Ann will be delivering "The Umbrella Workshop: Helping Families to Weather the Storm" at the Best Start Ontario Conference -- a conference for service providers who work in preconception health, prenatal health and early child development.

Workshop description:

Looking for strategies for supporting parents and kids who are struggling? In this compassionate and idea-rich workshop, you will learn 

•    Why so many parents are struggling with feelings of anxiety, guilt, and overwhelm—and how this affects both their health and their parenting
•    How the health of parents affects the health of kids—and vice versa—and what this means for families who are struggling with challenges both big and small
•    Seven things the parent of a child who is struggling really needs to hear—and how to deliver these all-important messages in an empowering and guilt-free way
•    Proven strategies for overcoming the biggest barriers to parent engagement, including parent anxiety and fear
•    What the science of behavioural change can teach us about supporting parents through the process of becoming happier and healthier alongside their kids—and in ways that actually work in the real world.

During this session, you’ll be guided through the process of creating a family engagement mini-plan (your chance to capture and build upon the key ideas raised in this workshop). You’ll also have an opportunity to swap strategies and share best practices with colleagues.