CHILD-BRIGHT Coffee ChatS

Looking to connect with fellow CHILD-BRIGHT members in a casual, welcoming space?

Join us for CHILD-BRIGHT Coffee Chats, a monthly 30-minute virtual drop-in designed to spark collaboration, build relationships, and exchange ideas across our vibrant community. 

With no set agenda, each chat is an open invitation to: 

• connect with peers

• ask questions

• share insights and lived experiences

• explore new ideas and possibilities

Whether you are a youth research partner, clinician, caregiver, trainee, or team member, this is your space to listen, learn, and grow together.

Upcoming themed chats (save the dates):

• November 27, 2025 (1:30 pm PT | 4:30 pm ET)  Bring-your-favourite-mug edition: Show us your favourite mug, tell us where it's from, and why you love it.

• December 18, 2025 (9:00 am PT | 12:00 pm ET)  Holiday hat edition: Show off your most festive headwear.

• January 22, 2026 (1:30 pm PT | 4:30 pm ET)  Pre-conference edition: Get to know fellow members before the 2026 CHILD-BRIGHT event.

• February 26, 2026 (9:00 am PT | 12:00 pm ET)  Chocolate edition: Bring your favourite chocolate and share what makes it special.

• March 26, 2026 (1:00 pm PT | 4:00 pm ET) ️ Zoom background beach party : Choose your favourite beachy background and take a virtual break with us.

Register today!

Integrating lived experience of clinicians and families to inform implementation science

The CHILD-BRIGHT Network has been focused on Implementation Science as one of it’s program areas for the past 3 years. This series aims to highlight the work of some of our graduate trainees, postdoctoral fellows, and early career researchers, while providing a more detailed look at some of the implementation science projects and tools that are being used across the Network.

Join us as we learn together about how implementation science can be used to support real-word impact as we work to create brighter futures for children and youth with brain-based developmental disabilities and their families. 

SPEAKERS

Laesa Kim, Family Liaison, CHILD-BRIGHT Pain Pathways research project. 

Sharon Hou, Postdoctoral Fellow, CHILD-BRIGHT Pain Pathways research project. 

Answering Parents’ Questions About Cerebral Palsy

Date: Thursday,  November 12, 2025
Time: 9:00-10:00am PT | 12:00-1:00pm ET
Speakers: Annette Majnemer and Michael Shevell
Where: Hybrid (online and in-person)

What:
1. To appreciate parental concerns regarding cerebral palsy.

2. To appreciate the scientific discoveries that have evolved in the past decades to answer these parental questions.

3. To understand the value of working with interdisciplinary research teams that include parent engagement.

CHILD-BRIGHT Coffee ChatS

Looking to connect with fellow CHILD-BRIGHT members in a casual, welcoming space?

Join us for CHILD-BRIGHT Coffee Chats, a monthly 30-minute virtual drop-in designed to spark collaboration, build relationships, and exchange ideas across our vibrant community. 

With no set agenda, each chat is an open invitation to: 

• connect with peers

• ask questions

• share insights and lived experiences

• explore new ideas and possibilities

Whether you are a youth research partner, clinician, caregiver, trainee, or team member, this is your space to listen, learn, and grow together.

Upcoming themed chats (save the dates):

• October 30, 2025 (9:00 am PT | 12:00 pm ET)  Halloween edition: Share your favourite costumes, traditions and spooky treats. 

• November 27, 2025 (1:30 pm PT | 4:30 pm ET)  Bring-your-favourite-mug edition: Show us your favourite mug, tell us where it's from, and why you love it.

• December 18, 2025 (9:00 am PT | 12:00 pm ET)  Holiday hat edition: Show off your most festive headwear.

• January 22, 2026 (1:30 pm PT | 4:30 pm ET)  Pre-conference edition: Get to know fellow members before the 2026 CHILD-BRIGHT event.

• February 26, 2026 (9:00 am PT | 12:00 pm ET)  Chocolate edition: Bring your favourite chocolate and share what makes it special.

• March 26, 2026 (1:00 pm PT | 4:00 pm ET) ️ Zoom background beach party : Choose your favourite beachy background and take a virtual break with us.

Register today!

Leveraging Social Media to Engage with Families from Diverse Cultural-Linguistic Communities

Our Kids' Health Network (kidshealthnetwork.org) provides evidence‑based health information tailored for families, translated and adapted across multiple cultural and linguistic communities.It features a “Learning Hub” with resources in more than ten languages and covers topics ranging from parenting and child development to disease, safety, and emotional well‑being.

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Describe the key components of Cultural and Linguistic Responsiveness and the profound impact of health misinformation and disinformation in online spaces.

• Identify key features of the Our Kids' Health (OKH) platform that contribute to cultural inclusivity and community engagement on social media.

• Recognize strategies for integrating culturally and linguistically responsive methods in online initiatives for BIPOC parents.

SPEAKERS

Easing Pain, Advancing Care

Provided by the CHILD-BRIGHT Network in collaboration with Children’s Healthcare Canada.

Children with severe neurological impairments often experience persistent, unexplained pain and irritability, compounded by limited ability to verbally communicate their distress. The CHILD-BRIGHT Pain Pathway team developed the Pain Pathway, a systematic clinical tool designed to support clinicians in assessing and managing pain while improving care for families.  

This webinar will provide an overview of the multi-phased project, from clinical trial to implementation. It will highlight the clinical complexity of assessing pain and irritability; the project’s relevance and impact for clinicians, children with health complexity, and their families; as well as key lessons for patient-oriented research and implementation science. 

SPEAKERS

Hal Siden is a Clinical Professor at the University of British Columbia and an Investigator at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute. He is a specialist in pediatric palliative care, and his clinical and research interests include pediatric pain, complex care, and palliative medicine. Dr. Siden is a passionate educator and advocate, and he continues to shape the future of pediatric palliative care through compassionate clinical work and innovative research. 

Stephanie Glegg is an Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia and an Investigator at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute. Dr. Glegg is an implementation scientist who studies the most effective ways to move knowledge into action to improve health, health services delivery, and health systems. Her work supports pediatric and adult populations, and spans individual, organizational, community and policy contexts.

Sharon Hou is an Assistant Professor at Simon Fraser University and a Psychologist and Investigator at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute. Her clinical and research interests focus on diversity and health equity in child health and wellness, with particular attention to the role of culture in shaping health outcomes. Dr. Hou’s work aims to inform the creation and delivery of culturally responsive interventions to underserved and underrepresented communities of children and families. 

YOuth advocates putting skills into practice

Curious about being part of a national youth advocacy council? Wondering how it can help with school, work, and/or community leadership?

Join us this October 20 for a free, youth-led online session with current and former members of the National Youth Advocacy Council (NYAC) from the CHILD-BRIGHT Network in partnership with Kids Brain Health Network (KBHN).

Panelists will share the real-world skills they’ve gained, like:
•️ Navigating power dynamics
•️ Leading with confidence
• Collaborating across teams
• Thinking critically and creatively

You’ll have a chance to ask questions and share your experience too!

Co-hosted by Kids Brain Health Network (KBHN) and CHILD-BRIGHT Network, this session will explore how hybrid effectiveness-implementation studies can bridge the gap between research and real-world practice. Join Dr. Sara Landes, along with Dr. Gabriela Szydlowski and Ebrahim Mahmoudi (sharing a CHILD-BRIGHT case example) to dive into the three distinct types of hybrid studies—what sets them apart, how they work, and when to use each to maximize impact.

How art CAN bring your research to life!

From visual storytelling, photography to zine-making, researchers can utilize creative ways of expression to make research findings more accessible to families, clinicians, policymakers, and other end-users of evidence. Arts-based knowledge mobilization (KM) can be an innovative way to communicate with your audience and meaningfully engage partners on your research project.  

This webinar was held on August 28 from 2-3 pm E.T. | 11am-12pm P.T. and covered the following topics:

1. Why arts-based approaches matter in youth-led and patient-oriented research 
2. How the Youth Engagement in Mental Health Policymaking guide came to life 
3. Practical arts-based tools, templates and tips 

Enjoy the webinar recording!

Since 2022, CHILD-BRIGHT has been focused on moving evidence into action through implementation science, the study how an intervention will interact with “real-world” settings. Our 12 research project teams are working to better understand how evidence generated in Phase 1 of the network can be applied in routine practice to improve quality and effectiveness of health services for children and youth with brain-based developmental disabilities and their families.   

In our 2025 webinar series, Implementing Together, CHILD-BRIGHT’s graduate trainees, postdoctoral fellows, and early career researchers will serve as guides to the implementation science projects and tools that are being used across the network.  

Join us as we learn together about how implementation science can be used to support real-world impact as we work to create brighter futures for children and youth with brain-based developmental disabilities and their families. 

Thinking about the future of your research project? This session can help! Join us on Wednesday, July 9 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. PT for an introduction to sustainability planning for research and using a tool called the Program Sustainability Assessment Tool (PSAT), that can be used to help you plan for the future of your project.  

We’ll also be sharing updated results about how the overall CHILD-BRIGHT Network is using the PSAT to help plan for the future of the Network.  

SPEAKERS

This event has passed. Watch the recording below:

Since 2022, CHILD-BRIGHT has been focused on moving evidence into action through implementation science, the study how an intervention will interact with “real-world” settings. Our 12 research project teams are working to better understand how evidence generated in Phase 1 of the network can be applied in routine practice to improve quality and effectiveness of health services for children and youth with brain-based developmental disabilities and their families.   

In our 2025 webinar series, Implementing Together, CHILD-BRIGHT’s graduate trainees, postdoctoral fellows, and early career researchers will serve as guides to the implementation science projects and tools that are being used across the network.  

Join us as we learn together about how implementation science can be used to support real-world impact as we work to create brighter futures for children and youth with brain-based developmental disabilities and their families. 

Implementation strategies are the specific methods or actions used to get people to use evidence-based programs in real-world settings. This session will explain what are implementation strategies and introduce you to a list of (many!) potential strategies that can help you think about ways to implement your research program beyond just education and training.   

SPEAKER

This event has passed. Watch the recording below:

Parents of medically complex infants in the NICU experience elevated stress, anxiety, and depression, particularly during the transition from hospital to home. Although health care is often well-coordinated, psychosocial support for families remains insufficient. Join us on May 27 to hear from the Coached, Coordinated, Enhanced Neonatal Transition (CCENT), a study that evaluated a nurse navigator (NN)-led intervention to support parents during this transition.
Participants will:

• Gain insight into the emotional and psychological challenges faced by parents of medically complex infants during the NICU-to-home transition.

• Learn how integrated care models, particularly the CCENT approach, address both medical and psychosocial needs of families, supporting mental health outcomes for parents and high-risk infants.

• Explore strategies for enhancing parental support during the NICU-to-home transition by incorporating a navigator role.

SPEAKERS

Kayla Esser is a clinical research manager at SickKids Hospital in Toronto. Her research aims to improve care for children with medical complexity and their caregivers.

Natasha Bruno is a PhD student in Health Systems Research at the University of Toronto and a Research Manager in the Orkin Lab at SickKids Research Institute. She is passionate about optimizing health services for children with medical complexity and their families.

Angie Lim is a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Professional Practice, a Research Associate, and a Post-doctoral Fellow in Child Health and Evaluative Sciences at SickKids. With almost 20 years of nursing experience, Angie is dedicated to collaboration within complex healthcare environments to advance care.

Fabiana Bacchini is the Executive Director of the Canadian Premature Babies Foundation (CPBF) and a passionate advocate for preemies and their families. Fabiana champions parental involvement in NICU care and research through the Family Integrated Care (FICare) model.

“Building Bridges: Bridging Science and Patients" is an event series that will connect emerging researchers and the patient partner communities in the neuromuscular fields. The event’s mission is to foster meaningful collaboration between patient partners and researchers to ensure that scientific communication is accessible, empowering, and inclusive.

This event has passed. Watch the recording below:

Since 2022, CHILD-BRIGHT has been focused on moving evidence into action through implementation science, the study how an intervention will interact with “real-world” settings. Our 12 research project teams are working to better understand how evidence generated in Phase 1 of the network can be applied in routine practice to improve quality and effectiveness of health services for children and youth with brain-based developmental disabilities and their families.   

In our 2025 webinar series, Implementing Together, CHILD-BRIGHT’s graduate trainees, postdoctoral fellows, and early career researchers will serve as guides to the implementation science projects and tools that are being used across the network.  

Join us as we learn together about how implementation science can be used to support real-world impact as we work to create brighter futures for children and youth with brain-based developmental disabilities and their families. 

Why does the CHILD-BRIGHT Network keep talking about “barriers and facilitators”? On May 14 at 10:30 a.m. PT/1:30 p.m. ET, we’ll explain what are barriers and facilitators in implementation science, why they matter, and how to identify them. We’ll also introduce the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research 2.0 (CFIR 2.0), a common implementation framework being used by several CHILD-BRIGHT projects.

SPEAKERS

Engagement science and implementation science share common goals—bridging research and practice to create meaningful change. But how do they intersect, and how can we leverage their synergy for greater impact?

Join an expert panel as it explores engagement strategies in implementation initiatives and discuss ways to advance engagement efforts in implementation research and practice.

This event has passed. Watch the recording:

Since 2022, CHILD-BRIGHT has been focused on moving evidence into action through implementation science, the study how an intervention will interact with “real-world” settings. Our 12 research project teams are working to better understand how evidence generated in Phase 1 of the network can be applied in routine practice to improve quality and effectiveness of health services for children and youth with brain-based developmental disabilities and their families.   

In our 2025 webinar series, Implementing Together, CHILD-BRIGHT’s graduate trainees, postdoctoral fellows, and early career researchers will serve as guides to the implementation science projects and tools that are being used across the network.  

Join us as we learn together about how implementation science can be used to support real-world impact as we work to create brighter futures for children and youth with brain-based developmental disabilities and their families. 

On April 16, join us for a (re)introduction to implementation science — what it is, why it matters, and what we are learning about this burgeoning field. We’ll explore how implementation science helps bridge the gap between evidence and practice, and share some early findings about how implementation science theories, models, and frameworks are being used across the CHILD-BRIGHT Network to improve outcomes for children and youth with brain-based developmental disabilities and their families.  

SPEAKERS

This event has passed. Watch the recording below:

Patient-oriented research (POR) is an approach that involves partners with lived and living experience (PWLEs) at each step of a research study or project. To do POR successfully, it’s important to communicate in a way that is understandable and accessible to all research partners, no matter their perspectives, experiences, expertise, or background. Patient-oriented researchers also are interested in putting research into action by sharing research findings outside of ‘traditional’ academic publications and venues.  

To do any of these things, you need to be able to write accessibly. If you’re looking to improve your ability to communicate with a range of audiences and increase your impact as a public scholar, please join us for What’s the Story?, a three-part introduction to POR communications! 

Part 3: How to talk to the media about patient-oriented research will focus on essential skills for sharing your patient-oriented research with the media. Join us for a panel discussion to hear from experts on how to effectively communicate scientific stories to a lay audience and increase your presence as a public scholar. 

You will learn:  

• What journalists are looking for in a scientific story 

• How to place a story in a major outlet 

• How to communicate effectively with non-specialists 

• And more! 

SPEAKERS

MODERATOR

This event has passed. If you missed it, you can watch the recording below:

Patient-oriented research (POR) is an approach that involves partners with lived and living experience (PWLEs) at each step of a research study or project. To do POR successfully, it’s important to communicate in a way that is understandable and accessible to all research partners, no matter their perspectives, experiences, expertise, or background. Patient-oriented researchers also are interested in putting research into action by sharing research findings outside of ‘traditional’ academic publications and venues.  

To do any of these things, you need to be able to write accessibly. If you’re looking to improve your ability to communicate with a range of audiences and increase your impact as a public scholar, please join us for What’s the Story?, a three-part introduction to POR communications! 

Part 2: How to use social media to do public scholarship will focus on using social media to increase the reach and impact of patient-oriented research. Hear from CHILD-BRIGHT members about how they’ve leveraged social media platforms to reach potential research participants, engage the public, create community, disseminate findings, and more. 

You will learn:  

• The latest social media trends in health care research

• How to craft effective messaging for impact

• How to keep a public engaged 

• How to grow your audience over time

• And more! 

SPEAKERS

MODERATOR

This event has passed. If you missed it, you can watch the recording below:

Join neonatologist Annie Janvier, parent research partner Rebecca Pearce, and co-principal investigator Thuy Mai Luu for an eye-opening webinar highlighting the contrast between preterm birth outcomes that are traditionally measured in neonatology and those that really matter to parents.

The speakers will:

• Explore why and when preterm birth outcomes are measured

• Examine the limitations of traditional outcome measures

• Present the outcomes that are important to families

• Explain how outcome measures could be optimized to better reflect the family experience

SPEAKERS

This event has passed. If you missed it, you can watch the recording below:

Patient-oriented research (POR) is an approach that involves partners with lived and living experience (PWLEs) at each step of a research study or project. To do POR successfully, it’s important to communicate in a way that is understandable and accessible to all research partners, no matter their perspectives, experiences, expertise, or background. Patient-oriented researchers also are interested in putting research into action by sharing research findings outside of ‘traditional’ academic publications and venues.  

To do any of these things, you need to be able to write accessibly. If you’re looking to improve your ability to communicate with a range of audiences and increase your impact as a public scholar, please join us for What’s the Story?, a three-part introduction to POR communications! 

Part 1: How to make your writing more accessible is a workshop on how to write about health care research for a range of audiences, including partners with lived and living experience of a disability. 

You will learn:  

• What accessible writing is and why it’s important 

• How to identify (and write for) your audience 

• Recognizing and rephrasing commonly used jargon 

• Tips for quickly making your writing easier to read

• Basic accessibility considerations: writing alt-text, image descriptions, and use of text in graphics

SPEAKERS

This event has passed. Watch the recording below:

Join 2022 Training Innovation Fund awardees Rosslynn Zulla (University of Calgary) and Andrea MacLeod (University of Alberta) on January 20 from 2 p.m.-3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m.-1 p.m. MT for an interactive webinar on building meaningful research partnerships with immigrant and refugee families who have neurodivergent children, as well as with the organizations that support them. 

This CHILD-BRIGHT event aims to provide practical tools and key information to researchers hoping to forge relationships with these communities, whose members often face multiple barriers preventing their participation in research projects. Rosslyn and Andrea will discuss case studies and present a guide specially developed to support researchers wishing to improve the health and well-being of immigrant and refugee families with neurodivergent children. They will also outline key processes to help researchers align with the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion, as well as examples of meaningful research processes and products.

SPEAKERS

Dr. Rosslynn Zulla, Assistant Professor, University of Calgary, Faculty of Social Work

Dr. Andrea MacLeod, Professor, University of Alberta, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, Communication Sciences & Disorders

This event has passed. Watch the recording below:

In an era where data is the new gold, the importance of protecting Indigenous data sovereignty has never been more critical. Join Marlyn Bennett, an Anishinaabe interdisciplinary researcher and Co-Lead of CHILD-BRIGHT’s Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Indigenization and Decolonization (EDI-DI) Program on November 14 at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT as she delves into the profound significance of safeguarding Indigenous knowledge and data in health research.

This talk will explore the historical and cultural contexts that underscore the need for Indigenous control over data, the challenges faced in the fight for sovereignty, and the ways in which Indigenous communities are reclaiming their narratives through data governance. 

Marlyn Bennett will share insights into the ethical considerations, best practices, and collaborative efforts essential for protecting sacred Indigenous knowledge. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the pivotal role that data sovereignty plays in empowering Indigenous communities, preserving cultural heritage, and ensuring that data is used in ways that respect Indigenous values and traditions. 

This talk is a call to action for researchers, policymakers, and community members to support and advocate for Indigenous data sovereignty, recognizing it as a vital component of Indigenous rights and self-determination.

The AACPDM Community Forum is an annual in-person educational event developed by families to serve as a resource for individuals with cerebral palsy and their parents/caregivers. The Forum provides an opportunity to hear experts discuss issues affecting children and adults, and to learn about new research, medical advances, and topics that promote inclusion, participation, and impact the quality of life for those with cerebral palsy.

This event has passed. If you missed it, you can watch a recording below:

Network members learned a lot in the move from Phase 1, which was focused on producing research and outcomes, to Phase 2, which is all about implementation in the real world. On Oct. 18 from 1 p.m. - 2:30 pm EDT / 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. PDT, join the discussion about how we moved forward and shifted our focus to having an impact on practice and policy.

Moderators: 

• Janet Curran, CHILD-BRIGHT Implementation Science Research Program Co-Lead

• Simonne Collins, Postdoctoral Fellow, CHILD-BRIGHT Implementation Science Research Program

Panelists:

• Lucy Lach, Co-Principal Investigator, CHILD-BRIGHT Bridging the Gap from Science to Uptake research project

• Sharon McCarry, Partner with Lived and Living Experience, CHILD-BRIGHT Bridging the Gap from Science to Uptake research project

• Marie-Ève Bolduc, Postdoctoral Fellow, CHILD-BRIGHT Care Pathways for CHD research project

• Kelvin Lee, Trainee, CHILD-BRIGHT Care Pathways for CHD research project

• Jamie-Lynn Hunt, Partner with Lived and Living Experience, CHILD-BRIGHT Care Pathways for CHD research project

• Sharon Hou, Postdoctoral Fellow, CHILD-BRIGHT Pain Pathways research project

• Laesa Kim, Family Liaison, CHILD-BRIGHT Pain Pathways research project

• Jennifer Crosbie, Principal Investigator, CHILD-BRIGHT VR-EF research project

• Gunjan Seth, Partner with Lived and Living Experience, CHILD-BRIGHT VR-EF research project

This event has passed. If you missed it, you can watch a recording below:

Curious to hear about the different roles partners with lived and living experience (PWLEs) have in our Phase 2 Projects? On Oct. 9 from 11 a.m.- 12:30 pm EDT / 8 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. PDT, join us to learn how PWLE engagement has evolved at CHILD-BRIGHT while continuing to enhance patient-oriented approaches to child health research and knowledge mobilization practices.

This event has passed. If you missed it, you can watch a recording below:

On Sept. 20 from 1 p.m. - 2:30 pm EDT / 10 – 11:30 a.m. PDT, join us to learn more about CHILD-BRIGHT’s plans for the future, including activities led by the network’s executive committee, and how projects and programs are thinking of their own longevity. This panel will highlight training initiatives in patient-oriented research, strategies to scale up operations, and relationship building that promotes our network’s long-term success.

Speaker:

• Annette Majnemer, CHILD-BRIGHT Nominated Principal Investigator and Scientific Co-Director

Panelists:

• Mathias Castaldo, CHILD-BRIGHT National Youth Advocacy Council member

• Steven Miller, CHILD-BRIGHT Scientific Co-Director,  Principal Investigator & Implementation Science Research Program Co-Lead

• Linda Nguyen, CHILD-BRIGHT Training and Capacity Building Committee Member and Knowledge Mobilization Committee Member

This event has passed. If you missed it, you can watch a recording below:

Join members of the CHILD-BRIGHT National Youth Advocacy Council on Aug. 19 at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT as they explore the crucial importance of including people with disabilities in health research focused on equity, diversity, inclusion, decolonizatio, and Indigenization (EDI-DI). They will define key concepts such as tokenism, infantilization, and non-inclusive environments, leading to a discussion of why inclusion is essential and an overview of elements of inclusive research practice.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Understanding the principles and benefits of inclusive research practices.

• Learning how to design research projects that include people with disabilities as critical partners.

• Defining key concepts of EDI-DI in health research.

• Exploring the ethical, social, and practical importance of inclusion for people with disabilities in the context of health research.

• Examining why the concept of inclusion is often an afterthought for people with disabilities in EDI-DI-focused health research.

This session aims to create an understanding of inclusive research practices and foster a more equitable and respectful approach to health research. Join us to learn how to make your research more inclusive and impactful!

FACILITATORS

• Tommy Akinnawonu, CHILD-BRIGHT National Youth Advocacy Council member

• Kelsey Seguin, CHILD-BRIGHT National Youth Advocacy Council member

• Logan Wong, CHILD-BRIGHT National Youth Advocacy Council member