The F-words for Child Development

Reminder of Community of Practice members meeting today at 3pm ET.
For questions about the Implementation Community of Practice please email: [email protected]

CanChild on Tour!
This year, the Annual Conference of the European Academy of Childhood Onset Disability (EACD Bruges 2024) was a spectacular event in the picturesque city of Bruges, Belgium. With a record-breaking 1,200 attendees, it was the largest gathering of professionals and individuals with lived experiences in the academy's history!

Our CanChild team shone brightly, presenting an impressive 28 contributions across oral presentations, instructional courses, mini-symposia, and posters. It was heartening to see how frequently other presentations referenced CanChild's impactful work, such as the F-words, GMFM, and innovative tools like PEM-CY and PREP. A big thank you to all the researchers and students who contributed to these outstanding presentations!

The conference was not just about sharing knowledge but also about building connections. We had the fantastic opportunity to kick off CanChild's 35th anniversary celebrations, themed "35 Years of Lived Experience," with a special get-together at one of Bruges' renowned breweries. Living by our co-founder Peter Rosenbaum’s motto, "Only do research with people you would have a beer with," we enjoyed a wonderful evening of camaraderie—non-alcoholic options were, of course, available too!

Now back in Canada, we're eagerly looking forward to reuniting with many of these amazing colleagues at the upcoming AACPDM conference in beautiful Quebec City. Right after that, we are excited to host the CanChild 35th Anniversary Conference at McMaster University on October 28th. Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more details on registration. We can't wait to see you there!

Reminder for the F-Words Implementation Community of Practice meeting on June 4th at 3pm ET.
With presentations from our New Zealand friends from Paediatric OT and PT and Auckland University of Technology sharing their F-Words implementation journey.
For inquiries on this Community of Practice please email: [email protected]

Introducing a new video told from the family voice.

🎥F-words for Child Development: From the voice of a Parent, shows how this approach focuses on strengths and the things a child, youth and family can do!
CanChild Hamilton

There are links to tools that can help you tell your F-words story and includes information on further learning opportunities.

CanChild F-words Family Video This is "CanChild F-words Family Video" by CanChild on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

Introducing! A new 7-minute video that can be used in clinical, teaching, and community settings that outlines the ICF (International Classification for Functioning, Disability and Health) and CanChild's F-words for Child Development.

🎥The ICF and F-words: Learning Through Family Stories video describes how these frameworks facilitate strength-based, family centred, holistic, relational, and lifespan approaches to collaborative child and family services.There are links to further information, tools, and additional learning opportunities.

Voice of a Parent video coming soon. 🙂

CanChild Hamilton

CanChild F-words Learner Video This is "CanChild F-words Learner Video" by CanChild on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

Please see post for tonight’s session with CPABC. Thank you for hosting and sharing this space.

🚨 There is still time to register for our Caregiver Connections TONIGHT at 5:30pm!

What are your Favourite Words?? For us, they are Family. Friends, Function, Fun, Fitness and Future.

Join us to learn about this planning framework (also known as the F-words) from the people at CanChild. Rachel Teplicky, Lynda Moore and Danijela Grahovac, our favorite words is a framework developed to reflect the World Health Organization’s International Classification Of Functioning Of Disability. This framework is being increasingly used by early intervention and schools to provide a holistic planning tool. Learn from researchers and parents in how this model can help your communications with schools or anyone serving a person with disability.

To register contact: [email protected]

Please share with families this great opportunity for caregivers to learn the F-Words in a virtual learning session presented by CanChild along with CPABC (Cerebral Palsy Association of BC). To register or for more information please email: [email protected]
Caregiver’s Connection Our Favourite F-Words.
May 13th (5pm Pacific Time).

Today. Reminder for Community of Practice members to join today for our F-Words Implementation co-learning and sharing session. We are also very lucky to have members from BC-Centre for Ability (BC-CFA) sharing their F-words implementation journey with us!
For inquires to join please email: [email protected] for the F-Word Implementation CoP.

F-Words Implementation Community of Practice meeting reminder. May 7th
For information please email: [email protected]
and ask about the Community of Practice for those implementing the F-Words for Child Development.

F-Words Implementation Community of Practice meeting reminder. May 7th
For information please email: [email protected]
and ask about the Community of Practice for those implementing the F-Words for Child Development.

Thank you, Prince George, for hosting in-person Foundations and Implementation Training. So many great voices from many areas of BC and Yukon! Such kind and welcoming individuals and wonderful passion and excitement! Thank you, everyone, for the great discussions on how you envisage implementing the F-Words (or how you will continue to grow your ideas), for the formal and informal conversations throughout the days and for the options of connection within groups and individuals so that you can continue to co-learn and support.

Thank you, Gitlaxdax Nisga'a Terrace Society, for hosting our welcoming room and nourishing meals during the Terrace in-person Foundations and Implementation training days. Thank you to all who arrived from near and far for this honest co-learning session. It is beautiful to meet and hear from the individuals who provide their expertise and passion for so many children and families in BC. Wonderful to share a space, a meal and inspiration for future relationships and ideas in breathtaking landscape and care filled people.

Kelowna, with your beautiful accessible playgrounds! Thank you for hosting an in-person F-Words Foundations Training. Thank you, everyone, who came in and contributed to these sessions of co-learning and exploring possibilities. What a wonderful group of diverse individuals so open to sharing and so welcoming. Thank you.

Thank you Val and Stephanie of Queen Alexandra Centre for Children’s Health for sharing your F-Words Implementation with us in the Comox Valley sessions.

Lot’s of excitement and learning in Comox Valley as wonderful organizations and individuals gathered to learn and discuss Friends, Family, Fitness, Functioning, Fun and Future!

BC Families! Thank you to the CPABC for hosting Caregiver Connections. Register with [email protected] for an F-Words learning and discussion session on May 13th over zoom.
5:30-7:00pm PT.
Delivered for families by families.

It is Day 3 of !🌈

Rae shares her inspiring journey of using CanChild's knowledge to champion neurodiversity and advocate for inclusivity.

Today is Pink Shirt Day, a globally recognized movement dedicated to raising awareness about bullying and promoting kindness.

At CanChild, we believe that every child and youth deserves to feel safe, respected, and included. That's why we conduct research that improves the lives of children with disabilities and their families.
Join us in wearing pink today and share your stories of kindness using and .

Together, we can make a difference! 💗

Based on the World Health Organization ICF Framework, the six F-Words (Our Favourite Words) bring a positive, strength based approach to health and development​. One of those six words is Family.
To learn more about the six F-Words (Family, Friends, Functioning, Fun, Fitness, Future) or how to use them for your family or organization visit:
https://canchild.ca/en/research-in-practice/f-words-in-childhood-disability

We are currently accepting participants for this research study. Please contact Sarah for more information or to register.
email: [email protected]

Are you a service provider to, or a family member (parent/caregiver) of, someone with a developmental concern in Canada?
If so, we would like to invite you to be part of our F-Words Foundations Course study!
The ‘F-words for Child Development’ (Functioning, Family, Fitness, Fun, Friends, Future) provide a family-centred, strengths-based, holistic approach to child health and development.
For the study, you will choose to complete one of two versions of the online F-words Foundations Course: (i) the self-paced version; or (ii) an online facilitated version that involves the self-paced version plus weekly one-hour online discussion groups with other caregivers and service providers.
You will also be asked to complete a questionnaire at baseline, program completion, and three months post-completion. A subset of parents and service providers will be asked if they would like to participate in an optional interview upon of completing the program.
Please contact Sarah, [email protected], if you would like more information about the study.
Thank you!

February 6th marked the first F-Words Community of Practice meeting with friends from across Canada and in New Zealand. We are so excited to continue this F-Words Implementation Journey with each of you and to learn together.

“Having a team that uses the F-Words helps me, as a parent, when I get overwhelmed with options or lack of. It keeps focus for the appointment and for the Future. Our team PT will say, ‘Let’s F-Words This!’ and together we can use the F-Words Tools and common language to find the right path for my child and family."
- parent, QA EIP

Thank you, Queen Alexandra Centre for sharing your F-Words enthusiasm.
Visit our Knowledge Hub for resources, Tools and learning options.
https://canchild.ca/en/research-in-practice/f-words-in-childhood-disability

“When we began our child’s journey, it was such a learning curve for their health and what is available. I didn’t even know what an OT does!” - parent (early intervention for complex health child)

How does your team share the F-Words with families and community partners? Thank you, Queen Alexandra Centre for Children’s Health, for sharing one of your concepts.

We would love to see what your team has created.
email: [email protected]

SLP, Karen, shares how the F-Words complement her training and relationship building with families.

SLP, Karen, shares her perspective on the F-Words approach with a wonderful example of G’s F-word Profile.
Thank you Queen Alexandra team for sharing.

The F-Words Foundations Training Program is designed for organizations that are interested in learning foundational knowledge about the F-words and how to apply the F-words within their organization.

This February we will be looking at the F-Words from a clinician and team perspective. Thank you, Queen Alexandra Centre for Children’s Health, for sharing part of your journey with us.

“The F-Words language empowers our family to communicate in appointments the way we do at home.” - parent