Production of this resource has been made possible through a financial contribution by Health Canada prior to the announcement of the establishment of the Public Health Agency of Canada on September 24, 2004. Any reference to Health Canada should be assumed to be to the Public Health Agency of Canada. |
Production of
this document has been made possible by a
financial contribution from the CAPC/CPNP National Projects Fund,
Health Canada.
The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the
official policies of Health Canada.
© 2004 Jewish Family Services of the Baron de Hirsch
Institute
ISBN 0-9734557-7-2
Nancy Engels |
Susan Karpman Director, Family and Children's Services, JFS Montreal, Quebec |
Lisa Fiorentino Writer/Researcher |
Marilyn Turnley Health Canada Consultant |
JoAnn Gillan Regional Municipality of Waterloo, Home Child Care, Waterloo, Ontario |
Kristie Gomuwka Edson Friendship Centre, Edson, Alberta |
Myrna Martin West Kootenay Family and Childcare Services, Nelson, British Columbia |
Kate O'Brodovich Family Futures Inc., Prince Albert, Saskatchewan |
Lynda Stewart Waterloo Region CAPC, Kitchener, Ontario |
Irene Szabla Child Development Centre, Whitehorse, Yukon |
Annette Thexton West Kootenay Family and Childcare Services, Nelson, British Columbia |
Michelle Ward Kid's First Association, Pictou, Antigonish and Guysborough Counties, Nova Scotia |
Andrea Borod editing | Davina Mill clinical consultant |
Rebekah Frojmovic research assistant | Richard F. Schmid evaluation |
Jacinte Gauvin translation/adaptation | Rose Marie Scissons research/indexer |
Carey Gold marketing/website consultant | David Wells evaluation |
Jewish Family Services of the Baron de Hirsch Institute, Montreal, Quebec; Gail Small, Barbara Victor, the Board of Directors and Staff for their support, encouragement and enthusiasm.
Health Canada CAPC/CPNP National Projects Fund; Sylvie Pâlin and Anne Stenhouse for their advice, their questions and their answers; Health Canada PPHB Quebec Region; Murielle Martin for her support in the reading of the translated text.
Myles Beeby, Art Director, and Myriam Ouellette, translator, for their contributions to the project.
The hundreds of frontline workers in CAPC (Community Action Program for Children) and CPNP (Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program) funded projects across Canada for their participation in the needs assessment questionnaire, pilot questionnaire and focus groups.
Families, no matter their makeup or description, are of vital importance to our children. They teach them how to interact, how to behave, and how to relate to others. Families serve as a gateway to the larger world. Families seek to protect children from the risks presented by that world.
It used to be thought that our children could be protected from the dangers in our communities by working to eliminate these risks. If only that were possible! We have learned that, albeit a noble endeavour, it is becoming an increasingly difficult and long-term effort to eliminate the psychological and physical risks of hunger, poverty and violence, a lack of connectedness, limited community resources and the repercussions of stress, depression and other mental health risks.
What can families do, then, to fulfill their mandate of protecting children so that they may grow into healthy, productive, contributing adults?
Families must provide children with personal assets, those skills that in combination with a nurturing environment will "inoculate" them against the inherent risks of today's communities. These assets will ultimately enable our children to cope, to deal with conflict, to make wise decisions in the face of peer pressure, to form trusting and longstanding relationships with positive adult role models and pro-social peers and to feel a sense of autonomy in and connectedness to the world in which they live.
Families need to be supported in their efforts by strong, positive networks of individuals, comprised of both personal relationships and professional ones. As a frontline worker in a community program that supports families and children, you are one of those key people. By gaining an understanding of children's developmental tasks and what they need from their caregivers, you will be supportive of and influential in the building of strong psychological assets in our children. You will be encouraging the positive influence that families can have. You will be creating the environments that keep families front and centre.
Barbara Victor
Director of School Services
Jewish Family Services of the Baron de Hirsch Institute
We have endeavoured to provide you with a practical and relevant
package of easy to read and visually attractive books on topics
that resonate with your everyday practice. In order for you to
share this information with a wider group of your colleagues, we
have included a CD. We invite you to explore our website at www.familyfrontandcentre.com . While we have provided you with a
selected reference list of books, articles and websites in the
User's Guide, you will find a complete bibliography on the
website. The team of advisors and consultants has worked together
to launch a product that we hope will enhance the work that you are
engaged in and will be useful to you currently and in the
future.
Frontline workers will find a variety of resources including general information on the important aspects of child development that affect children's mental health, as well as strategies and activities that promote optimal development of young children's mental health.
The Family Front and Centre toolkit
is not meant
to be a guide for diagnosing mental health problems.
Frontline workers are encouraged to share the information in this toolkit within their communities.
"Family, Front and Centre: A Support Resource
Promoting Healthy Child Development" is intended for
frontline workers in Community Action Program for Children (CAPC)
and Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program (CPNP) funded projects. There
is a wide range of experience and qualifications among frontline
workers and significant differences in access to additional
resources or referral sources especially in rural and remote
communities. This became an important factor in creating the
toolkit. The goal was to develop a toolkit and strategies to help
CAPC/CPNP staff identify, understand and support children, families
and communities using a strength-based approach to mental health.
In addition, the resource toolkit provides frontline staff with
access to user-friendly information available in hard copy and CD.
The information can be downloaded from the website www.familyfrontandcentre.com .
The resource toolkit includes 5 spiral bound books in French and English that reflect relevant and common concerns of CAPC/CPNP staff. The book topics were determined based on a review of current literature and on consultations previously undertaken. Further exploration through a comprehensive Needs Assessment Questionnaire completed by frontline CAPC and CPNP workers (paid and volunteer) in the summer of 2003 supported these findings.
Jewish Family Services (JFS), located in Montreal, Quebec has been an active participant in the Health Canada National Projects Fund (NPF) Advisory Committees and is the recipient of CAPC funding. In the spring of 2002, JFS was invited to participate in a National Project Fund (NPF), working along with West Kootenay Family and Childcare Services, Nelson, British Columbia; Edson Friendship Centre Brighter Futures Project, Edson, Alberta; and Waterloo Region CAPC, Kitchener, Ontario. The NPF had identified the area of mental health as one of its priorities and the working group met to determine goals and objectives of a project initiative that would directly benefit CAPC and CPNP funded projects across Canada. Both CAPC and CPNP projects serve infants and children 0 - 6 years and their families living in conditions of risk.
In October of 2003 the JFS NPF project received official approval of the receipt of the Health Canada CAPC/CPNP contribution with a mandate to develop a resource kit "Supporting CAPC/CPNP Staff in their Work with Parents and Children Coping with Special Mental Health Needs." A National Advisory Committee (NAC) made up of representatives from across Canada was established to ensure that the project reflects cultural and regional diversity.
The "ouse backdrop' in the logo for Family Front and Centre represents shelter and care. It could also be a health clinic, a community centre or any nurturing and supportive structure. The shape of the home is represented by a solid arrow pointing upward confidently - a sign of growth, transmitting health.
Inside this 'upward house' is a family. The family cradling an infant communicates care, understanding and support; fundamental values in any network of people working together. The figures can represent infant, toddler and preschool children, the ages and stages relevant to the Family Front and Centre toolkit, and its goal to promote healthy child development. Beyond this, they stand for child, parent or caregiver and mental health care professional or frontline worker and the coming together of community. The circles, or the figure's heads, emphasize unity and continued care. They are reminders of the cyclical nature of life and how we interact with one another in giving and receiving care, staying healthy and moving forward.
Welcome,
This toolkit provides relevant theoretical and practical information on children's mental health. By placing theory and practice together frontline workers can develop a better understanding of mental health in children and share this information with caregivers and their communities.
Mental health can be defined as the way an individual thinks, feels, and acts. Broad in scope, mental health affects all aspects of development, including social and emotional development. For example, mental health has an impact on social interactions, self-perception, and learning. Given its wide scope, healthy mental development in children is critical, especially where children experience challenging situations that require them to adjust and develop complex coping skills. Children who have strong mental health develop optimally, and are able to learn new tasks, socially engage with others, and view themselves in a positive light. Because frontline workers in Community Action Program for Children (CAPC) and Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program (CPNP) funded projects can work closely with children and their families, they play an important role in the development of children's mental, physical and emotional health.
Frontline workers can act as alternate caregivers and teachers, encouraging children's development as well as providing emotional support. Frontline workers also act as models of support for children, helping children feel loved unconditionally, safe, and secure. All of these skills encourage optimal development in children and help children grow to become contributing members in their community.
Frontline workers can also be a source of social and emotional support to families; they help families cope with life situations, including child mental health issues that may be present. Those who work directly with children create ties between families and their communities through outreach work and community programs, which strengthen bonds in the community and create feelings of empowerment among its members.
This toolkit is designed to promote a strength-based approach to working with families. This approach promotes the assets that are already present in children, families, and communities. When children and their families face challenging situations, there is a tendency to focus on the weaknesses. While learning new skills is helpful, families also have strengths that they may not realize and have not used to their full advantage. Instead of focusing only on the needs that children and their families have, time can be spent discovering the strengths and skills of all its members. Through building relationships with families, frontline workers and families can work together to build on the assets present instead of focusing on the families' weaknesses alone. Family assets are used to help families cope better with a situation, thereby making the strength-based approach an evolving and ongoing process. All family and community members have assets and this process helps children, families, and the community to create positive attitudes and feel empowered.
This toolkit is divided into five topics that are related to children's mental health.
Current research done in the fields of psychology and education suggests that these are the 5 topics most strongly related to the mental health of children between the ages of 0-6 years. Each of the five topics is presented as its own book. Readers can look up specific mental health topics without going use the entire toolkit as a guide to children's mental health.
Each book is organized in 5 sections.
Section | Content |
1 | Definition of topic areas and an explanation of how it evolves from infancy through to the preschool years. |
2 | Description of biological and environmental factors that affect the development of the particular mental healthtopic |
3 | Description of serious issues that can arise and affect children and specific behaviours that frontline workers should be aware of in young children. |
4 | A list of strategies and activities that frontline workers can employ with children and families. |
5 | A glossary of terms that are highlighted in the text of each book. |
The term caregiver was chosen in recognition of the diversity of families in Canada today and the importance of educators in the child's development.
Each book was written so that it could stand independently of the other mental health topics and some of the information presented in one book may also be present in another. Issues pertaining to mental health are interrelated and involve many aspects of child development. It is rare that one mental health issue is independent of others. Many of the strategies and activities are useful in all mental health topics, and are elaborated on below.
Regular health and medical check ups:
Some child mental health problems may be caused by a physical
problem. During early development it is particularly important that
children see a medical health care professional at regular
intervals.
Create a safe and secure environment:
Children learn to trust others from an enriching environment that
is safe to explore. Safe and secure environments can also lower
frustration levels in children and help them cope better with
changes in their routines. Children require calming and high energy
areas where they can interact. Some children are especially
sensitive to their physical environment, and it may be necessary to
change it so that they feel comfortable and can adjust well to
their surroundings.
Temperament:
Children are born with
different personalities or temperaments, which affect how they
interact with their world. Understanding a child's temperament
helps caregivers recognize that their child has a unique
personality, preferences, and needs. Understanding a child's
temperament includes understanding his/her routines, moods,
activity levels, and reactions to change. If caregivers have
trouble understanding their child's personality, they should be
given support to best understand their child.
Unconditional love:
Children benefit
emotionally and socially by receiving love from their caregivers.
Love can be demonstrated through physical affection such as
appropriate hugs and kisses. Love can also be expressed verbally,
praising children for being who they are. Both physical and verbal
affection help children feel connected with others and sends the
message that they are consistently loved despite any challenging
behaviours.
Quality interactions:
Children benefit
from having quality interactions with their caregivers. This
includes doing a variety of activities with children, creating
opportunities for learning and exploring. As well, following a
child's direction during an activity creates a sense of pride
and accomplishment, leading to positive growth in self esteem.
Engage children with language:
Talking
with children is beneficial for both their language and social
development. For young children with limited language, the use of
sounds, songs, and rhymes by their caregivers introduce children to
the language and create a social connection. Older children benefit
from caregivers facilitating their language skills by naming and
describing objects using short phrases, eventually building on the
complexity of sentences.
Establish rules and routines:
Children
learn to trust and feel secure in their environment when there are
consistent rules and daily routines to follow. These rules should
be simple enough for the child to understand and children should
receive positive reinforcement when they demonstrate their
understanding of the rules and routines.
Support caregivers:
Caregivers need to
feel supported when they have concerns over the child's mental
health. Supportive networks help caregivers deal with many issues
that they experience in their lives, and sometimes caregivers may
require professional support. As a frontline worker, ask your
supervisor and refer to your agency's policies for the
appropriate steps to take.
Observing behaviours using the ABCs:
The
ABC's (Antecedents, Behaviours, Consequences) is a model used
for observing and understanding children's behaviours. A good
way to understand a child's behaviour is to observe the actions
that occur before (i.e., Antecedents), during (i.e., Behaviours),
and after (i.e., Consequences) an event. Writing down observations
over time might help to clarify certain patterns that are occurring
and give us a better appreciation of the reasons for these
problematic behaviours. When observing, it is recommended to use
the ABC's across different contexts in the child's life.
This may help identify the conditions under which the child best
thrives.
Beginning with conception and continuing over a lifetime, development occurs through biological changes as well as interactions with the environment.
During pregnancy, the expectant mother is undergoing many physical and emotional changes in order to prepare for the upcoming birth. Expectant mothers experience physical changes as their bodies prepare for the birthing process. Emotionally, caregivers must also prepare themselves for the care and responsibility associated with parenthood. Some caregivers may have to consider making lifestyle changes in order to provide a healthy environment for their child. These changes may involve nutrition, activity levels, and seeking support networks. Caregivers have important roles in the baby's life and through prenatal care prepare themselves for the new addition to the family, and there may also be alternate caregivers that play important roles.
Throughout the pregnancy, caregivers develop an emotional bond with their unborn child. This bond is affected by caregiver behaviours. During prenatal care and feeding, caregiver health is particularly important as the health of the mother directly affects the health of the fetus and/or baby. Infants benefit from mothers who eat nutritiously and engage in moderate physical activity on a consistent basis. Alcohol, tobacco, and other drug consumption must be avoided since they are known to contribute to serious developmental problems in children.
Stress is another factor that can affect the health of the fetus. When undue stress is difficult for caregivers to manage, it can negatively affect caregiver health and therefore infant development. Caregivers may need coping skills and support to help them deal better with stress. Sometimes expecting caregivers can attend courses or workshops that encourage healthy lifestyle choices that can reduce stress.
Infancy is an exciting time as infants are adjusting to their new surroundings and caregivers are learning how to care for their infant. Infants are born with different personalities or temperaments, and it takes time for caregivers to understand their infant's personality and interact in a way that is complementary to the infant. Feeding times are also excellent opportunities for caregivers and infants to share special moments together. Through these interactions caregivers and infants are rewarded with smiles, pleasant sounds (i.e., gurgles, exclamations, and laughter) and a shared feeling of being loved.
The first few years are a critical time for the emotional attachment that develops between caregivers and infants. Forming an emotional attachment creates feelings of security and trust for infants since they learn that their caregivers consistently respond to their needs. Emotional attachments also create the foundation of a child's self esteem, which is the way individuals view themselves.
Toddlers are curious explorers who learn to explore and experience adventures independently, yet they are still dependent on their caregivers for many of their daily needs. Balancing this need for newfound independence while still reliant on caregivers for help can become a struggle for toddlers, as they test new boundaries and learn about limits.
Preschoolers are more independent and assertive, and they also have a clearer understanding of rules and the concepts of setting limits and receiving consequences. They place value on building relationships with others, developing significant peer relationships.
The following three tables contain information on the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development that occurs between 0-6 years.
0-6 months |
|
Physical Development Gross Motor |
|
Physical Development Fine Motor |
|
Cognitive Development |
|
Language Development |
|
Social Development |
|
Emotional Development |
|
6-12 months |
|
Physical Development Gross Motor |
|
Physical Development Fine Motor |
|
Cognitive Development |
|
Language Development |
|
Social Development |
|
Emotional Development |
|
12-18 months |
|
Physical Development Gross Motor |
|
Physical Development Fine Motor |
|
Cognitive Development |
|
Language Development |
|
Social Development |
|
Emotional Development |
|
18 months - 3 years |
|
Physical Development Gross Motor |
|
Physical Development Fine Motor |
|
Cognitive Development |
|
Language Development |
|
Social Development |
|
Emotional Development |
|
3-6 years |
|
Physical Development Gross Motor |
|
Physical Development Fine Motor |
|
Cognitive Development |
|
Language Development |
|
Social Development |
|
Emotional Development |
|
A complete bibliography is available on the website www.familyfrontandcentre.com . This is a complete list of
research-based articles and books pertaining to the 5 mental health
topics. This information, given its sources, is less accessible
than the Suggested Readings and Resources section below. For this
reason, these two sections are presented separately. The Suggested
Readings and Resources section can be readily found at a local
bookstore or online resource and consists of suggested books,
articles, and websites for general reference as well as specific to
each mental health topic. This information can also be shared with
caregivers and may be included in your program's resource
library.
Ames, L.B., & Ilg, F.L. (1993). Your two year old: Terrible or tender. New York: Delacorte Publishing Company.
Baron, N.S. (1992). Growing up with language. New York: Addison-Wesley.
Brazelton, T.B. (1992). Touchpoints: Your child's emotional and behavioral development: The essential reference for the early years. Boulder, CO: Perseus Publishing.
Brazelton, T.B. (1992). Points forts. Paris : Stock/Laurence Pernoud.
Brazelton, T.B. et Cramer, B. (1991). Les premiers liens. Paris : Calmann-Levy.
Conner, B. (1997). The parent's journal: Guide to raising great kids. New York: Bantam Books.
Dolto, F. (1985). La cause des enfants. Paris : Robert Laffont.
Eliot, L. (1999). What's going on in there? How the brain and mind develop in the first five years of life. New York: Bantam Books.
Gonzalez-Mena, J., & Widmeyer Eyer, D. (1997). Infants, toddlers, and caregivers. Mountain View, California: Mayfield Publishing.
Green, G. P., & Haines, A. (2002). Asset building and community development. California: Sage Publications.
Greenspan, S., & Greenspan, N.T. (1989). First feelings: Milestones in the emotional development of your baby and child. New York: Penguin Books.
Heller, S. (1997). The vital touch: How intimate contact with your baby leads to happier, healthier, development. New York: Holt & Company.
Leach, P. (1996). Votre enfant de la naissance a la grande ecole. Paris : LGF.
Lerner, C., & Dombro, A.L., (2000). Learning and growing together: Understanding and supporting your child's development. Washington, DC: Zero to Three Publications.
Lieberman, A. (1993). The emotional life of the toddler. New York: Free Press.
Manolson, A., Ward, B. & Dodington, N. (1995). You make the difference in helping your child learn. Washington, DC.: Zero to Three Publications.
Kretzmann, J. P., & McKnight, J. L. (1993). Building communities from the inside out. Evanston, Illinois: The Asset-Based Community Development Institute, Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University.
Kurcinka, M. S. (1998). Raising your spirited child. New York: Harper Perennial.
Mauer, D., & Mauer, C. (1988). The world of the newborn. New York: Basic Books.
Pruett, K. (2000). Fatherneed: Why father care is as essential as mother care for your child. New York: Broadway Books.
Parlakian, R. (2002). Building strong foundations: Practical guidance for promoting the social/emotional development of infants and toddlers. Washington, DC.: Zero to Three Publications.
Segal, M., & Masi, W. (1998). Your child at play: Birth to one year: Discovering the senses and learning about the world (2nd ed., Your Child at Play Series). New York: Newmarket Press.
Segal, M., & Masi, W. (1998). Your child at play: one to two years: Exploring, daily living, learning and making friends (2nd ed., Your Child at Play Series). New York: Newmarket Press.
Segal, M., & Masi, W. (1998). Your child at play: two to three years: Growing up, language, and the imagination (2nd ed., Your Child at Play Series). New York: Newmarket Press.
Segal, M., & Masi, W. (1998). Your child at play: three to five years: Conversation, creativity, and learning letters, words, and numbers (2nd ed., Your Child at Play Series). New York: Newmarket Press.
Winnicott, D.W. (1995). Le bébé et sa mère. Paris : Payot
Attachment
Bowlby, J. (1988). A secure base: Parent-child attachment and healthy human development. New York: Basic Books.
Granju, K.A. & Kennedy, B. (1999). Parenting: Instinctive care for your baby and young child. New York: Pocket Books, Simon and Schuster.
Karen, R. (1988). Becoming attached: First relationships and how they shape our capacity to love. New York: Oxford University Press.
Montagner, H. (1988). L'attachement, les débuts de la tendresse. Paris : Odile Jacob.
Sears, W., & Sears, M. (2001). The Attachment Parenting Book: A commonsense guide to understanding and nurturing your baby. New York: Little Brown & Company.
Shore, P. (2002). Développement émotionnel et social de votre enfant : de la naissance à l'âge de trois ans. Outremont (Quebec) : Trécarré. Winnicott, D.W. (1975). Jeu et réalite. Paris : Gallimard.
Attention
Freed, J. & Parsons, L. (1998). Right-brained children in a left-brained world: Unlocking the potential of your ADD child. New York: Simon and Schuster.
Goldstein, S. & Goldstein, M. (1993). Hyperactivity: Why won't my child pay attention? New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Greenspan, S.I. (1999). Working with children who show attention problems. Scholastic Early Childhood Today, 13 (2), 24-25.
Heininger, J. E., Weiss, S. K., & Goldstein, S. (2001). From chaos to calm: Effective parenting for challenging children with ADHD and other behavioral problems. New York: Perigee.
Le Heuzay, M-F. (2003). L'enfant hyperactif. Paris : Odile Jacob.
Sauvé, C. (2000). Apprivoiser l"yperactivité et le déficit d'attention. Montréal : Éditions de l'Hôpital Sainte- Justine.
Sears, W., & Sears, M. (1996). Parenting the fussy baby and high-need child: Every thing you need to know- from birth to age five. Boston: Little, Brown and Company.
Silverman, A. K. (2002). Upside-down brilliance: The visual spatial learner. Glendale, CO: DeLeon Publishing.
Anxiety
Baron, C. (2001). Les troubles anxieux expliqués aux parents. Montréal : Éditions de l'Hôpital Sainte-Justine.
Brett, D. (1988). Annie Stories. New York: Workman Publishing Company.
Brun, J. (2001). Angoisse es-tu là. Paris : Fleurus.
Crary, E. & Megale, M. (1996). Mommy, don't go (2nd edition). Seattle, Washington: Parenting Press.
Lite, L. (1996). A boy and a bear: The children's relaxation book. Plantation, Florida: Specialty Press.
Viorst, J. (1988) The good-bye book. New York: Atheneum.
Aggression
Antier, E. (2002). L'agressivité. (La vie de famille : des repères pour vivre avec vos enfants de 0-7 ans). Paris: Bayard.
Bang, M. (1999). When Sophie gets angry- really, really angry. New York: Blue Sky Press.
Berry, R. (2001). Angry kids: Understanding and managing the emotions that control them. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Fleming H. Revell.
Faber, A., Mazlish, E. (1999). How to talk so kids will listen and listen so kids will talk. New York: Avon.
Filliozat, I. (2001). Au coeur des émotions de l'enfant : comprendre son langage, ses rires et ses pleurs. Alleur-Marabout.
Goldstein, S., Brooks, R., & Weiss, S. (2004). Angry children, worried parents: Seven steps to help families manage anger. Plantation, Florida: Specialty Press.
Murphy, T. (2002). L'enfant en colère : reprendre le contrôle quand votre enfant l'a perdu. Montréal : Éditions de l'Homme.
Nelsen, J., Erwin, C., & Duffy, R. (1998). Positive discipline: The first three years: from infant to toddler-laying the foundation for raising a capable, confident child. Rocklin, California: Prima Pub.
Nelsen, J. (1999). Positive time-out and over 50 ways to avoid power struggles in the home and the classroom. Rocklin, California: Prima Pub.
Severe, S. (2002). How to behave so your preschooler will, too! New York: Viking.
Spelman, C. (2000). When I feel angry. Morton Grove, Illinois: A. Whitman.
Whitehouse, E., Pudney, W. (1996). A volcano in my tummy: Helping children to handle anger: A resource book for parents, caregivers and teachers. Gabriola Island, British Columbia, Canada: New Society Publishing.
Self-esteem
Bertrand, D. et Duclos, G. (1997). Quand les tout-petits apprennent à s'estimer : guide théorique et recueil d'activités pour favoriser l'estime de soi des enfants de 3 a 6 ans. Montréal : Éditions de l'Hôpital Sainte-Justine.
Cutright, M.C. (1992). Self-Esteem: The key to a child'ssuccess and happiness, PTA Today, 17 (4), 5-6.
Duclos, G. (2004). L'estime de soi, un passeport pour la vie. Montréal: Éditions de l'Hôpital Sainte-Justine
Dusa, G. S. (1992). 15 ways parents can boost self-esteem, Learning, 20 (6), 26-27.
Kramer, P. (1992). Fostering self-esteem can keep kids safe and sound, PTA Today, 17 (6), 10-11.
Laporte, D. (2002). Favoriser l'estime de soi des 0-6 ans. Montréal : Éditions de l'Hôpital Sainte-Justine.
Pruett, K.D. (1999). Me, myself and I: How children build their sense of self: 18 to 36 months. New York: Goddard Press.
All About Baby is a free online
English language magazine owned and operated by moms. Articles are
written by experts and reviewed by an editorial advisory board. An
article archive covering child development, health, and fitness is
included: http://www.allaboutbaby.com
Canadian Association of Family Resource Programs (FRP
Canada) produces a quarterly bilingual newsletter, Play and Parenting Connections. For
subscription information contact: Canadian Association of Family
Resource Programs (FRP Canada) 707-331 Cooper Street Ottawa ON K2P
0G5 Telephone: (613) 237-7667 Fax: (613) 237-8515 Email: info@frp.ca Website: http://www.frp.ca
Canadian Child Care Federation (CCCF) is a
national not-for-profit organization whose mission is to improve
the quality of child care services for Canadian children and
families; their bilingual quarterly magazine is Interaction. Selected articles in pdf
format can be downloaded at no charge. Call 1-800-858-1412 for
subscription information or visit http://www.cccf-fcsge.ca/publications/interaction_en.htm
Family Services Canada is a bilingual,
not-for-profit, national voluntary organization representing the
concerns of families and family serving agencies across Canada.
They publish a quarterly online newsletter, Let's
Talk Families. Membership includes family service
agencies, corporations, government agencies and interested
individuals: http://www.familyservicecanada.org
National Families Network (NFN) is the largest
parenting publication network in Canada. They publish individual
English and French parenting publications providing local
information and professional advice in major cities across Canada: Island Parent Magazine (Victoria, BC) WestCoast
Families (Vancouver, BC); Calgary Child (AB); Edmonton's Child Magazine (AB); Winnipeg
Parent (MB); Toronto Families (ON); Capital
Parent Newspaper (Ottawa, ON); Windsor Parent
Magazine (ON); Montréal pour Enfants (QC). For
subscription information please contact: National Families Network,
Suite 224, 280 Nelson St., Vancouver, BC, V6B 2E2, or visit their
website: http://www.westcoastfamilies.com
Mothering is the only independently
owned, family living magazine in the world. This English language
magazine covers contemporary health, personal, environmental,
medical, and lifestyle topics. For subscription information please
contact: Gordon & Gotch, 110 Jardin Drive, Unit #8, Concord,
Ontario L4K 4R4, 1-800-438-5005 or visit them online at: http://www.mothering.com/index.html
Parenting, an English language
magazine, contains guidance on child development, health and safety
information, and tips on child learning strategies. For
subscription information call 1-800-234-0847, or visit their
website at: http://www.parenting.com/parenting
Today's Parent is Canada's
leading English language parenting magazine on child health,
education and behaviour. It offers a "community to help see
you through the rough patches and celebrate the great joys of being
a parent." For subscription information please call
1-800-567-8697, or visit their website at: http://www.todaysparent.com
Transition, the Vanier
Institute of the Family newsletter is published four times
a year. Transition explores themes that are related and relevant to
family life in Canada. Each issue features articles by volunteer
contributors who bring insight and perspective to the various
themes: http://www.vifamily.ca/about/about.html
Young Children is the journal of the National Association for the Education of Young
Children. It is an English language peer-reviewed journal
offering articles on current early childhood research, theory and
practice. Subscription information is available online at: www.naeyc.org
Canadian Association of Family Resource Programs (FRP
Canada) is a bilingual, not-for-profit association with
members located in all provinces and territories. It supports
national research projects, regional professional development
events, the development of advocacy tools and a biennial national
conference. A directory of members lists regional contacts: http://www.frp.ca
Canadian Child Care Federation (CCCF) is a
bilingual national not-for-profit organization whose mission is to
improve the quality of child care services for Canadian children
and families: http://www.cccf-fcsge.ca
Caring For Kids is a bilingual site developed
by the Canadian Pediatric Society. The site offers current health
information based on position statements from the Canadian
Pediatric Society, which are reviewed yearly to ensure that the
information is up-to-date: http://www.caringforkids.cps.ca
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) offers bilingual information resources and publications for the
therapists, doctors, nurses, front-line workers, other
professionals and families who need up-to-date resources on
addiction and mental illness. The publications are research-based
in the areas of substance use and addiction, mental health, trauma,
policy and research, clinical tools, and public education: http://www.camh.net
Le Centre d'information sur la Santé de
l'Enfant (CISE) - French site : This site is
made up of 3 sections: a list of centres, suggested readings on
child health and links (600) related to child and adolescent health
issues; a list of 700 Health sites; and a list of audio visual
materials to help children and their families with child health
issues: www.hsj.qc.ca/CISE
Le Centre Québécois de Ressources à
la Petite Enfance (CQRPE) - French site : This
site is a non-profit agency for/and supported by parents, with a
mission to contribute to the overall health and well being of
children from birth to 6 years with an eye to prevention. The
centre also publishes a quarterly newsletter, L'Enfantin, and offers information by
telephone: www.cqrpe.qc.ca
Child & Family Canada is a Canadian public
education website managed by the Canadian Child Care Federation.
The C&FC Library provides English language downloadable
information on children and families in the C&FC Library.
Choose a category at: http://www.cfc-efc.ca/search/search_en.html
Community Action Program for Children (CAPC)/ Canada
Prenatal Nutrition Program (CPNP) are funded organizations
through Health Canada. CAPC projects are delivered
through Health Canada regional offices to fund community groups to
establish and deliver services that address the developmental needs
of at risk children ages 0-6 years. CPNP projects enhance access to
services and strengthen inter-sectoral collaboration to support the
needs of pregnant women including food supplementation, nutrition
counselling, support, education, referral, and counselling on
health and lifestyle issues. The CAPC/CPNP National
Projects Fund (NPF) provides financial assistance to
initiatives supporting the objectives of CAPC/CPNP projects and has
direct relationships with projects across Canada. For a complete
database of projects see: http://www.capc-pace.phac-aspc.gc.ca/ http://www.cpnp-pcnp.phac-aspc.gc.ca/
La coalition Bambin - French site :
This site is a consolidation of CAPC and CPNP prenatal and infant
sites for a French speaking audience. This site offers an excellent
page of links and resources in French as well as an on-line
newsletter, C'est une p'tit monde, issued
3 times a year: www.bambin.net
Families is an English language website offered
by Scholastic, the children's publishing and media company.
This site provides informative online articles on infant and child
learning, behaviour and development, playing, and literacy for
parents and professionals. Noteworthy features include the
'Ask-the Expert' online Q&A: http://www.scholastic.com/families
Health Canada, The Division Childhood and
Adolescence offers bilingual information and resources on
healthy pregnancy and infancy, healthy living, safe and supportive
environments: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/dca-dea/main-eng.php
Invest In Kids is a bilingual Canadian website
from a not-for-profit organization focused on ensuring the healthy
social, emotional and intellectual development of children from
birth to age five. A staff of experts in child development and
parenting provides information on child development research,
parent education and professional education: www.investinkids.ca
Kids Health is an English/Spanish website
created by The Nemours Foundation's Center for Children's
Health Media. It is an award-winning site, providing families with
reliable, current, and jargon-free health information. Kids Health
has separate areas for kids, teenagers, and parents. The site
features articles, animations, games, and resources developed by
experts in the health of children and teenagers: http://www.kidshealth.org
MEDLINEplus is a site provided by the
world's largest medical library, the National Library of
Medicine. This site offers authoritative and current information on
over 650 diseases and medical conditions. The information is free
and easy to use with topics leading to a medical encyclopedia and a
medical dictionary, diseases and conditions, health news, and
extensive information on prescription and nonprescription drugs.
Some resources are also available in French and Spanish: http://medlineplus.gov
Motherisk is a recognized Canadian authority on
drugs and other exposures in pregnancy. Motherisk telephone
counsellors (phone number: 416-813-6780) respond to parents and
medical professionals seeking information about the safety or risk
of common medications, drugs, medicinal plants, chemicals,
infections, FAS and substance abuse, and other agents that might
affect unborn children. Scientific papers and books on
maternal-fetal toxicology and health can be ordered online: http://www.motherisk.org
National Clearinghouse on Family Violence from Health Canada is a bilingual national resource
centre for all Canadians seeking information about violence within
the family. Click on Family Violence to find current research
findings and information on all aspects of prevention, protection
and treatment: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/ncfv-cnivf/familyviolence/index.html
Parenting Press offers English and Spanish
books and online tip sheets for guiding, disciplining, and caring
for children. Subject areas deal with problem solving, conflict
resolution, self-esteem, acknowledging and dealing with feelings: http://www.parentingpress.com/index.html
PetitMonde, le portail de la famille et de
l'enfance - French site : This site addresses
issues in children ages 0-7 years old and is divided into three
catagories. There are over 25000 articles, reference tools and
general information: www.petitmonde.com
Vanier Institute of the Family is an
acknowledged Canadian leader on issues affecting families. This
institute believes that families are the key building blocks of
society. Bilingual publications focus on social, technology, and
cultural issues affecting families. Informative articles,
pamphlets, toolkits and guides for front line workers can be
downloaded or ordered online at: http://www.vifamily.ca/library/library.html
Visions is a website containing English
language information and resource links to research related to
Aboriginal population health, Aboriginal identity, traditions,
culture and relationship patterns. The goal is the improvement of
Aboriginal population health with a health promotion focus. The
section on Healthy Child Development contains an excellent
aboriginal resource list. Funding for the Visions web site project
was provided by the First Nations & Inuit Health Programs
Directorate M.S.B. Health Canada: http://www.visions.ab.ca
ZERO TO THREE promotes the healthy development
infants and toddlers. On the website, Parenting A to Z, Tips of the
week, Brain Wonders and The Magic of Everyday Moments feature
current knowledge about child development research and best
practices. Excellent publications in English and Spanish about
infant mental health can be ordered online: http://www.zerotothree.org/index.html
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