Josh's Story
When Josh applied for permanent custody of his four children, he didn’t have appropriate housing for them. He came to the CUPS Family Development Centre (FDC) to find out how he could change his situation and care for his children better.
Developing skills and security
Through the FDC, Josh was referred to a number of CUPS touch points. Josh obtained a placement with an affordable housing agency through CUPS Housing, and he also received support he hadn’t expected: CUPS advocated with Alberta Works and the Canada Revenue Agency to secure child benefits for the family, and Josh completed the 16-week Nurturing Parenting Program to build his caregiving skills.
Building resilience
Meanwhile, Josh enrolled his three youngest children in the CUPS Child Development Centre, where they attended Kindergarten and preschool and had access to a developmental specialist and pediatric care. The family began to stabilize, attending CUPS community events, making new friends, and finding new ways to connect with each other.
Raising a healthy generation
Josh continues to improve his parenting through the Nurturing Fathers program at CUPS, and he’s applied for academic training to become a counsellor. When his application goes through, the CUPS Education Bursary Fund will assist him as he meets his goals and supports his children’s healthy development.