cOnnecT with Arlene Morrison

Interview with Arlene Morrison, 2016 BC Citation Award Winner 

Tell us about your role as an Aboriginal Infant Development Consultant:

Aboriginal Infant Development Consultants (AIDP) work together with families to support the growth and development of Aboriginal children during their most important years of development (birth – 3 years). AIDP follows and monitors each area of development, fine/gross motor, communication, problem solving, cognitive, social and emotional, or a specific area that a parent requests. 

AIDP promotes positive parenting, contributes to the health and well being of children, addresses developmental delays and behavior problems and supports early and lifelong learning.

AIDP supports and encourages parent participation in their children's education and learning as their children's first and most important teachers and would like to ensure that infants will receive the support needed through their most crucial years of development.

What do you like most about this role?

There is much that I LOVE, not like but LOVE about this role. To pin point it to one specific area would not do the role justice! 

First off would be all the children that I get to play with and learn from. I have learned so much from the babies and toddlers -- for instance, never underestimate their abilities. I have seen so many children not become their diagnoses or an area of development they may be behind in which fit with my cultural beliefs of “Every child is brought to this Earth for a reason!”

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve encountered so far in this role?

A big challenge is seeing the poverty that my communities and families are faced with daily. 

However, my biggest challenge I have encountered as an Aboriginal Infant Development Consultant and one that is not easily dismissed is the utmost unthinkable difficulty of experiencing a death of a child.    

You were nominated for your collaborative support of occupational therapy, such as your efforts in improving access to OT for rural communities in Northern BC. What motivated/inspired you to take this on?

Caitie [Caitlyn DeBruyne] and I had attended the workshop “Traditional Parenting.”  I had found this workshop very powerful and felt it would be beneficial to bring to our area, so when there was a chance to apply for a grant, Caitie and I saw it as an opportunity to bring this presentation to the area. 

This had motivated us to work together to have the presentation be attended by as many people that we could and because of our location being quite spread out, we had decided that a couple of different locations that are easy to access would be best.  It was very well attended!

I felt bringing this presentation to our area was a stepping stone for services to parents and would bring trust towards the OT and AIDP. This is of the utmost importance for my community of being trustworthy. If a family does not have your trust, you can go into a home a million times but there would be no positive changes and it would not make a single difference for that child or family. I would not bring a person to a family if I didn’t feel they hadn’t any good purpose. I put this on myself to be that child and family's advocate looking out for the best intentions.

Tell me about someone who has influenced your practice:

The person who has been a big influence on my practice in the Early Years has been my instructor in Early Childhood Education, Marc Battle!  He made me feel comfortable to be myself; this has made a lasting memory for me and became quite comfortable learning through play. 

What might someone be surprised to know about you?

That I love listening to heavy metal music, Metallica to be specific!

#OT365