The Centre of Knowledge on Healthy Child Development was very fortunate in attracting early support from CIBC World Markets Children’s Miracle Foundation.   The Foundation provided a start-up grant that helped us develop and launch this web site, the first in Canada devoted to translating up-to-date, evidence-based information about child and youth mental health into plain language that’s accessible to everyone.

This web site is also supported by the Provincial Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health at CHEO (Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario). The Centre of Excellence works to bring all those who have a role in the mental health of children and youth in Ontario to a common purpose. Building on experience and the best available evidence, the Centre promotes partnerships and stimulates evidence to advance the integration of the system to better meet existing and future needs.

 

Brian Culbert, an Investment Advisor with CIBC Wood Gundy, is passionate about the Offord Centre and how our work is making a difference in the lives of children. So when he decided to dedicate his racing season as one of the world’s top mountain bike racers to raising money for disadvantaged children, the Offord Centre became a prime beneficiary. Thanks to his efforts, parents and families now have access to the best research available on what works and what doesn’t in the prevention and treatment of emotional and behavioural problems.

This web site would not be possible without the generosity of our many corporate and individual donors.  They understand the importance of doing research into children’s mental health and developmental problems.  They also understand that research is not enough, that we need to get the fruits of that research into the hands of parents, physicians, teachers, policy makers and communities where it can be put into practice to improve the health and well-being of children and youth.  It’s an investment that is helping to create promising futures for children everywhere.

 

Because kids deserve more than opinions

Over the past 10 years, there has been an explosion of literature on the latest research and effective treatments for children and youth who are experiencing mental health problems. Yet it is often difficult for parents, teachers, clinicians and policy makers to be aware of the best available evidence on children’s mental health.  That’s because much of the research being done is not finding its way to those who are creating policy, delivering services or providing programs for kids.  All too often, people are providing services or implementing policies based on their own opinion.

The Offord Centre for Child Studies created the Centre of Knowledge on Healthy Child Development because we believe kids deserve more than mere opinion.  Our aim is to close the gap between what is actually known about healthy child development – the result of rigorous science – and what is merely assumed.

What you see on this web site is just the beginning.  We are committed to:

  • Strengthening our web site so that parents, teachers, policy makers and service providers have the information they need to make the very best decisions based on the very best evidence

Help us expand this valuable resource for Canadian parents and others who are responsible for healthy child development.

  • Publishing Canada’s first and only magazine devoted to issues of child developmental health. Newly launched, promisingfutures magazine promises to be a source of education and support to families and professionals struggling to deal with kids’ emotional, behavioural and learning problems.

Help us alert parents and professionals to child and youth mental health and developmental problems and get the latest research, strategies and best practices to parents and professionals who can make a difference.

  • Alerting parents and professionals to new research findings and resources through e-bulletins designed for, and targeted to, specific groups – parents, teachers, physicians, etc. 

Help parents and professionals stay in the forefront of leading developments and latest practices in the prevention and treatment of child and youth mental health problems.

  • Providing analysis and context by examining current issues and hot topics relevant to healthy child development from a multi-disciplinary perspective.  These comprehensive articles will be published in the Offord Centre Journal of Child Health & Development, a quarterly publication geared to front-line therapists, educators, policy makers and others concerned with the emotional, social and cognitive development of children and youth.
Sponsor an issue of this valuable resource for early child development professionals.
  • Providing opportunities for everyone concerned about healthy child development to share their knowledge and ideas around what works and what doesn’t through seminars, information forums, conferences and presentations by leading scientists in the field.

Help us create a knowledge network around the child development issues that matter most to parents and practitioners.

For more information on these and other opportunities, please contact Pati Greenwood, Vice-President of Development at greenpat@hhsc.ca or by phone at 905-521-2100, ext. 75977.

Help us build promising futures for children.  Support us now.

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