Approaches to Disability

Close-up of an adult holding a baby's hand; the adult has blue nail polish and both wear bracelets, with another adult in the background wearing a patterned shirt.
At CanChild, we are dedicated to mapping out the developmental paths of children and young people with disabilities, from infancy through adulthood, with a focus on healthcare transitions and well-being.

Our efforts are geared toward promoting a deeper understanding of the developmental trajectories of children and youth with disabilities, and their families, from infancy through adulthood. Our Communities of Practices, including the Health Hub in Transition and CP-NET, and research programs, from GrowDMD, READYOrNot to MyStory, aim to promote successful outcomes of children and youth with disabilities and their families during critical life transitions. One key area of research is the transition to adulthood, where our research aims to identify and address the unique needs and challenges faced by children and youth with disabilities, and to support their full participation and inclusion in society.

Perspectives in childhood-onset disabilities: integrating 21st-Century concepts to expand our horizons

Learn about contemporary perspectives on childhood-onset neurodevelopmental disability that move beyond traditional biomedical views to focus on functioning, participation, and quality of life. Grounded in 21st-century concepts and the World Health Organization’s ICF framework, this work highlights child- and family-centred approaches, development across the lifespan, and broader, more inclusive ways of thinking about intervention and care.

Rosenbaum, P. L., Imms, C., Miller, L., Hughes, D., & Cross, A. (2025). Perspectives in  childhood-onset disabilities: integrating 21st-Century concepts to expand our horizons. Disability and Rehabilitation, 47(10), 2682–2692.

F-words for Childhood Development

Functioning, Family, Fitness, Fun, Friends, and Future. Find out why these 'F-words' are so important to child development 

Early intervention for parents

Functioning, Family, Fitness, Fun, Friends, and Future. Find out why these 'F-words' are so important to child development 

Family and Youth Engagement in Research

With family and youth engagement, people with lived/living experience work together with researchers throughout the research process – from identifying research questions to sharing the findings. 

List of Resources

Hip Surveillance in Children and Youth with Cerebral Palsy
Bringing the ‘F-Words’ to Life: How are families and service providers using the ‘F-words’ in practice?
My Favourite Words
F-words take Flight
F-words Citation Analysis Infographic
A Family-Researcher Partnership: Working together to spread awareness on the ‘F-words’ in Childhood Disability

List of Studies

CO-LAB FUTURES
BRIDGE-CPT
Using Artificial Intelligence to understand resource allocation needs at children’s treatment centres in Ontario: A pilot study
Tecla-e
Youth Engagement in Research
Multimorbidity Risk Assessment and Prevention