Brentwood, Calgary
Free parenting support
in Brentwood
If you live in Brentwood, you have free access to parenting classes, counselling, home visits, and youth programs through Calgary's Family Resource Network system. Your hub is Children's Cottage, and they are ready to help — no referral needed, no fees, no insurance required.
Your Starting Point
Your FRN hub: Children's Cottage
Children's Cottage is the hub organization for the West Calgary FRN zone. They coordinate all the free parenting programs available to Brentwood families. This is who you call first.
- Address: 101-7930 Bowness Road NW, Calgary, T3B 0H3
- Phone: 403-830-3153
- Website: childrenscottage.ab.ca
Just call them. Tell them what you need, or say "I'm not sure what I need but I'd like to talk to someone." They'll guide you — that's literally their job.
What they do
Hub services include:
- Information and referral to the right program
- Connecting you with parenting classes nearby
- Arranging home visitation if you want it
- Youth mentoring referrals
- Rapid access counselling connections
All free. No referral needed. Ages 0-18 + their families.
West Calgary Zone Programs
Programs available near you
Brentwood is in the West Calgary FRN zone. Here are the free programs available to your family through Children's Cottage and their partner agencies.
Parenting Classes
Family Life Education — courses and workshops on parenting skills, child development, and positive discipline strategies.
Via Families Matter
Rapid Access Counselling
A single 75-minute counselling session — no waitlist. Solution-focused help for whatever you are dealing with right now.
Via Kindred
Home Visitation
In-home, phone, or virtual visits from a trained professional to support parenting and child development, prenatal to age 6.
Via Children's Cottage
Youth Mentoring
1:1 mentoring for kids and teens through Big Brothers Big Sisters. Community-based and school-based options available.
Via Big Brothers Big Sisters
Resilient Families
In-home family support for families facing challenges. A trained worker comes to you to help build stability and connection.
Via Hull Services
Available City-Wide
Also available to Brentwood families
These programs are available to all Calgary families regardless of which zone you live in. They're run as overlay FRN zones specifically for Indigenous and immigrant families.
Cultural programming & traditional teachings
Elder support, ceremony, Indigenous parenting teachings, cultural child development, and home visitation grounded in traditional ways. Available city-wide through Miskanawah.
All Indigenous families welcome · No zone restrictions
Cross-cultural parenting & settlement help
Parenting in a new country is different. CIWA offers cross-cultural parenting classes, home visitation in multiple languages, preschool programs (HIPPY), and youth groups for immigrant families.
City-wide · Multiple languages available
Your Community
Other Calgary neighbourhoods with FRN pages
These are nearby communities in the West Calgary FRN zone and adjacent zones. Each has its own page with local details.
- Dalhousie
- Varsity
- Collingwood
- Charleswood
- Capitol Hill
- Montgomery
- Hawkwood
How to get started
Most FRN programs accept self-referrals. That means you don't need a doctor, social worker, or anyone else to send you. You can just call.
Step 1
Find your hub
You just did — your hub is Children's Cottage. You can also use the FRN Finder to double-check your zone.
Step 2
Call them
Call 403-830-3153. Tell them what you're looking for, or just say "I'm not sure what I need but I'd like to talk to someone." They'll guide you.
Step 3
Don't wait
Some programs have waitlists (especially home visitation). Get on the list now rather than waiting until things get harder. Early connection matters.
Not in Brentwood? Find your FRN zone or browse all zones. Every Calgary neighbourhood has free parenting support available.