Family Engagement in Research Program
Since its inception in 2018, the FER Program has been bringing families, researchers, and health professionals together to learn from each other about how to meaningfully partner in research and health care.
Co-founded by a dedicated team of family leaders and health researchers, the Family Engagement in Research (FER) Program is an international training program led by CanChild Centre for Childhood-Onset Disability Research at McMaster University and developed in partnership with Kids Brain Health Network and McMaster Continuing Education.
We offer foundational to advanced-level training courses (including two McMaster University Certificate of Completion courses), a growing international Community Network, and a variety of engagement support services. We prioritize equitable access to learning by implementing inclusive practices, creating accessible content, and welcoming individuals of all backgrounds and experience levels.
Our mission is to train, mentor, and mobilize the next generation of advocates, champions, and leaders in family engagement.
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FAMILY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM
Who we are and what we do
A dedicated team of family leaders and pediatric health service researchers in Canada who are working to advance family engagement in field of neurodevelopmental disability and child health research and practice through equitable training, knowledge mobilization and research initiatives.
Timeline
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FER Course2018
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Leadership Academy Needs AssessmentFER Knowledge Mobilization Program2020
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Youth & Young Adult Adaptation Study2021
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FER Sponsored CohortsFER Leadership Academy2022
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FER Fundamentals2023
Our Impact
By the numbers
- 360 FER Course graduates
from 18 countries - 21 FER Leadership
Academy Fellows - 13 Trained Course
Instructors - 6 research projects
on FER Program initiatives - FER Course scaled to the
Netherlands and Australia
8.55/10 FER Course satisfaction
Being able to share my own lived experience as a caregiver and be empowered to apply it to endeavours such as the Family Engagement in Research Program creates sustainable change that leads to flourishing - for me and for my children.
A Growing Community
Social media following:
- 860 Twitter Followers
- 430 Facebook Followers
- 380 newsletter subscribers
Growing national and international network of FER Champions across neurodevelopmental disability, child health, mental health, and women's health research.
The Family Engagement Program is co-developed, co-delivered, and co-led by a dedicated team of family leaders and pediatric health service researchers in Canada. Working together, our mission is to “advance family engagement in the field of neurodevelopmental disability (NDD) and child health through equitable training, mentorship, networking, and collaboration initiatives”.
The Family Engagement Program includes three levels of training: Family Engagement Fundamentals, Family Engagement in Research (FER) Course, and the FER Leadership Academy. All training courses are inclusive of trainees, researchers, patients, families, service providers, and decision makers. In addition, we have a multifaceted knowledge mobilization program, which is led by the Program Knowledge Broker and offers continuing mentorship, networking, and collaboration opportunities.
For questions related to the Family Engagement Program, contact fer@mcmaster.ca