The Surrey Early Childhood Mental Health Collaborative (SECMHC) was developed to help address the mental health needs of young children and their families. The Ministry of Children and Family Development, Early Childhood Mental Health Collaborative and The Children's Foundation reached out to other community organizations in Surrey to come together to form the collaborative. There are nine organizations participating in the collaborative. There is an open invitation for other organizations with similar interests to join the collaborative at any time.

The collaborative meets every 1st Wednesday of the month, 10:00am to 12:00pm, at The Children's Foundation (10453 137th St., Surrey). If you would like to join the Collaborative, the contact person is Helgi Remmelg at The Children's Foundation 604-586-3351

The initial project undertaken by the SECMHC is the Communities Caring for Children (CCC) pilot project. The project was funded by the provincial government as a promising practice in child mental health via the University of British Columbia, Mental Health and Evaluation Community Consultation Unit.

The CCC project objectives were to train 40 facilitators in the Triple P Positive Parenting Program. These facilitators would offer the Level 4 group Triple P to parent groups throughout Surrey over the next year up until March 31, 2006. The CCC project met its first objectives and is now offering three parenting programs. The Right from the Start, the Triple P Parenting programs, and Coping with Toddler behavior are available to all Surrey residents with children 0 to 6 years of age. These programs have been made available with funding from Ministry of Children and Family Development, Child and Youth Mental Health. Our next objective is to reach as many families as we can in the Surrey area, offering these programs free of charge. While parents attend these programs; child minding, bus tickets (if necessary) and refreshments are provided free of charge as well. Groups are offered throughout Surrey in the Spring, Fall and Winter. See the schedule for times and locations. To register for any of these parenting classes please call 604-586-3351.