Welcome to Family Place

We are so pleased to be able to provide parents and caregivers with a wonderful array of family-centred programs and services throughout Cape Breton Island.

We are able to do so because of the great support we receive from the Public Health Agency of Canada through the Community Action Program for Children and Canada's Prenatal Nutrition Program.

Extending our reach to even more communities is possible because of additional support we receive from the Department of Community Services, Nova Scotia Health, and the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.

Because Family Place continues to grow and develop, and because parents, grandparents, and other child care providers continue to let us know what kinds of supports, programs, and resources will best meet their needs, our programs are ever-changing.

We are now able to provide this information to you in an online format. Please check out our programming by visiting the county page that corresponds with where you live.  Our calendar can be found under the "events" section within each county.

All programs are not active at the same time, and all are not available in all areas.  Participants and other agency staff are encouraged to call their local office to discuss additional program needs and interests.

Please consider this your personal invitation to browse, call, and/or drop into one of our locations to meet us and share some of your family's time with Family Place.

JoAnna LaTulippe-Rochon,

Executive Director

Outside on a Tree Stump FHCC

Family Home Child Care in Action

Gondola Fun with Families North of Smokey

Quality Time for Bigs and Littles

Find a play group near you!

Chat with Other Parents and Caregivers

Outdoor Fun Year Round

Come Play with Me

Upcoming Events

Cape Breton Family Place Calendar

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Click on a date to display the event details for the day below the calendar.

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Check Out Family Resource Programs Across Nova Scotia

By JoAnna LaTulippe-Rochon | November 21, 2022

Family Place is part of a large network of Family Resource programs operating across Canada.  We are excited to share with you a new website that showcases our wonderful companion programs across the province.  Take a few moments and check out our neighbours on mainland Nova Scotia.  See something you like?  See something that peeks…

Happy Diwali

By JoAnna LaTulippe-Rochon | October 22, 2022

History and Significance of Diwali Although, there are no official records stating the origin of Diwali; among many legends about this festival, one thing is common — the triumph of good over evil. It would be apt to say that different parts of the nation celebrate this day for different reasons. The northern part of…

Seasonal Health and Safety Reminders

By JoAnna LaTulippe-Rochon | October 22, 2022

Healthy Tips to Keep in Mind During the Upcoming Holiday Season Wear your mask if you are going to be indoors or around a crowd of people.  It will help keep the spread of COVID down. Be certain to stay up-to-date with recommended vaccinations. Wash your hands often to keep yourself from spreading germs and…

Celebrate National Child Day on November 20

By JoAnna LaTulippe-Rochon | October 21, 2022

Did you know that National Child Day has been celebrated across Canada since 1993?  It is a special day that is set aside to commemorate the United Nations’ adoption of two documents centered on children’s rights: the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Child on November 20, 1959, and the United Nations Convention on the Rights…

Fall Programs are Buzzing with Activity

By JoAnna LaTulippe-Rochon | September 28, 2022

Our Fall Programming schedules are set and we have loads of exciting programs and services to offer you.  No matter where you are located around the Island, our staff are ready to engage with you and your family.  We are offering lots of programs and services to support you as parents and caregivers – and…

Coming Up - Across Cape Breton

Download all events as ICS file

We are pleased to provide a range of family and community programs:

A Simple Gift – How Learning Begins

A program designed to assist parents in understanding the importance of an infant’s attachment relationship with parents, particularly during the first year of life. It uses the ideas of attachment theory and research to focus on different ways that parents and caregivers may respond to infants’ cues. Negative emotions (anger, sadness, fear, jealousy) and the…

Maggie’s Magic Cupboard

This nine week program will provide participants with opportunities to share knowledge and increase skills related to cooking, eating healthy, food safety, and saving money on food. Participants prepare a full meal each week, participate in a guided grocery store tour, and are provided with a low cost recipe book at the end of the…

Resource Libraries and Clothing Rooms

To increase community access to materials that help to meet the basic needs of young children and families libraries of developmentally appropriate books and rooms overflowing with children’s clothing are available for use by local families.

STARSS – Start Thinking About Reducing Second-hand Smoke

An approach that is encouraged for staff to work with families heightening their awareness about children’s exposure to second hand smoke (SHS), this program supports parents and caregivers to reduce such exposure. The program can be offered informally, with minimal interventions, or more formally through either group or individual sessions. The ultimate goal of the…

Parent Education Support Group

This supportive parent/caregiver group provides a relaxed, accepting environment where parents/caregivers share information, techniques and challenges, and learn new approaches to parenting. Weekly sessions provide information about specific topics concerning parenting or child development. Topic areas are determined by parent/caregiver interest.  

Handle with Care

Handle with Care is a simple interactive program to help parents and caregivers, including those who work in early childhood settings, to promote the mental health of young children from birth to 6 years.  Handle with Care is based on a number of important assumptions about mental health: Mental health, or social and emotional well-being,…

Breastfeeding Support Group

Share and learn breastfeeding information along with other breastfeeding mothers and their babies. Our weekly gatherings include healthy snacks and social time too. Dads and/or other support persons welcomed.

Roots of Empathy

Roots of Empathy delivers an innovative classroom-based parenting program that aims to reduce aggression through the fostering of empathy and emotional literacy to school children at the Grade Primary or Grade One level. It provides an opportunity for children to observe the growth and development of a newborn over a nine month period. Along with…

Play Your Part Parenting

The program builds its foundation on the premise that what happens to a child within their first years of life will play a large role in influencing the path that they will follow as adults. There are a wide variety of hands-on activities, social support, coping skills evaluation, and on-site structured childcare. The program is…

Read With Me/Lire Avec Moi

Family literacy programs for children ages 3 – 5 years and their parents/caregivers. The program consists of story time, songs, finger-plays, crafts as well as a book and activities to take home and enjoy throughout the week. The program is available in French in the Port Hawkesbury/Richmond County area.