Practice and Training

At the CCDMP, we foster the meaningful integration of developmental and clinical research and practice that is supported by strong partnerships with practice leaders and policy makers, community organizations, caregivers and young people themselves. We strive to achieve this through co-creating knowledge with practice partners who contribute to the continuous cycle of knowledge creation and mobilization. Our practice and training initiatives focus on developing and applying evidence-based interventions and training curricula for parents and service professionals to promote positive development and mental health in all children. We work closely with community organizations from service areas such as child mental health, child welfare, and education to help us find new ways to share what we learn from our research with clinicians, practitioners, educators, and families.

Practice

We have established research–practice partnerships with local, national, and international organizations to work together on community-based initiatives. This connected approach improves our research and helps our partners understand and address the unique needs of diverse communities while capitalizing on strengths and supports that already exist. We integrate this community-focused knowledge into tailored interventions that meet the developmental and cultural needs of children and families, and thus provide appropriate support to nurture their mental health and potential

Training

Community and Professional Training

Based on the results of our inter-disciplinary research and research–practice initiatives, we develop, implement, and evaluate training approaches for caregivers, practitioners, and service sector leaders who work with children of all backgrounds. Our training curricula focus on the promotion of children’s social-emotional development and mental health, including in adverse contexts of trauma and stress. We evaluate the feasibility and impact of our training approaches and report practice and training implications to a broad scientific, community, and policy audience through peer-reviewed journal articles, conference and community presentations, and accessible mixed-media content across social media platforms. If you are interested in our community and/or professional training, please contact us here.

Community Engagement and Workshops

As a centre, we are committed to building relationships in the community and making research more accessible through our community engagement efforts. To support these efforts, we develop and offer workshops geared towards children, caregivers, and educators, and we support our partners in providing research-based services for children and families in the community.

Some of our recent community engagement efforts include:

• The 3Es Workshop: Community workshop offered in collaboration with Erin Mills Connects. The workshop was geared towards caregivers and educators, and focused on children’s social-emotional development and ways to nurture the 3Es of emotion regulation, empathy for the self, and empathy for others. 
• Beautiful Mind Day: Delivered evidence-based programming in partnership with Erin Mills Connects to support well-being and mental health for students in Grades 4–8
• Kindness Hall of Fame: Social media campaign celebrating people of all ages and walks of life who keep kindness going in their communities
• Wonder Lab Art Sessions: Arts-based workshop delivered in schools in the local community

Student Training

The CCDMP is also an academic, professional, and leadership training ground for students of different levels and disciplines. We offer courses, workshops, and community- and laboratory-based research–practice opportunities for the next generation of child development and mental health scholars, practitioners, and policymakers.Current and prospective undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral students can apply here and read below for more information. 

The CCDMP offers a number of research opportunities for students considering careers in child, clinical, developmental, and school psychology, as well as for those considering medical training with an interest in child health and development.

Research Opportunities for Undergraduate Students

There are three main research-based opportunities for undergraduates interested in getting involved in research in the SEDI lab.

1. Research Opportunity Program (ROP) ⇾

2. Individual Research Project (IRP) ⇾

3. Undergraduate Honours Thesis ⇾

You can also join the SEDI lab as a paid Research Assistant (RA), a work-study student, or a trainee. If you are an undergraduate student and are interested in joining the Laboratory for Social-Emotional Development and Intervention, please complete an ⇾online form here. Paid RA and work study positions will be posted on CLN when they are available. See the comparison of research-based opportunities to determine which option may be the best fit for you.

Comparison of Research-Based Opportunities:

Community and Professional Training

Community Training

Strengths-based training is offered to support the abilities of caregivers and practitioners to promote social-emotional capacities and mental health in young children, the caregiver–child relationship, and caregiver and child mental health. More coming soon.

Professional Certificate Course

Professional training is offered to practitioners and policy makers to support an understanding of child social-emotional development and mental health, as well as an integration of this knowledge into practice and policy. We share fundamentals of child social-emotional development, mental health, and how research-practice partnerships inform resource allocation and strategic planning. Tailored to the specific needs of the sector and organization, training modules focus on how to apply child development concepts to monitor progress, outcomes and evaluate approaches to improve services for children and families. More coming soon.