Webinars and Podcasts
CanChild has partnered with Child Development Resource Connection Peel (CDRCP) to create a six-part webinar series on the F-words for Child Development—Function, Family, Fun, Friendships, Fitness, and Future.
The series begins with an introductory webinar on the World Health Organization’s ICF framework and how the F-words bring it to life for children with disabilities and their families. Each webinar then explores one F-word and its role in everyday development.
Below, you’ll also find podcasts that complement the series, offering additional insights and real-world perspectives.
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Introducing the F-words Framework
by Peter Rosenbaum, CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research, McMaster University
Function
This webinar is about the first ‘F-word’ in Childhood Disability, Function. In this webinar, you will learn about the importance of function in child development for children ages 0-6. You will be presented with introductory ideas about what we mean by function, perceptions of ‘normal’ functioning, and real-life examples that showcase the importance of function for everyday health and development. By the end of this webinar, we hope you will have a better understanding of everyday functioning and that the important thing is what the child is doing… not how they do it!
FUNCTION Webinar from CanChild
Family
This webinar presents information about the second ‘F-word’ in Childhood Disability, Family. In this webinar, you will learn how family is the essential ‘environment’ in a child’s lifeand the impact family has on child development. This is a particularly special webinar as it is presented by a parent partner of CanChild who shares her personal family experience and stories about her son who has Cerebral Palsy. Through her stories, you will learn about the importance of family-centred service and family engagement. By the end of this webinar, we hope you will have a better understanding of the significant rolefamily has on a child’s development and their overall wellbeing.
FAMILY Webinar from CanChild
Fun
This webinar presents information about the fourth ‘F-word’ in Childhood Disability, Fun. In this webinar, you will learn about the positive impact that playing and having fun has on a child’s cognitive, physical, social and emotional development. You will be introduced to the concept of fun and how families, health providers and educators play a critical role in encouraging and engaging in fun activities with children. By the end of this webinar, we hope that you have a better understanding of the importance of fun in all aspects of a child’s life; after all, isn’t having fun what childhood is all about?
FUN Webinar from CanChild
Fitness
This webinar presents information about the third ‘F-word’ in Childhood Disability, Fitness. In this webinar, you will learn about the importance of maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle and the impact this has on child development. You will be presented with information about what fitness looks like for children ages 0-6, ideas to promote fitness activities and how activities can be adapted to support children of all abilities. We hope that after completing this webinar you will have a better understanding of the importance of staying fit and healthy, andare motivated to encourage and promote fitness among children ages 0-6!
FITNESS Webinar from CanChild
Friends
This webinar presents information about the fifth ‘F-word’ in Childhood Disability, Friends. In this webinar, you will learn about the importance of encouraging and fostering friendships for children and the impact friendship has on a child’s social, cognitive and emotional development. You will learn how parents/caregivers, service providers and educators can encourage friendships between children and how to promote friendships for children with disabilities. By the end of this webinar, we hope that you have a better understanding of the importance of friendships in child development, and the role of friendships in supporting an overall happier and healthier childhood.
FRIENDS Webinar from CanChild
Future
This webinar is about the sixth ‘F-word’ in Childhood Disability, Future. In this webinar, you will be exposed to ideas that will encourage you to consistently think about a child’s future and how the future is an essential component of child development. You will be presented information about how both service providers and parents/caregivers can support a child’s goals, dreams and future. You will learn about taking a strengths-based approach to goal setting and how to plan for a child’s future. By the end of this webinar, we hope you have a better understanding of how to support children and their families in recognizing their current capacity, and achieving future goals and aspirations.
FUTURE Webinar from CanChild
Episode 59: A Conversation with Dr. Peter Rosenbaum and Elizabeth Chambers About the F‑words for Child Development
In this episode of Can We Talk?: Conversations in the Early Years, host Sue Lepore is joined by Dr. Peter Rosenbaum and Elizabeth Chambers for a rich and thoughtful conversation about the F-words for Child Development. Together, they explore how the six F-words—function, family, fitness, fun, friends, and future—offer a strengths-based approach to understanding and supporting the whole child.
Blending decades of research with lived experience, this conversation highlights a powerful shift from focusing on deficits to recognizing strengths, relationships, and possibilities. Through stories and practical insights, the episode emphasizes the importance of family partnerships, inclusive environments, and supporting children in ways that honour who they are and what matters most to them.
The F-words with Dr. Peter Rosenbaum and Elizabeth Chambers
This episode is part of the Can We Talk Podcast hosted by Sue Lepore. Click here to listen to the podcast and access the transcript.
Developments in Childhood Disability
What are the "F-Words" and how do they relate to the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Framework? If you want to learn more, tune in to this podcast from WiredOn Development featuring Dr. Peter Rosenbaum.
The F-words with Dr. Peter Rosenbaum, Danijela Grahovac and Andrea Cross
This episode is part of the Good Things in Life Podcast by Genia Stephen. Click here to listen to the podcast and access the transcript.
F-words Citation Analysis (Video Podcast)
Alice Soper and Vanessa Tomas talked about how service providers are using the F-Words around the world. This video podcast is based on the paper entitled Exploring the international uptake of the “F‐words in childhood disability”: A citation analysis. Read the article: https://doi.org/10.1111/cch.12680
F-words Citation Analysis (Video Podcast) from CanChild on Vimeo.
F-Words Citation Analysis (Video Abstract)
In this video abstract, Alice Soper discussed the results of her paper entitled Exploring the international uptake of the “F‐words in childhood disability”: A citation analysis. Read the article: https://doi.org/10.1111/cch.12680
F-Words Citation Analysis (Video Abstract) from CanChild on Vimeo.
Clinical Application of the 'F-Words' in Childhood Disability
An integrated team of researchers at CanChild created this webinar to support the use of 'F-words' by service providers around the world with families of children and youth with developmental disabilities and chronic health conditions.
Clinical Application of the 'F-words' in Childhood Disability from CanChild on Vimeo.
The F-Words in Child Development during COVID 19
As we cope with the impacts of COVID 19, Dr. Rosenbaum reminds us of the importance of family and our physical environment – our home – and its impact on health and development.
Focusing on Fitness: Participation in Parasports
This was a webinar presented by Christina Swett and Julia Hanes to discuss the role of parasports in the lives of children and adults with disabilities, and to show people how to get involved.
(Time: 48 minutes 01 seconds)
CRE-CP Education Podcasts
Hosted by the Centre of Research Excellence in Cerebral Palsy, Dr. Rosenbaum discusses the use of 'F-Words' in setting goals for children with neurodisability and their families.