Cross-Ministry Services
Cross-Ministry Services collaborates on a wide variety of partnered initiatives, with a particular focus on vulnerable populations. The branch’s work includes leadership and/or participation in the following:
Alberta's Approach to Collaborative Practices
This approach is built on team work and effective collaboration that:
- Provides supports and services for children, youth and their families that are planned, delivered and evaluated in a coordinated, collaborative, and culturally responsive manner.
- Builds on strengths and focuses on promoting safety, stability, and healthy outcomes.
- Engages students, families, school staff and service providers as full and active partners.
- Supports integrated cross-sectoral planning, case management and joint accountability.
- Facilitates planning that is flexible and can adapt to changing needs and circumstances.
- Provides the right supports, at the right time, and in the right place to improve education and life outcomes for vulnerable children and youth.
The Alberta Mentoring Partnership (AMP) brings together 29 partners in the first association of its kind in Canada. The partnership is part of Alberta’s commitment to safe communities. Positive role models help youth develop confidence, self-esteem and social skills. They are less likely to get involved with drugs and crime, and more likely to stay in school.
A provincial bullying prevention strategy was developed in response to feedback provided at the May 2004 Alberta Roundtable on Family Violence and Bullying. Through the joint efforts of Alberta Education and Alberta Children's Services, three websites have been developed to help children, youth and adults learn about bullying and deal with bullying issues.
Caring, respectful and safe learning environments
In order for children and youth to be successful in school, it is important that the learning environment provides a sense of belonging, acceptance, and safety (emotional, psychological and physical). To support student success, Alberta Education, through the School Act, is focused on ensuring schools are caring, respectful, safe, orderly, positive, productive, and free from the fear of physical and emotional harm.
Children and Youth with Complex Needs
Families with children and youth with special and complex needs often require services and supports from several ministries and regional authorities. Families with children and youth with complex needs have expressed the need for an easily identifiable integrated response across government ministries, service providers and communities.
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Cross-Ministry Committee
A unique made-in-Alberta plan on FASD focuses on developing and delivering community-based solutions, making it easier for those affected by FASD to get the help they need, at any point during their life. By working together, we will help those already affected by FASD and lower the number of babies born with the disorder.
Information Sharing is a cross-ministry training initiative created to address concerns raised by organizations and service providers throughout Alberta on the impact of privacy legislation and their ability to share information with each other. The intent of the training is to ensure there is a common understanding of how the various pieces of program and privacy legislation allow for the delivery of services to children, youth, adults, and families in an integrated or collaborative manner.Mental Health Capacity Building in Schools
This innovative initiative, being implemented in schools throughout the province, improves the health and wellbeing of children, youth, and their families, and strengthens communities. It brings together people and professionals at the grassroots community level to help children learn how to self-protect their mental health from an early age.
Safe communities brings together provincial & municipal governments + law enforcement agencies + community groups + the business sector + social agencies to ensure Alberta remains a place where we are all free to live, work and thrive.
Student Health (formerly known as Student Health Initiative) is a joint endeavour of Alberta Education, Health and Wellness, and Children and Youth Services. These provincial government partners work collaboratively to support local partnerships to strengthen the province's collective capacity to support students with special health needs.
Success in School for Children and Youth in Care - Provincial Protocol Framework
Success in School for Children and Youth in Care – Provincial Protocol Framework (PPF) is a joint initiative between Alberta Education and Children and Youth Services (CYS) to support improved school outcomes and high school completion rates for children and youth in provincial government care.
