Why a Centre for Child Studies?

“The solution of adult problems tomorrow depends in large measure
on the way our children grow up today. There is no greater insight
into the future than recognizing when we save our children
we save ourselves."
Margaret Mead

Today in Canada, one out of every five children shows signs of an emotional or behavioural problem.

This is a frightening statistic. We see instances every day of childhood depression, family breakdown, failed schooling, illiteracy, juvenile delinquency, drug use, and child abuse. We see long-term consequences that last well into adulthood, such as violence, poor work histories, and future family breakdown.

These problems and others like them represent a tremendous burden of suffering in Canadian life, both now and for the future. If we are unable to provide a safe and nurturing environment for all of our children today, we will undermine our society and competitiveness tomorrow.

Unfortunately, our understanding of children’s emotional and behavioural problems is limited. Most of the research we need to understand them has simply never been done. Research into children’s mental health problems receives a disproportionately small amount of research funds, especially considering their social and financial impact. Perhaps this is because the true scope of the problem has not yet been appreciated.

For more than a decade, a pioneering, interdisciplinary group of researchers has been working to improve our knowledge and understanding of children’s mental health by shining a light on the factors that cause some children to be at risk. Inspired by their belief that the right supports delivered early in a child’s development can enrich the life quality and life chances of even the most vulnerable children, they are doing some of the world’s best and most innovative work in the field of early child development and children’s mental health. They have created for Canada a new international centre of excellence – the Offord Centre for Child Studies.