RELATED RESEARCH
ASSESSING NATURAL SUPPORTS IN ORGANIZATIONS WORKING WITH ETHNOCULTURAL COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT ALBERTA
The Natural Supports Leadership Table was thrilled to partner with the University of Alberta’s School of Public Health MPH students on this report on the critical role of natural supports in Ethnocultural Communities in Alberta. The students interviewed 24 stakeholders about the importance of natural supports and what is needed to further support this valuable approach. Read their findings here.
Social Connection
Natural Supports are a critical form of social connection. For more information on the work being done to bring together academic and community efforts to improve social connection and social health in Canada, please check out the Canadian Alliance for Social Connection and Health.
ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are defined as negative, stressful, traumatizing events that occur before age 18, and are divided into 10 categories that fall under abuse, neglect and household dysfunction. These experiences create toxic stress. Children with ongoing toxic stress are more at risk to develop patterns of adaptive and physiological disruptions that can compromise health over the lifespan.
The objective of this work is to build, share and mobilize a knowledge platform in order to advance the uptake and coordinate the application of ACEs in Alberta using common language, best evidence and promising practices related to preventing and proactively supporting Alberta’s children and youth at risk of negative health consequences associated with ACEs.
AGENCIES BACKGROUND
PolicyWise is a not-for-profit organization incorporated in 2003 with a mandate to improve child, family and community well-being through leading, creating and mobilizing research and evaluation for evidence-informed social policy and practice.
The Children’s Mental Health Science Policy Practice Network (SPPN) was established in 2007 to mobilize the science of children’s mental health and addictions to inform policy development and implementation by engaging policy makers, practitioners, funders, researchers and educators from across disciplines.
THE ALBERTA FAMILY WELLNESS INITIATIVE (AFWI)
Started in 2007, the AFWI set out with an ambitious goal: to improve outcomes in health and wellbeing for children and families across Alberta. The AFWI has helped identify how and when to support children and families in the course of development, how to change how the brain development story unfolds so that all people, regardless of background and life circumstances, are given the chance to lead happier, healthier lives, build stronger communities, and reduce risk for mental health problems, including addiction.
A full list of resources and materials is available from their website here.
WELL-BEING AND RESILIENCY: A FRAMEWORK FOR SUPPORTING SAFE AND HEALTHY CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
First published in 2019, this Government of Alberta document was developed to increase prevention and early intervention services and supports for infants, children, youth and families in Alberta. The document builds on the Prevention and Early Intervention Framework for Children, Youth and Families of 2012 and reflects the most current research, leading practices, cultural diversity and an Indigenous worldview.
The Well-being and Resiliency Framework provides a rationale for and describes the ways of working to promote well-being and resiliency in Alberta. It defines the key elements of the prevention continuum of services, identifies desired outcomes, supports decision-making on funding and service delivery and promotes an understanding of how trauma impacts development.