A Breath of Hope:
From crisis to resilienceSince 1986, the Children's Cottage has provided families like Sarah's with the help they need to cope with and overcome their challenges, build on their strengths, keep their children safe, and turn adversity into possibility.
Imagine being on a turbulent flight. Your oxygen mask drops, and you hear: “Put on your own mask before helping others”. For Sarah, an Indigenous single mother of two young children, reaching for her mask meant calling the Children’s Cottage, so she could help her family.
At 23, Sarah was overwhelmed. Years of domestic violence left her and her children deeply traumatized. Her toddler, Liam, exhibited signs of emotional distress and had delayed speech development, while her newborn, Ava, was colicky and cried endlessly through sleepless nights.
Postpartum depression compounded Sarah’s challenges, making daily tasks feel impossible. Financial strain and social isolation added to the weight she carried. Sarah felt like she was suffocating. She had no family nearby and no support to lean on.
“The Children’s Cottage was my oxygen mask when I couldn’t breathe, helping me survive, and my family thrive.”
Sarah and her children received immediate, barrier-free support through the Children’s Cottage’s new Family Mental Wellness Hub. The effect was instant: Sarah experienced significantly less stress and felt less alone, as though an enormous weight had been lifted off of her shoulders.
Next, Sarah accessed the HomeLinks program through Children’s Cottage, and a caseworker assisted her in finding safe, immediate housing for herself and her children; a place of their own where they felt safe, for the first time in a long time.
While the immediate crisis was stabilized, Sarah required continued support. She began utilizing the Home Visitation program, where a worker provided weekly visits to guide her through parenting strategies tailored to Liam’s speech development and Ava’s colic. The worker also supported Sarah in addressing the emotional wounds left by domestic abuse, helping her rebuild her resilience as a mother.
Sarah is 1 of 1,541 parents who accessed mental health support from Children’s Cottage in 2024.
Through Indigenous-specific services offered by the Children’s Cottage, Sarah found strength in her heritage and tools for healing from her trauma and domestic abuse, allowing her to reconnect with her culture.
Liam attended the Little Blossoms daycare at the Children’s Cottage, a specialized program for children with developmental delays. He received early intervention services, which prepared him to begin school at a level equal to his peers. Meanwhile, Ava benefited from in-home infant respite care that allowed Sarah a few hours each week to focus on herself.
Our Impact on The Families We Support
Sarah reported reduced stress after receiving help, as did 98% of families served by Children’s Cottage. In 2024, 100% of families were successfully diverted from emergency services to community supports are being supported by Children's Cottage Society
