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Family Front and Centre: A Support Resource Promoting Healthy Child Development

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Getting Started - Your User's Guide

Getting Started - Your User's Guide

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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


Table of Content


National Advisory Committee

Nancy Engels
Project Coordinator, JFS
Montreal, Quebec

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

Consultants

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

Very special thanks to

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.

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Foreword

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

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Our Message to You

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 new window. 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.

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Please Note

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.

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Background

"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 new window.

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.

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About the Logo

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.

Logo, Family Front and Centre

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.

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Getting Started

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.

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A Strength-Based Approach

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.

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Topics in Family Front and Centre

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.

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Healthy Development: From Pregnancy Through Childhood

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.

Healthy Development: From Pregnancy Through Childhood

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.

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Developmental Milestones During Infancy

0-6 months

Physical Development Gross Motor
  • Lifts head up.
  • Head is steady on shoulder.
  • Turns over from back to front and from front to back.
Physical Development Fine Motor
  • Makes a fist as well as un-fist hand.
  • Makes swatting motions toward objects.
  • Bangs a spoon.
Cognitive Development
  • Begins to examine objects.
  • Begins to reach for observed objects.
Language Development
  • Makes cooing sounds.
  • Makes laughing sounds.
  • Makes gurgling sounds.
  • Cries when upset.
  • Turns toward direction of a person's voice.
  • Starts to make babbling noises.
Social Development
  • Begins to engage others with a social smile.
  • Starts to imitate others.
Emotional Development
  • Expresses many emotions, such as laughing, sadness, frustration, and distress.

6-12 months

Physical Development Gross Motor
  • Is able to sit with support.
  • Eventually gets into sit-up position by his/her self.
  • Is able to crawl on hands and knees.
  • Pulls self up to a standing position while holding onto furniture.
Physical Development Fine Motor
  • Reaches to grasp an object.
  • Grasps objects with thumb and forefinger.
  • Feeds self with own fingers.
  • Releases hand grip with intention.
Cognitive Development
  • Develops object permanence.
  • Responds to own name.
Language Development
  • Babbles.
  • Says 'Mama' and 'Dada,' though not always to correct person.
  • Communicates using a variety of vowel and consonant combinations.
  • Is able to gesture to express needs.
  • Understands the word 'no.'
Social Development
  • Begins to show preferences for objects and persons.
  • May demonstrate stranger anxiety.
  • Starts to use humour.
Emotional Development
  • Experiences mood changes that occur quickly.
  • Raises voice in order to receive attention.
  • Begins to share his/her emotions with others.

12-18 months

Physical Development Gross Motor
  • Begins to walk on his/her own.
  • May start running.
  • May start to jump with two feet.
  • Walks on stairs with help.
Physical Development Fine Motor
  • Picks up small objects with both hands.
  • Feeds self with spoon.
  • Uses a cup to drink.
  • Begins to scribble with a pencil.
  • Turns objects upside down.
  • May demonstrate a preference for handedness.
Cognitive Development
  • Finds hidden objects (fully developed object permanence).
  • Begins to initiate activities.
  • Recognizes and points to different body parts on him/herself.
Language Development
  • Begins to speak some words.
  • Growing language comprehension.
  • Points to body parts.
  • Says a command with a gesture, and eventually says a command without using gestures.
Social Development
  • Begins to use caregiver as a secure base to explore environment.
  • Begins to demonstrate some independent behaviours.
Emotional Development
  • Affectively shares emotions with others.
  • Develops a curiosity with the world and starts to explore.
  • Gives hugs and kisses to caregivers.
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Developmental Milestones During The Toddler Years

18 months - 3 years

Physical Development Gross Motor
  • Kicks objects.
  • Runs with ease.
  • May walk backwards and sideways.
  • Jumps in one place.
  • Climbs stairs using alternating feet.
Physical Development Fine Motor
  • Shows definite hand preference.
  • Stacks blocks, fits objects into one another.
  • Holds small and medium sized objects with one hand.
  • Helps with dressing and undressing of self.
  • Undresses self.
  • Demonstrates toilet training.
Cognitive Development
  • Completes simple problems and puzzles.
  • Understands different shapes.
  • Classifies objects into different sets.
Language Development
  • Speaks 2-3 word sentences.
  • Begins to use personal pronouns in speech, though often incorrect.
  • Begins to use words to express feelings.
  • Follows a 2 step command.
  • Is able to say own name.
Social Development
  • Demonstrates independence (e.g., starts to play alone).
  • Engages in parallel play.
  • Engages in cooperative play, but has problems with sharing.
  • Develops an awareness of sex differences.
Emotional Development
  • Has difficulty with changes in routine, which can result in temper tantrums.
  • Names and identifies many emotions (happy, sad, fearful, angry, etc.).
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Developmental Milestones During The Preschool Years

3-6 years

Physical Development Gross Motor
  • Squats on feet.
  • Balances on one foot.
  • Is able to stand on toes.
  • Rides bicycle with training wheels.
Physical Development Fine Motor
  • Dresses self.
  • Copies simple shape pictures.
  • Uses safety scissors.
  • Throws and catches a ball.
  • Completes large and small jigsaw puzzles.
  • Paints with a large brush.
  • Uses clay.
Cognitive Development
  • Sorts objects by colour and size.
  • Counts objects and compares amounts.
Language Development
  • Large and growing vocabulary (> 1000).
  • Uses pronouns appropriately.
  • Understands a complete sentence.
  • Uses imagination in speech.
Social Development
  • Plays with peers, including games with simple rules.
  • Begins to form an attachment to at least one peer.
  • Has an understanding of sharing.
  • Engages in imaginary play.
Emotional Development
  • Learns to control feelings of frustration.
  • Is able to discuss feelings.
  • Develops feelings of pride and positive view of self develops (related to self esteem).
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Bibliography

A complete bibliography is available on the website www.familyfrontandcentre.com new window. 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.

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Suggested Readings and Resources

I. General References

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

II. Topical References

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.

III. Publications For Families

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 new window

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 new window

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 new window

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 new window

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 new window

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 new window

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 new window

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 new window

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 new window

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 new window

IV. Suggested Websites

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 new window

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 new window

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 new window

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 new window

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 new window

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 new window

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 new window

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/ new window http://www.cpnp-pcnp.phac-aspc.gc.ca/ new window

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 new window

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 new window

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 new window

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 new window

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 new window

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 new window

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 new window

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 new window

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 new window

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 new window

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 new window

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 new window

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 new window

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