Grant: SPOR Networks - Knowledge Mobilization and Implementation Science - Extension

The national CHILD-BRIGHT Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) chronic disease network is a critical investment in the health of children with brain-based developmental disabilities (BDD). In Canada, BDD affect the daily lives of nearly 1 in 10 young children aged <6 years, or approximately 220,000 children at any time (~8%), most of whom will not grow out of their disability.1 These children experience greater health inequities compared to peers due to historic societal exclusion and stigma, underrepresentation in research and healthcare, and inadequate access to quality care. Since 2016, the CHILD-BRIGHT Network has used POR methods to study the implementation of new therapies, technologies, and interventions aimed at improving health equity and creating brighter futures for children and youth with BDD and their families. Our Phase 1 work spanned three themes: - Promoting healthy brain development for healthy child development; - Supporting the mental health of children and families; and - Redesigning services to address gaps. The network’s mandate focuses on first-in-human studies and engagement of partners with lived and living experience (PWLE) in our work to advance our collective understanding and impact of health research for children living with BDD.