feature Hannah Goa’s experience of piloting the toolkit at the Multicultural Health Broker Cooperative (MCHB) in Edmonton. Hannah has been supporting the Intercultural FRN work for the past 4 years and is responsible for reporting to funders. She became interested in joining the toolkit pilot group to inspire her work on their Evaluation Framework that uniquely reflects the values and principles of cultural brokering.
ALIGN CONNECTIONS For Indigenous Children/Youth & Caregivers October 2024
CONNECTIONS is monthly newsletter designed to support Foster and Kinship Caregivers to ensure First Nations, Metis & Inuit children in their care have access to cultural resources, activities and events that broaden their cultural awareness.
Updated Statistics Overrepresentation of Indigenous Children in Care (Indigenous Watchdog)
The number one issue in Child Welfare is the overrepresentation of Indigenous children in care. The majority of Indigenous children-in-care are First Nations (69.1%)
2024 Alberta Foster and Kinship Association Flag-Raising Ceremony
October is Foster and Kinship Caregiver Month in Alberta!
Updated Reformed Approach to First Nations Child and Family Services
The Caring Society's positions on the long-term reform of the First Nations Child & Family Services Program to stop the discrimination against First Nations children, youth, and families, and prevent it from happening again
