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

Upcoming Events

Cape Breton Family Place Calendar

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:

Baby Talk Programs

Informal opportunities for parents, child care providers, and their littlest ones (infants 0-24 months) to come together and enjoy safe, friendly, developmentally appropriate play environments. The program involves playtime as well as opportunities for learning and sharing information among parents and staff.

How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk

A six week parenting program that offers parents and caregivers effective and innovative suggestions on how best to communicate with children. Topics include Helping Children with Feelings, Engaging Cooperation, Alternatives to Discipline, Encouraging Autonomy, New Ways to Praise, and Freeing Children from Roles.

Nobody’s Perfect

A program that provides an opportunity for parents to meet weekly to discuss parenting joys and challenges. Participants gather and chat about all the different ways they can work on raising happy, healthy children. It is also a great venue for sharing the challenges of parenting and receiving information on topics that are of concern…

Siblings Without Rivalry

A parenting program that offers parents skills to help their children get along. Participants learn and share how to deal with their children’s negative feelings toward each other, how to treat their children equally and still be fair, how to free their children from harmful roles, and how to respond helpfully when their children fight.

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.

Babysitting Certification

Provides information on what every babysitter should know. Babysitting is one of the few jobs a person can get at a young age and, like any other job, a person needs to learn how to do it well. After taking this course, young people feel confident that they can keep kids safe, secure and happy…

First Aid/CPR Training

A program offered to parents, child care providers and regulated child care staff that teaches Emergency First Aid and CPR training. Participants are fully certified and receive a certificate upon the successful completion of this program.  

Family Place Mother Goose Program

Group experiences for parents, child care providers, babies and young children focusing on the pleasure and power of sharing rhymes, songs, and stories together. So much learning takes place while focusing on fun for all – laughing, playing and listening to stories. The program offers an opportunity to further develop parent-child attachment and positive bonding.

Music & Movement

This is an eight week active music and movement program for children ages two to five years. It promotes family-based physically active living. The program provides an opportunity for adult and child to participate together in a positive and fun early learning experience. Children learn to build on many skills such as listening, speaking, counting,…

Parenting Journey Home Visiting Program

This program offers the services of a friendly, experienced home visitor to visit families with children from ages three to sixteen years. Staff support families in a variety of ways. They may offer support with stress management, parenting issues and challenges, housing, food security, discipline, accessing community resources, meeting basic needs, budgeting, healthy lifestyle choices,…