Overview

Child and Parent Resource Institute (CPRI) provides evidence-informed learning opportunities for individuals and organizations supporting children with special needs. This includes topics in developmental and mental health.

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Available education events

CPRI publishes an annual catalogue of evidence-informed learning opportunities that are comprised of international speakers/experts, as well as CPRI’s specialists. View the printable CPRI Professional Education Catalogue 2022-2023, or see below the available events and links to register. Please note the following events are available in English only at this time.

Field placements for students

CPRI offers highly specialized clinical learning opportunities for students. Field placements prepare students to do assessments and provide care and treatment to children and youth with complex developmental challenges and/or mental health concerns in a clinical setting.

These placements are coordinated through your learning institution. Please contact your placement coordinator for more information or have your placement coordinator contact us.

Request a clinical presentation

To request a CPRI clinical presentation at your agency or school, please complete the request form. Presentations are subject to availability.

There is no fee for CPRI clinical presentations, but you may be asked to reimburse travel-related costs.

For further information, please contact volunteer services at 519-858-2774

Should you wish to express your appreciation for this educational service, you may do so by making a donation to VOCPRI, Volunteer Organization of CPRI. VOCPRI is a Registered Charitable Organization License #89249 7249 RR0001.

Attention: Volunteer Services
600 Sanatorium Road
London, Ontario
N6H 3W7

List of available presentations

  • Program: Attachment

    • Title: Sharing the journey: Caring for complex children & youth exposed to negative life events
    • Presenter: ACES Program (Attachment Consultation and Education Services)

    • Content: This half-day presentation is designed as a follow up to the Looking for Connection presentation. Presenters will engage attendees in sharing their knowledge, experience and build on information previously taught by discussing attachment-focused and trauma-informed responses to challenging behaviours often observed in children and youth with difficult early histories

    • Title: Wired This Way: Understanding the Effects of Negative Life Events, Trauma and Chronic Stress
    • Presenter: ACES Program (Attachment Consultation and Education Services)

    • Content: This presentation is designed to help professionals, schools, and/or families have a better understanding of trauma. The focus of the presentation is flexible and will address learning objectives in depth or more broadly based on audience needs.

    • Title: Concerning sexual behaviours and Attachment - What’s the connection?
    • Presenter: Sexual Behaviours Team and ACES Program (Attachment Consultation and Education Services)

    • Content: Children and youth who exhibit concerning sexual behaviour have often been exposed to negative life events including neglect, abuse and inconsistent caregiving. This 3-hour presentation will introduce attendees to the factors influencing the development of secure and insecure attachment patterns and will review normative and concerning sexual behaviour. Presenters will draw connections between attachment and concerning sexual behaviour through discussion of underlying reasons for behaviour and will provide strategies for intervention using a trauma-informed lens.

    • Title: Looking for connection: understanding and responding to children and youth through an attachment-focused lens
    • Presenter: ACES Program (Attachment Consultation and Education Services)
    • Content: This half-day presentation is designed to help professionals, schools and/or caregivers increase their understanding of attachment needs in children and youth with primary focus on those exposed to negative life events. Presenters will provide a general overview of attachment theory and research findings to help take the guesswork out of knowing what our children need.

  • Program: Autism spectrum disorder

    • Title: Diagnosis and pharmaceutical treatment for ASD
    • Presenter: Interdisciplinary Autism Service

    • Content: The first part of this presentation will explain the clinical assessment for the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), including a review of symptoms present in children. The second part of the presentation will describe medications commonly used to treat interfering behaviours associated with ASD, and will include information about current evidence-based treatments.

    • Title: The language and social communication of ASD
    • Presenter: Interdisciplinary Autism Service

    • Content: This presentation is intended to provide information about how some of the characteristics of ASD influence communication. Issues reviewed will include what skills are needed for effective communication and why, and how difficulties may occur when communication is impaired for children/youth with ASD. General information about intervention approaches to support communication development will also be presented.

    • Title: The link between ASD and problem behaviour
    • Presenter: Interdisciplinary Autism Service

    • Content: This presentation begins by exploring basic principles of human behaviour, including the nature of reinforcement, behaviour function, and how behaviour is strengthened to increase the likelihood that it will happen again. This is followed by an examination of problem behaviour and how the symptoms associated with an ASD diagnosis can contribute to problem behaviour. Finally a five-step plan for behavioural change is described with ways to improve care providers' overall well-being along with the well-being of the person with ASD; strategies for preventing problem behaviour; ways to teach alternative behaviour; and lastly, what to do when problem behaviour occurs to reduce the likelihood of strengthening it.

    • Title: Understanding ASD
    • Presenter: Interdisciplinary Autism Service
    • Content: This presentation will include information about how all of the symptoms associated with ASD create the profile of skills and challenges for children/youth with this diagnosis. The presentation is intended to support a better understanding of the diagnosis of ASD.

  • Program: Disinhibition disorder

    • Title: Collaborative and proactive solutions workshop
    • Presenter: Brake Shop Clinic

    • Content: This 3-hour workshop demonstrates use of the Skill Deficit Model based on Dr. Ross Greene’s Collaborative and Proactive Solutions (CPS) and Dr. B. Duncan McKinlay’s Leaky Brakes Model. Learn how to apply the concepts and practice Mapping Basket B, to help children and youth with reactive rage driven behavioural challenges.

    • Title: Camp I Wanna stop: supporting “Leaky Brake” campers
    • Presenter: Brake Shop Clinic

    • Content: This is a 2-hour overview presentation for camp counsellors and support staff to improve understanding of Tourette Syndrome and associated disorders, how to recognize and understand them, and how to avoid misinterpretation of behaviour. A introduction to helpful strategies is also introduced.

    • Title: “Leaky Brakes” what they are. what they aren’t.
    • Presenter: Brake Shop Clinic
    • Content: This 2-hour overview presentation for school staff, parents, and mental health professionals intends to improve understanding of Tourette Syndrome and associated disorders, how to recognize and understand them, and how to avoid misinterpretation of behaviour. An extended version can be requested to learn de-escalation strategies to avoid meltdowns in various settings (up to 3 hours in length).

  • Program: Infant development

    • Title: Infant development: The trans-disciplinary model of service
    • Presenter: Home Visiting Program for Infants (HPVI)

    • Content: This presentation provides an overview of issues associated with a trans-disciplinary model of service delivery, including the composition and maintenance of the trans-disciplinary team, and the benefits and challenges associated with this approach to provision of service.

    • Title: Motor development in children with Down syndrome
    • Presenter: Home Visiting Program for Infants (HPVI)

    • Content: This presentation will provide an overview of the differences in the neurological/musculoskeletal makeup of infants with Down Syndrome, and how these differences impact their gross motor development. Strategies for promoting optimal gross motor development will be presented.

    • Title: Paediatric feeding issues
    • Presenter: Home Visiting Program for Infants (HPVI)
    • Content: This presentation has two parts. Part 1 will provide an overview of the progression of feeding skills in typically developing children, and how different diagnoses (e.g., premature infants, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy) may impact feeding skills. Part 2 will provide an overview of assessment methods for feeding issues, other factors in feeding, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), and the basics of tube feeding.

  • Program: Intellectual disabilities and dual diagnosis

    • Title: Anxiety in young people with intellectual disabilities
    • Presenter: Dual Diagnosis Behaviour and Anxiety Clinic

    • Content: This presentation will assist the participants to understand what anxiety looks like in children and youth with intellectual disabilities. Strategies that have been designed or adapted to be effective with this population will be introduced to increase participants’ ability to successfully support children and youth.

    • Title: Behaviour strategies – behaviour as communication
    • Presenter: Dual Diagnosis Behaviour and Anxiety Clinic (DDBAC)

    • Content: This presentation will provide a framework for shifting understanding about behaviour. It will provide an overview of the forms of communicative behaviour and what possible functions and communicative messages of behaviours may be. Prevention and contingency management strategies will also be presented. Presentation is a 1/2 day interactive session for parents, teachers, education assistants, and community workers. Session is limited to 25 people to allow for scenario feedback, questions and answers.

    • Title: Increasing play, leisure and communication in children with dual diagnosis
    • Presenter: Dual Diagnosis Behaviour and Anxiety Clinic (DDBAC)

    • Content: Engaging children with a Dual Diagnosis (Intellectual Disability + behaviour or mental health diagnosis) in play and leisure activities may be challenging due to many factors including but not limited to: communication, motor and/ or sensory deficits. This presentation introduces concepts on what is developmentally appropriate, and provides insight into the challenges and strategies when working with this population. Participants will leave with practical strategies for how to promote play and leisure skills including how to structure “unstructured time” and increase quality and length of activities.

    • Title: Mood assessment and diagnosis
    • Presenter: Mood Disorders Clinic

    • Content: This presentation is designed to facilitate understanding the complexity of assessment and treatment recommendations of children and adolescents with a query of Mood Disorder.

    • Title: School support for children and adolescents with a mood disorder
    • Presenter: Mood Disorders Clinic
    • Content: Mood disorders can significantly impact the school performance of children and adolescents. This presentation provides an overview of school-related difficulties that may occur with a Mood Disorder, with the aim of increasing understanding of symptom management within the school setting as well as identifying resources to increase school success for children and adolescents with this diagnosis.

  • Program: Sexual behaviours

    • Title: Concerning sexual behaviours in children and youth
    • Presenter: Sexual Behaviours Team

    • Content: This presentation provides an overview of children and youth that present with concerning sexual behaviours and factors that contribute to why behaviours occur. Interventions and strategies that can support positive change will also be explored. Presentation designed for social workers, teachers, probation officers, and students.

    • Title: Children with concerning sexual behaviours and the family
    • Presenter: Sexual Behaviours Clinic

    • Content: In this presentation participants will learn about contributing factors which can result in the development of inappropriate sexual behaviours in children and youth. Participants will also learn of the significant emotional impact to families and the particular difficulties when sibling incest has occurred. Strategies to decrease the sexualized behaviour and safety planning within the home will be discussed.

    • Title: Trauma and concerning sexual behaviour
    • Presenter: Sexual Behaviours Team

    • Content: In this presentation participants will learn about contributing factors which can result in the development of inappropriate sexual behaviours in children and youth. In particular, participants will explore the impact of trauma as a significant contributor and how to support the child to address their experiences of trauma. Strategies to decrease sexualized behaviour and safety planning will also be discussed.

    • Title: Sexual behaviour issues in youth with developmental disabilities
    • Presenter: Sexual Behaviours Team
    • Content: This presentation highlights the importance of understanding the purpose and meaning of sexual behaviour in youth with developmental disabilities for those directly working with the youth (front line staff, clinicians, and students). While some of the behaviour is typical for age and developmental functioning, many behaviours could be considered high risk or problematic.
    • Effective management requires consideration of the functioning level, strengths, and skills of the individual.

  • Program: Supporting families

    • Title: Alternative family placements
    • Presenter: Homeshare Program
    • Content: This presentation is intended for organizations interested in gathering further information about this unique program at CPRI and/or developing their own alternate family placement program. This session will provide an instructive overview of the implementation of the Homeshare Program at CPRI, which is a specialized family placement program for children and youth who have multiple disabilities. Homeshare offers the possibility of a full-time and long-term option for families who still want their child to be part of a family but are unable to provide this care in their own home. Topics will include: Structure of the Homeshare program at CPRI; the recruitment, screening, training, and ongoing support of potential Homeshare Families; using an individualized funding model; providing a seamless transition to adult years; coordinating and facilitating the involvement of Natural Families, including trips home, visits, and participation in treatment and care planning.

  • Program: Trauma informed care

    • Title: Introduction to trauma informed-care
    • Presenter: Education and Learning Services Department
    • Content: As an introductory look into the importance of implementing a trauma-informed environment, this presentation provides learners with an explanation of the core principles of trauma-informed care, an understanding of the impact of trauma on individuals and systems, and a beginner’s framework to support the mental model shift when working with children and youth. This presentation aims to familiarize learners with the basics of residential trauma-informed approaches, and how your organization can begin thinking about “becoming trauma-informed”.

Resources

Find virtual resources on specialized topics related to child and youth developmental and mental health.