School Mental Health Ontario has launched At your sideA comprehensive set of resources to help every family learn about mental health and well-being.
We know that parents and caregivers want their children to grow up in good physical and mental health, and that they already have many tools and strategies to ensure their children's health.
At your side recognizes the expertise of parents and caregivers, and offers resources to support learning and strengthen mental health and well-being in every family. The new learning crossroads is an online resource center co-created by parents/caregivers and school-based mental health professionals in Ontario. It is designed to meet the needs of Ontario families.
Resources and supports are available in multiple formats (web content, PDF files, videos and webinars) and in both French and English. Le Carrefour helps families ensure they have access to information and strategies that promote mental health and well-being at home.
Among the main themes addressed in the Learning Hub for parents/caregivers are:
- understanding mental health
- promoting mental health in the home
- supporting mental health at school
- managing stress and anxiety
- preventing substance abuse
- navigating the use of digital technology
- ask for help
A webinar series for parents/caregivers in English and French
The webinars, held live, will offer participants opportunities to ask questions, and will all be recorded in the At Your Side Learning Hub for future access.
The webinars will cover the following topics
- How to talk about substance use in the home (May 14 in English / May 21 in French)
- Current trends in student substance use in Ontario - what parents and caregivers need to know (May 22 in English / simultaneous interpretation in French will be provided)
- Recognizing the signs of substance use and addictive behavior (May 7 in English / May 13 in French)
- The overuse of technology and problem gambling (June 4 in English / simultaneous interpretation in French will be provided)
These resources aim to support the mental health and well-being of families by providing accessible and culturally appropriate information and tools. They align with the work we do at Conseil scolaire de district catholique des Aurores boréales to support student mental health.
