News & Events
Upcoming Events
Go to FRIENDS Registration
Go to Circle of Security Registration
Go to Know and Grow Talks Registration
Go to While We’re Waiting Registration
The below groups are available for caregivers who reside in Windsor-Essex, Ontario:
Fun FRIENDS & Adult Resilience
A 4-or 8-week program for children and caregivers.
Concurrent groups for both children and their primary caregivers to support and decrease worry, emotional distress and provide coping skills necessary to rise to and overcome life’s challenges, in any stage of life. The Fun FRIENDS curriculum was developed to build the social and emotional skills of children between 4 and 6-years-old using fun, play-based activities. By learning resilience skills early, children can increase their confidence and nurture positive relationships with their family members and peers. Some activities used to help teach these skills to children include:
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- Speaking with a brave and confident voice
- Talking about and understanding feelings in oneself and others (empathy development)
- Self-awareness of body clues (e.g., tense means stressed, butterflies mean nervous)
- Identifying negative thoughts and turning them into positive thoughts
- Relaxation techniques for the body and mind during stressful situations
Want to learn more about the FRIENDS Resilience Program?
Click here to see additional information!
FRIENDS Resilience – July 16, 2026 to August 6, 2026 (4-weeks, Thursdays) – Children First
Stay tuned for more 2026 dates!
Circle of Security Parenting
An 8-week parenting program.
A FREE group for primary caregivers of children birth to 6 years of age. Today’s parents are constantly pressured to be perfect. But in striving to do everything right, we risk missing what children really need for lifelong emotional security. Imagine what it might feel like if you were able to make sense of what your child was really asking from you. The Circle of Security® Parenting™ program is based on decades of research about how secure parent-child relationships can be supported and strengthened, and explores what our children’s needs are, by giving us the circle that helps identify each need and how as caregivers we can support it. In this 8-week group, using the COSP™ model developed by the Circle of Security originators, our trained Facilitators work with parents and caregivers to help them to:
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- Understand their child’s emotional world by learning to read emotional needs
- Support their child’s ability to successfully manage emotions
- Enhance the development of their child’s self esteem
- Honor the innate wisdom and desire for their child to be secure
Want to learn more about the Circle of Security?
Click here to see additional information!
*We also provide COS-P for children and caregivers, featuring a dedicated child group that aligns with the weekly topics through developmentally appropriate activities.
Circle of Security – May 7, 2026 to June 25, 2026 – VIRTUAL (Thursdays 1pm-2:30pm)
Circle of Security – May 12 to June 30, 2026 (in-person, Tuesdays) – Children First
Circle of Security – June 2, 2026 to July 21, 2026 – VIRTUAL (Tuesdays 6pm-7:30pm)
Stay tuned for more 2026 dates!
Know & Grow Talks
A 1 session group for caregivers.
Join other parents and caregivers to talk about different topics. This relaxed and friendly get-together will share helpful tips and ideas. Your selected topics help guide the conversation so that each Talk can be useful to you!
Please note that this is a caregivers only group.
Topic: School
May 2026
Know & Grow Talks: School – Tuesday, May 12th, 2026 at 6pm-7:30pm **VIRTUAL**
July 2026
Know & Grow Talks: School – Tuesday July 28th, 2026 at 6-7:30pm **VIRTUAL**
Topic: Toileting
June 2026
Stay tuned for more 2026 dates!
While We’re Waiting
An open group for caregivers awaiting their child’s autism diagnostic assessment with Children First.
The group will be led by caregivers of children who have gone through the assessment process already. This is a welcoming space for you to share your thoughts, questions, and feelings about the upcoming assessment and the possibility of an autism spectrum disorder(ASD) diagnosis.
While We’re Waiting – Thursday April 2nd, 2026 at 11am ***VIRTUAL*** – Children First
While We’re Waiting – Wednesday May 6th at 6pm **VIRTUAL** – Children First
While We’re Waiting – Wednesday June 3rd at 11am **VIRTUAL** – Children First
Stay tuned for more 2026 dates!