Supporting Multiple Births Together

• Working to improve the support networks and services available to multiple birth individuals and their families across the country (see below for examples of our services).
   
• Producing educational and informative publications, including our quarterly magazine Multiple Moments, our quarterly newsletter Report From National, and a wide variety of booklets, pamphlets, and fact sheets.
   
• Promoting stronger relations between parents of multiples and professionals who are interested in multiple-births issues (e.g., doctors, nurses, educators, researchers). This work helps to ensure that professionals are aware of the unique needs and concerns of multiple birth families.
   
• Representing the Canadian multiple birth community at national and international conferences, and in research, health promotion, and other related initiatives. These activities help raise awareness of multiple birth issues and help to ensure that the needs and concerns of multiple birth families are taken into account by researchers, government officials, and other professionals.
   
• Networking with other national organizations (e.g., the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, the Canadian Institute of Child Health, the Canadian Health Network, Sidelines Canada, and Infertility Awareness Association of Canada) to promote multiple birth issues within Canada. These organizations seek out Multiple Births Canada to represent the Canadian multiple birth community and provide input on key policies, programs, and proposals that affect multiple birth families.
   
• Networking with international organizations such as the International Society for Twin Studies (ISTS), the Council of Multiple Birth Organizations (COMBO), the National Organization of Mothers of Twins Clubs (NOMOTC - U.S.), and the Twins and Multiples Births Association (TAMBA - U.K) to promote multiple birth issues on the international stage. This work resulted in the often-cited Declaration of Rights and Statement of Needs of Twins and Higher Order Multiples.
   
• Advising professionals who support multiple birth families (e.g., nurses, prenatal instructors, educators, bereavement counselors) to ensure that the best and most up-to-date care is provided to all multiple birth families.
   
• Advising local and national media on multiple birth issues to ensure that the interests and concerns of multiple birth families are accurately conveyed.
   
• Working with government agencies to enhance services, supports, and opportunities for multiple birth individuals and their families.
   
• Sharing information and research findings with members and Chapters through publications, information circulars (e-mail), the web site, and at Multiple Birth Canada's Annual General Meeting and Conference.

In addition to their regular duties, Multiple Births Canada's volunteers are working to develop and implement a plan of action that will create a stronger national organization that is better able to serve the needs of Canada's multiple birth community.

In 2001, Multiple Births Canada in partnership with the Canadian Institute of Child Health, received a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation to conduct the Mapping the Future project. We asked the Ontario multiple birth community what they needed through our Mapping the Future (MTF) project. As part of the data collected from parents of multiples (both members and non-members) in four Ontario regions, we have explored what was important to them in terms of the functions of the national organization and the structure/relationship of the national organization and Chapters. (Focus Group Findings Summary)

The MTF project has resulted in a Business Plan, in addition to a 3-Year Transitional Plan, that will move us in the direction of a more professional organization and a more integrated partnership between parents, chapters, professionals, professional associations and other related non-profit organizations. (1st year completed Transitional Plan update) (2nd year completed Transitional Plan update) (3rd year completed Transitional Plan update)

MBC has recently produced a new Strategic Plan that will guide the work of MBC and its national volunteers for the years 2006-2009. Please follow the link to Building the Future: The 2006-2009 Strategy for Achieving MBC's Goals to learn more. Update for Year-1 (2006-2007)

2007 Highlights - Outcomes from the MBC Strategic Plan

Areas that Multiple Births Canada intends to further develop include:

• National discount agreements with large retailers.
• Website redesign and expansion. Completed!
• Addition of members-only discussion forums and chat room to website. Completed!
• Continued development of new publications and updating of existing publications. ongoing
• Translation of all existing publications into French.  ongoing
• Translation of key publications into several different languages.
• More support for new, small, and struggling Chapters.
• Increased advocacy (e.g., longer maternity leave for parents of multiples, tax credits).  Initiated through 2005 National Multiple Births Awareness Day theme
• Handbook for professionals designed to ensure that that multiple birth families in all regions of the country receive similar medical intervention and support.
• Handbook for Chapters designed to make their work easier and enhance their ability to serve their members. Completed!
• On-line volunteer training program. Completed!