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The Anti-Cookie Cutter Approach to Family

Canadian Forces (CF) families, like all families, come in various shapes and sizes. From spouses, children and parents, to step-brothers, great-aunts, and best friends, a different group of loved ones play key roles in every military member’s life.

Although the Military Family Services Program (MFSP) has always aimed to acknowledge the inherent variety of CF families, in the past there has sometimes been confusion over which relatives of CF members receive which services. As a part of the CF Family Services Enhancement Initiative, Director Military Family Services (DMFS) aims to clarify our vision of family to give all MFSP stakeholders a simple yet inclusive picture of who they serve.

At the CF Family Services Summit II in January 2009, Chief Military Personnel Major-General Walter Semianiw took this aim and made it concrete. He tasked DMFS to come to a better understanding of everyone included in the CF family, and to use this new understanding to ensure that the MFSP provides the appropriate level of support to all CF family members. That way, when family members call, email, or walk into a Canadian/ Military Family Resource Centre (C/MFRC), they will be supported by staff with the appropriate resources and services that can be offered.

To achieve this goal, DMFS has begun outlining a broad vision for the CF family, including everyone from CF members’ spouses or partners, children and parents to friends, grandparents, siblings and in-laws. After creating a vision which includes all possible family members, DMFS will then create a map for service provision which acknowledges that the CF members’ immediate families will often have different needs than those of extended relatives and friends.

DMFS isn’t seeking to define the CF family; rather, DMFS hopes to create an inclusive idea of family which recognizes diversity by providing a wide range of services to meet the distinctive needs of all CF family members. It’s an anti-cookie cutter approach, aimed to recognize the different needs that come with different family relationships, and to meet those needs in the best way possible.

To allow input and to gather feedback on their vision of the CF family, DMFS will present their work at the MFRC Board of Directors Conference in May 2009. DMFS looks forward to sharing this vision with our stakeholders, and hearing your thoughts on the composition of the CF families we serve, and the services we provide.