Goal 1: Centres for Leadership in Childhood disability

Participation

Defined as “the nature and extent of a person’s involvement in life situations”, participation is critical to the quality of life for each of our clients and their families. Participation includes the activities of personal maintenance, mobility, social relationships, education, employment, leisure, spirituality and community life.

Goals:

Building on Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital’s long and proud history in the areas of life skills and arts, Holland Bloorview will develop a Centre for Leadership in Participation through:

Best Practice Development: working with partners to establish best practice and clinical expertise to meet the needs of our clients across their life span, through continued evaluation, research, conferences and publications.
Knowledge Generation: leading the way in research-informed practice, encouraging the ongoing development and use of research knowledge in the area of life skills and arts in rehabilitation at Holland Bloorview and around the world.
Education and Training: leading the evaluation and research of the impact of the arts, by integrating traditional and non-traditional models into clinical practice and attracting medical and arts scientists focused on participation, arts and life skills, to educate and train health professionals.
Knowledge Exchange and Sharing: showcasing the benefits of the arts and developing life skills for children with disabilities, and working with partners to further develop this field.

Expected outcomes:

By becoming a Centre for Leadership in Participation, Holland Bloorview will:

Develop and provide innovative and evidence-informed programs that support meaningful participation.
Evaluate and demonstrate the value and benefit of life skills and arts for children and youth with disabilities.
Enhance our work with our partners to extend access to programming into other communities and into the adult system.
Improve access to services at Holland Bloorview and across Ontario.
Contribute to a new body of knowledge on participation, transition and quality of life.
Attract scientists from the medical and arts communities to the field of research in participation and reach the next generation of practitioners in Ontario and beyond through education.

Enabling children with disabilities to participate at home, school and in the community is as critical to their wellbeing as medical treatments and assistive technologies. Learn how families and researchers are working together to ensure that every school, neighbourhood and home is physically accessible.

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