Kids in the Middle

Kids in the Middle helps Aboriginal parents, their families and their communities better address their own personal needs and their children’s needs; it is not a program about how to parent children. The program can be delivered in one-on-one sessions or in a community workshop.

The program’s primary goal is to empower parents to make informed decisions about the way they resolve their parenting issues after separation and in a manner that is in their children’s best interests. This empowerment is accomplished by presenting information about:
  1. The emotions experienced by adults during separation and divorce
  2. How to assist children through the separation process
  3. Dispute resolution options
  4. The court system and court procedures
  5. The Child Support Guidelines
  6. Community resources
 The Kids in the Middle program is based on the belief that, when no violence is involved and there are no safety concerns for a parent or children, the ideal situation for children is to have both parents active involved in the parenting role. Furthermore, the immediate family, extended family, clan members, Elders and the whole community have a positive role in supporting children and parents through the separation process and beyond.
 
The program sets out many of the far-reaching effects that separation often has on children and offers strategies to parents on how to put the interests of their children first so that they can grow up in the healthiest family situation possible. The focus is on being healthy, treating each other with respect and giving our children the respect, support and love that they deserve in order to become healthy and caring adults.
 
The Kids in the Middle program includes a Parent's Handbook and Facilitator's Guide.