Family Connections Inc. philosophy and mandate is to Provide effective and compassionate services that assist children, child/youth and families create healthy and safe home environments, and thereby reach their full potential, has been the foundation upon which Family Connections Inc. has built its wide range of programs and services. The agency formed with the vision of positively influencing the lives of families, children and/or caregivers where stress had reached the point of crisis and unhealthy living. From this vision, developed the philosophy that effective services that meet the unique needs of clients can be provided when service providers engage in interventions that demonstrate respect, knowledge, understanding, commitment and openness. Effective interventions must also emphasize the integrity of the individual and intrinsic strengths of the family as the basis for support and advocacy.

Family Connections Inc. believes that an integral aspect of service provision includes creating linkages in the community. Commitment is necessary to develop positive working relationships with service providers in the community as well as the Region 6 Edmonton and Are Child and Family Services Authority. It is important to actively engage the community in assisting people in need in a variety of ways including active liaison, participating in community development and encouraging children, child/youth and families to present their dreams for the community they live in. Assisting clients access local community resources requires providing them with information, concrete assistance, and where necessary, advocacy. Family Connections Inc. believes that by establishing strong links with the local community, we can enable clients to enhance their formal and informal networks and access resources that meet their specific needs.

Family Connections Inc. operates based on the premise that the earliest possible intervention is more beneficial than crisis intervention. To this end it is essential to demonstrate our commitment to providing early intervention and prevention services. Regardless of the point of referral into any of our programs or services, we are dedicated to providing service that is creative, flexible, ethical and exceeds the governmental and community expectations.

Family Connections Inc. is dedicated to providing community and culturally sensitive services so that all clients may feel that their values, beliefs and traditions are respected. A range of measures are in place to accomplish this such as the provision of consistent and updated cultural awareness training to all staff and the establishment of linkages with cultural resources to assist both staff and clients. Family Connections Inc. also strives to meet the unique needs of Aboriginal clients, and as a result, has established the Aboriginal Resource Program. This program incorporates traditional practices and methods into interventions enabling services to better reflect the values, beliefs and customs of Aboriginal children, child/youth, adults and families.

The overarching mandate of Family Connections Inc. is to provide effective services to children, child/youth, adults and families in a compassionate and respectful manner that preserves their inherent dignity. Our mandate also encourages workers actively develop meaningful and helpful relationships as a means of making positive and lasting differences for the clients that we serve.