Family Literacy for Newcomers to Canada
The Immigrant Parents as Literacy Supporters (Immigrant PALS or IPALS) pilot program received funding in April 2008 from the BC government to support immigrant families and preschool-aged children who have been in Canada for up to three years. IPALS helps newcomers to Canada support their young children’s early literacy development, through interactions in English and their first language. Learn more at http://www.2010legaciesnow.com/PALS/

More Canadian Children Raised by Grandparents
The number of Canadian children being raised by grandparents has risen a startling 15% since 2001, according to a report cited in the March 31, 2008 BC Council for Families newsletter. To address the needs of grandparents, the Shuswap Family Resource Centre in Salmon Arm began a support group for Grandparents Raising Their Grandchildren in September 2007. The group is popular with grandparents, demonstrating the need for these types of services. Resources for grandparents can be found at http://bccf.bc.ca/hm/inside.php?id=47

Survey of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren – Legal Issues
Parent Support Services of BC is conducting a survey of grandparents raising grandchildren. Fill out the legal issues survey online at http://www.parentsupportbc.ca/grg_legal.html

Blog for Family Literacy
Keep up with the latest US family literacy news on the National Center for Family Literacy blog. Read and subscribe by email or RSS feed at http://ncflliteracynow.org/

Hot Issues

What’s Hot, What’s Not in Literacy for 2008
The UK’s National Literacy Trust carried out a policy-scoping survey of 35 leading literacy professionals to explore which literacy issues are currently 'hot' or 'not hot' and what 2008 might bring. Top of the list? Assessment and phonics! What should be hot? Comprehension and reading for pleasure. Read the report at http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/research/What%27s_
hot_2008.pdf?dm_i=210480172