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Parent & Caregiver

Resources

Family awareness and early identification are often the first steps to effective treatment for children and youth with mental health disorders.  It’s easy to recognize when a child has a fever.  But a child’s mental health is different.  It can be difficult to distinguish between ‘normal’ problems that all children and adolescents experience from time to time, and behaviour that may be indicative of a mental health disorder.

Our goal is to share useful information to help you learn more about parenting and mental health issues.

9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline

A safe space to talk, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. If you are feeling like you have lost hope and are struggling to cope, if you are dealing with thoughts of suicide, or if you are worried about someone else, 9-8-8 is here for you. When you reach out, a trained responder will listen without judgement, provide support and understanding, and can tell you about resources that will help.

If you are in crisis, call or text 9-8-8 to get help. If your safety is at risk, call 9-1-1 right away.

Adopt4Life
Adopt4Life is Ontario’s Adoptive Parent Association! Adopt4Life is a community of people with lived experience that strengthens and empowers parents and caregivers to achieve permanency for children to reach their full potential. They believe parents and caregivers have a right to advocacy, support and guidance throughout their lifelong journey. Find resources, supports, and events for families.

Adoption Council of Ontario | Pathways to Permanence Program
This program is designed for Ontario-based adoptive, kinship, and customary care families who are parenting children who have experienced trauma and loss. The program empowers parents and caregivers to apply tools and techniques to effectively parent their children and help them heal.

Anxiety Canada
Anxiety Canada is a registered charity and non-profit organization created to raise awareness about anxiety and support access to proven resources and treatment. They are a leader in developing free, online self-help and evidence-based tools to help manage anxiety.

They offer services and programs Canadians can trust, including:

  • award-winning free MindShift™ CBT app,
  • helpful online courses: My Anxiety Plans (MAPs), and
  • online group therapy program: MindShift™ CBT Groups.

BounceBack® Program
BounceBack® is a free skill-building program managed by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). It is designed to help adults and youth aged 15+ manage low mood, depression, anxiety, stress or worry. Delivered over the phone with a coach and through online videos, you will get access to tools that will support you on your path to mental wellness. BounceBack® Coaching is available for adults (18+ years of age) through the provincial Ontario Structured Psychotherapy (OSP) program.

CanFASD
The Canada Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Research Network (CanFASD) is a collaborative, interdisciplinary research network, with collaborators, researchers and partners across the nation. It is Canada’s first comprehensive national Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) research network.

Centre for ADHD Awareness Canada
CADDAC is a national  charity providing leadership in awareness, education, and advocacy for ADHD across Canada. CADDAC is committed to increasing the understanding of ADHD. Through generous donations, CADDAC’s programs support parents and individuals affected by ADHD. Key programs and initiatives include CADDAC’s Executive Functioning program,  group coaching programs, resource navigator program, educational events, awareness initiatives and advocacy initiatives.

Child and Parent Resource Institute | Leaky Brakes (Disinhibition Disorders)
CPRI offers tools necessary for the effective psychotherapeutic treatment of Tourette syndrome and associated disorders or leaky brakes, which are presented in streaming video format.

Child Mind Institute
The Child Mind Institute (CMI) is an independent, nonprofit dedicated to transforming the lives of children and families struggling with mental health and learning disorders.  CMI explores the concerns and challenges most commonly discussed by parents and provide expert guidance on how to respond in the most effective way. Visit their website to find a series of parent guides covering a broad range of topics, from the basics on children’s mental health and learning disorders to advice for parents handling common challenges.

Community Education Services
The Community Education Service (CES) of the Child and Youth Mental Health Program provides educational courses and skills training workshops to the community on a variety of topics, including parenting, child development and child and youth mental health concerns. Programs are available for children, youth and caregivers, and are held regularly at locations across the Greater Hamilton Area (GHA).

Families for Addiction Recovery
A national charity founded by parents of children who struggle or have struggled with problematic substance use associated with a concurrent mental health disorder. FAR offers free national, parent-to-parent support families struggling with addiction, privately by phone. If you are in the Toronto area, FAR also offers a free parent support group.

Family Connections | The Sashbear Foundation
Family ConnectionsTM (FC) is an evidence-based 24-hour group program for people who are in a relationship with someone who has emotion dysregulation or related problems. It is provided free of charge to participants.

Family ConnectionsTM provides skills, support and hope for family members or friends of someone with emotion dysregulation, to regain balance in their lives. Sashbear delivers this international, evidence-based program throughout Canada in both French and English, provided by trained peer family members who speak from personal experience.

FASD ONE
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Ontario Network of Expertise (FASD ONE) is a group that works together to address issues related to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) in the province. FASD ONE is working to respond to emerging issues, changing environment, and available resources by focusing on priorities related to gaps or challenges associated with this complex disability.

Kids Help Phone | Resources for Caring Adults
Kids Help Phone offers a mental health website with over 400 resources including videos, games, and tools to help young people learn more about their well-being and Feel Out Loud. It’s also a space where folks can join our movement in support of youth mental health across Canada. Browse articles, tools and tips developed to help parents, caregivers, educators, and other caring adults support the young people in their lives.

The Knowledge Institute on Child and Youth Mental Health and Addictions | Resource Hub
The Knowledge Institute on Child and Youth Mental Health and Addictions support Ontario’s agencies, communities and decision makers to ensure the best mental health and well-being for every child, young person and family. The resource hub includes policy papers, reports, toolkits, and much more.

Offord Centre of Knowledge Pamphlets
The Offord Centre for Child Studies at McMaster University has a series of information pamphlets on child and youth mental health problems. The pamphlets cover the eight most common mental health problems, including anxiety, autism, attention problems, behaviour problems, eating disorders, mood problems, substance use, and Tourette Syndrome. The pamphlets have been developed and reviewed by experts in each field, and are available in French and English.

One Stop Talk
One Stop Talk offers children and youth (aged 0-17 years) immediate access to free mental health support when and how they need them. The program provides single-session counselling support and ensures direct referral to additional services when needed. Services are provided through an integrated network of infant, child and youth mental health agencies across Ontario.

You will receive:

  • Counselling from registered therapists from across the province
  • In the moment access to counselling, no appointment needed
  • Access to One Stop Talk after hours and on weekends
  • A plan you to take with you after the session that you co-create
  • Direct connection to services in your community within the same visit, as needed
  • The opportunity to self-select service when it’s right for you

To connect with a therapist, visit onestoptalk.ca or call 855-416-8255/TALK

Ontario Early Years Centres

Ontario Early Years Centres are funded by the Ministry of Education and are places where parents and caregivers can:

  • take part with their children in a range of programs and activities;
  • get answers to questions;
  • get information about programs and services that are available for young children and their families; and,
  • talk to early years professionals as well as parents and caregivers in the community

Ontario Structured Psychotherapy Program
Ontario Structured Psychotherapy (OSP) services are based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which is collaborative, goal-focused, and involves light reading and sessions with a trained mental health professional.
  • FREE and convenient services in multiple languages for adults (18+)
  • Better manage low mood, stress or anxiety
  • Available in-person and virtually

Parents for Children's Mental Health
A non-profit, provincial, parent-run organization providing a voice for children and their families who face the challenges of mental health problems in Ontario. We work with families, the general public, mental health professionals and agencies, and government to provide education, support and advocacy.

PLEO
A non-profit family support organization for parents and caregivers whose children (up to age 24) are dealing with mental health and/or addiction challenges. The organization is staffed with parents who have supported their own children with these challenges. PLEO offers several support groups across Ontario, as well as a confidential telephone helpline, and an extensive library of resources.

Prevention and Early Intervention Program for Psychoses (PEPP) | Parent Support Group
The Prevention and Early Intervention Program for Psychoses is a community focused mental health program located in London, Ontario at the London Health Sciences Centre. If you are concerned that you or a loved one may be experiencing an episode of psychosis, we aim to provide you with prompt support.

School Mental Health Ontario | Parent and Caregiver Resources
We all want our children to feel mentally well, grow up happy and learn how to navigate life’s challenges. It’s not always easy to know what to do. School Mental Health Ontario (SMHO) is here to help. SMHO is a provincial implementation support team that helps school districts enhance student mental health through the use of evidence-informed strategies and services. Find out about resources available to Ontario parents and caregivers and learn key facts about children’s mental health.

Sickkids About Kids Health
Children’s mental health plays an important role in their development, education and overall health. Experts at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have developed a new mental health resource that provides credible, plain language content on children’s mental health. Parents, teachers and healthcare providers can use this comprehensive educational tool to obtain information and support throughout the mental health journey. The resource includes evidence-based information on a range of topics.

Sickkids About Kids Health | Teens: Gender and Identity Resources
Resources to answer questions you may have on sex, gender, and sexual orientation as well as how to find support and resources when you need them.