Every parent wants a better life and a bright future for their children.

When Maggie bravely left her home in the middle of the night escaping an abusive relationship, the Child Development Institute (CDI) was there to help her and her 8-year-old daughter Krista navigate housing and school systems while healing from domestic violence.

For more than 115 years, the Child Development Institute (CDI) has been a beacon of hope for children and families, providing innovative evidence-informed mental health care and early learning services in Toronto and through its national and international affiliates. Last year, CDI served over 8,000 children and youth, more than double the number from the previous year.

Thanks to CDI’s community of donors, these services are offered free of charge to families who need them most.

For Maggie, CDI’s free Shelters Program and School Liaison Program (SLP) were critical. “I was scared and really didn’t know what to expect being in a shelter,” Maggie recalls. Through connecting the family with a social worker, CDI was able to support Krista with transitioning to a new school, as well as help Maggie heal from her own traumas and challenges. 

However, Krista’s new teachers were concerned about her disruptive behaviour. Convinced that her daughter needed additional support, Maggie approached CDI’s SNAP® (Stop Now and Plan) team for help.

“Krista suffered from bullying at school. Not knowing how to deal with this – as well as having ADHD – badly affected her school experience,” says Maggie.

While CDI’s SNAP® Girls curriculum helped Krista control her impulsivity, it was SNAP®’s continuum of care that really turned things around for the family. “It had always been difficult for Krista to communicate effectively and make friends,” Maggie says. “SNAP helped Krista manage her feelings and express herself more clearly.”

1 in 5 children in Ontario will experience mental health challenges, and shockingly, more than 80% will go untreated. This staggering shortfall in addressing the mental health needs of children and youth leads to severe and lifelong health consequences, poor educational and employment outcomes, and a much higher risk of interaction with the criminal justice system.

Post-pandemic, the mental health crisis impacting children and families has surged across Canada, especially for equity-deserving communities facing systemic barriers to accessing treatment. This national emergency threatens the health, safety and prosperity of our current and future generations.

At a time of unprecedented need in our communities, CDI is committed to closing these critical gaps to offer families like Maggie and Krista a brighter and healthier future. 

As CDI embarks on serving 50,000 children and youth over the next five years, we look forward to working with our community to expand our services and make a positive, measurable impact on the mental health and well-being of families in need. 

*The above story is a representation of real client experiences. Names and details have been modified to maintain confidentiality.