Health and Safety

New CMAS Online Course: Understanding Child Abuse and Your Duty to Report

Canada takes the protection of children very seriously. Each year thousands of children are subjected to abuse while in the care of their families. All of us who work with families need to understand our duty to report and role in protecting children. This includes knowing how to identify different types and indicators of abuse, cultural considerations, and steps to report and document suspected abuse–as well as strategies to support staff, parents, and children after a report has been made. All CNC program staff and administrators are encouraged to take our new interactive ecourse Understanding Child Abuse and Your Duty to Report.

Former Syrian refugee helps create new Sesame Street for displaced children

Mohammad Aljamous, a Syrian refugee now living in Whistler, B.C., used his own experience of displacement when he worked as a consultant for a new version of Sesame Street aimed at helping children fleeing conflict in the Middle East. CBC recently spoke with Aljamous about how he helped behind the scenes to create the special Arabic-language show that is intended to give kids skills to cope with trauma and is set to air in February 2020.

Surviving Cold & Flu Season

Cold & flu season generally occurs during the colder months of the year, between approximately October and May, making it less of a ‘season’ and something that needs to be top-of-mind for most of the year. While it is impossible to stop people from getting sick, it is possible to mitigate the risk and prevent germs from spreading.

Free Educational Posters for Food Allergy Awareness

To help you with food allergy awareness and education efforts in CNC, Allergic Living has developed this series of free 8.5 x 11-inch posters that can be customized to meet the needs of your program. Click a poster’s image to download it.

Government of Canada implements new regulations for corded window coverings

The Government of Canada is committed to providing consumer products that are safe, and to protecting children from harm. Health Canada has published the new Corded Window Coverings Regulations to restrict the length of cords and the size of loops allowed on window coverings sold in Canada, to avoid the possibility of their getting wrapped around a child's neck. The new regulations will come into force on May 1, 2021.

New National Program to Help Newcomers Navigate Paediatric Healthcare

Immigration officials have picked the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario to create a new national network to help newcomers to Canada overcome linguistic and cultural hurdles to care and understand our health system. A nationwide Newcomer Navigator Network aims to ensure standardized service delivery by health-care organizations serving both children and adults and by workers helping newcomers.

Children need to be active, so Have a Ball!

Physical activity is essential to healthy child development, and the early years are the best time to give kids an active start. But where do you begin? The Have a Ball Together website will give you the tools you need to be able to promote and encourage physical activity for children 0-6.

Webinar: Updated recommendations for early introduction of allergenic foods

Did you know that the Canadian Paediatric Society has updated recommendations on the early introduction of allergenic foods for high-risk infants? Register now to learn about the new recommendations.

New mental health videos for newcomers

It is important for families talk about mental health and for children to be supported if they have challenges, anxieties, or stresses in life. Ottawa Public Health (OPH) has launched two new videos about the mental health challenges of settling into a new country that you can share in your community.

Keeping Reusable Water Bottles Clean

We often ask parents to bring in reusable water bottles, but did you know that without proper cleaning, children's water bottles can be filled with germs? Reusable water bottles must be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized on a regular basis to avoid contamination.