Nursing students partner with First Nations community on prenatal harm reduction

Posted on Wednesday, May 11th, 2022

In the fall of 2021, Algonquin College students in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program partnered with Kettle and Stony Point (KSP) Child and Family Services to create resources for prenatal harm reduction and family support. The Kettle and Stony Point Harm Reduction and Healthy Family project saw twelve nursing students meet weekly with community members through virtual clinics, while working in partnership with Kettle and Stony Point Child and Family Services (CFS).

Located on the south shores of Lake Huron, the Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point First Nation land-base consists of 1,096 hectares and approximately 2,479 members, 870 members who live on the Nation and 1,609 who live off. Kettle and Stony Point CFS operates within their community by providing services, resources and support to children and families in the child welfare system or who are at risk of becoming involved. They strive to keep families together, within their nation and connected to their culture. Services include band representation in/out of court, prevention and early intervention. Programs include but not limited to addiction support, parenting and prenatal classes, counselling services and land-based cultural programs.

According to 2016 Canadian Census data, 7.7 per cent of children under the age of 14 are Indigenous, yet account for over half of all children in foster care. Early intervention is key to breaking the cycle of intergenerational trauma and keeping children and youth out of the child welfare system, says Joanne Jackson, Kettle and Stony Point CFS Director.

“We use a progressive, harm-reduction approach to find solutions to difficult situations and get the proper support into families’ homes,” said Jackson. “We’re really trying to take a client-driven approach by empowering parents to be part of the solution as it is their inherent right to raise their own children, therefore, its our job to find the proper solutions and resources for that to happen”.

Algonquin College Nursing Chair, Carmen Hust, connected with Jackson through Indigenous Allyship with the Registered Nurse Association of Ontario Mental Health Nursing Interest Group. Hust recognizes the value for students to work directly with patients in Indigenous communities, breaking down stereotypes and embracing new models of care.

“Students worked with expecting families in each stage of the pregnancy, giving information without judgement so mothers struggling with substance abuse can make an informed choice for themselves and their babies,” said Hust. “The students learned about creating a care model through a cultural lens, leaving with much more than just a clinical experience.”

The effects of colonization and lasting trauma from the Indian Residential School system have contributed to crises in Indigenous communities, says Jackson. Having raised and supported many children, some who have been alcohol or drug affected, she has seen the effects of oppression and intergenerational trauma firsthand.

“Trauma is used against [Indigenous Peoples] rather than saying that it’s part of our lived experience and yes it has influenced and effected our journey. But we need to also acknowledge our resilience, and that comes from our lived experiences and our culture. We are not just survivors; we have always been thrivers,” she said.

The comprehensive information gathered by the College’s nursing students formed the basis of a recent RE/ACTION Showcase project. Under the supervision of Kevin Holmes, Managing Director at Algonquin College’s Social Innovation Lab, learners from the SLiDE program used this information to create an online resource focused on harm reduction in pregnancy.

Parents struggling with addiction may be reluctant to reach out for help for fear their children could be removed from their home. The online resource is available to families to make an informed decision at each stage of pregnancy and into the postnatal period, easing anxieties that their children will be taken into foster care.

Approaching harm reduction from an Indigenous cultural lens, Jackson is looking forward to the launch of the online resource and the safe space it represents for women and families. The resource will be available to anyone to find the support they need, both inside and out of the Kettle and Stony Point community.

“We have to create those safe spaces for parents, because pregnancy is 40 weeks but parenting lasts a lifetime,” she says. “If you’re going to work with an Indigenous person, you’re going to work from a different lens. We wanted to convey to the nurses that understanding of what does culture mean, and working from a trauma informed lens. Our culture is within us – it’s our way of knowing and being.”

The online resource is expected to launch in the fall of 2022.


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