COVID-19 Support
A Message from Family and Children’s Services of Renfrew County
We are here for you. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, this means we continue to be available 24/7 to answer the phone and speak to community members who may have a concern about the safety or well–being of a child or youth. It also means we continue to support homeless youth or those at-risk and all families who rely on our Developmental Services, ongoing assistance and various peer support, child development and family strengthening programs.
Questions? Please call us at 613-735-6866. We have also compiled a number of valuable resources to assist you and your family during this challenging time.
Local Health Support
- Family Supports & Mental Health Crisis Lines
- Renfrew County District Health Unit for COVID-19 prevention resources
- Renfrew County Virtual Triage and Assessment Centre for those without a Family Physician or cannot access your Family Physician
- 211.ca: Canada’s helpline (2-1-1) and website to seek community, social, non-clinical health and related government services
- RCDHU’s Healthy Eating During a Pandemic Fact Sheet
Financial Support for Families
- Government Benefits & Payments to Support Families A review of the benefits and government payments available for families, developed by FCSRC
- Employment and Social Development Canada
Talking to Children About COVID-19
- Explaining Coronavirus and Physical Distancing to Kids by the Therapeutic Family Care Program
- COVID-19 Fact Sheet – Talking to Kids About the Pandemic by the Ministry of Health
Parenting During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Harvard Health Blog: Kids Fighting Non Stop? How to Manage During School Closures
- Unicef Blog: Tips for Parents
- Traditional Indigenous Kinship Practices at Home Guide
- Parents.com: Working from Home while Parenting
- CTV News: Help! I’ve got kids, what do I do? Tips for parents working from home
Supporting Developmental Services Families
- Health Care Access Research and Developmental Disabilities
- ConnectABILITY.ca
- Partners for Planning
- Autism Focused Intervention Resources and Modules
- Behaviour Strategies to Consider During Social Distancing
Peer Support for LGTBQ+ Individuals and Families
- PFLAG Renfrew County: hosting weekly check-ins via Zoom
- The Canadian Centre for Gender & Sexual Diversity
Activities and Educational Resources for Kids
- My-COVID-19 kids book developed by Hub for Helpers
- Scholastic Learn at Home Activities
- National Geographic Kids: watch animal cameras, find science experiments and a lot more!
- TED Talks to Watch with Kids
- Crayola Colouring Pages for all ages
- Kidsactivities.com blog
- Live animal videos from the Toronto Zoo on Facebook
- Storyline Online: favourite stories read by famous faces
- Cosmic Kids Yoga for kids aged 3+
- Mindful Schools Mindfulness Class for kids
Links to Additional Helpful Resources:
- Ontario Ministry of Health (updated twice daily, 7 days a week)
- Public Health Ontario
- World Health Organization (WHO)
- COVID-19 and Indigenous Communities (Government of Canada)
- Government of Canada – Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Outbreak update
- Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies COVID-19 Resources: Includes more resources for families and activities for kids!