Child Development Institute

Happy Pride Month! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

At CDI, we are proud to celebrate the diversity, strength, and contributions of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, and to continue working toward a future where every young person can thrive as their authentic self.

We know that a sense of belonging, acceptance, and affirmation can have a powerful impact on mental health and wellbeing. This month and beyond, we remain committed to fostering inclusive and affirming spaces through our services, policies, and practices to help ensure that all children, youth, families, and staff feel safe, respected, and valued.

Together, we can help build communities where everyone feels seen, supported, and celebrated for who they are!

June is National Indigenous History Month — a time to honour the cultures, traditions, experiences, and profound contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples across Canada.

At CDI, we know that reconciliation is an ongoing responsibility that requires collective commitment, accountability, and action over time.

This month and beyond, we remain committed to ongoing learning and action in support of Truth and Reconciliation, guided by our IDEA Action Plan. This includes working alongside Indigenous partners and communities, strengthening cultural responsiveness across our programs and services, and continuing to examine how our policies, practices, and systems can better support equitable outcomes for all.

Are you looking for a summer camp where your child can feel understood, supported, and free to be themselves?

At Camp Towhee, our counsellors receive specialized training from CDI’s clinical psychologists — equipping them with valuable knowledge about , mental health, proactive behaviour management strategies, and more.

As a therapeutic-based program, we know that a safe, inclusive environment makes all the difference.

When children and youth feel supported and understood, they can build confidence, make lasting friendships, and discover their strengths.

Applications are open! Contact our team today to learn more about Camp Towhee for your child: https://ow.ly/7Asx50Z4WxL

Please note that all CDI offices will be closed today, May 18th, for the long weekend.

Today marks the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT) — a global day of awareness, solidarity, and action recognizing the ongoing barriers and discrimination faced by 2SLGBTQI+ communities.

At CDI, we know that children and youth thrive when they experience belonging, acceptance, and the freedom to be themselves. These conditions are essential to positive mental health outcomes and wellbeing.

Today and every day, we remain committed to ongoing learning and action to help foster safe, inclusive, and affirming spaces that reflect the diverse identities and experiences of all those we serve. 💙

Camp Towhee is returning for Summer 2026! ☀️

For more than 50 years, CDI's Camp Towhee has provided a supportive, inclusive environment for Toronto’s children and youth ages 10-18 with and challenges.

Every summer, our campers have the opportunity to build confidence, form meaningful connections, and discover a place where they can truly be themselves.

Applications are open! Contact our team today to learn more about Camp Towhee for your child: https://childdevelop.ca/towhee/

As we celebrate the power of connection this , we also recognize how impact is strengthened through partnership.

CDI’s network of Affiliate Partners plays a critical role in expanding the reach of our Stop Now And Plan (SNAP®) and Mothers in Mind (MIM®) programs — connecting evidence-based supports to communities across Ontario, and Canada.

In 2024-25, our Affiliate Partners supported more than 11,000 children and youth, while deepening cultural responsiveness and adapting service delivery to reflect the unique strengths and needs of the communities they serve.

This year’s “Come Together” theme for is reflected in this work every day, through shared expertise, local leadership, and a collective commitment to improving outcomes for children, youth, and families.

Thank you to our Affiliate community for your ongoing dedication and collaboration. 💙

Interested in bringing SNAP or MIM to your community? For more information, visit:

SNAP: https://snap.childdevelop.ca/snap-affiliates/

MIM: https://childdevelop.ca/mothersinmind/for-professionals/

Connection is foundational to mental health.

For many of the young people CDI serves, navigating learning disabilities, mental health challenges, trauma, or behavioural issues can make it difficult to feel understood, build friendships, or find a sense of belonging. Without the right supports, these experiences can become isolating.

That’s why spaces intentionally designed for connection matter.

Across CDI’s programs and services — from Camp Towhee to SNAP groups and Here to Help programming — we create opportunities for children and youth to build confidence and connect with peers who understand their experiences.

For many, it is one of the first places they experience a true sense of belonging and connection.

This National Child and Youth Mental Health Day, your support can help more young people access programs that foster belonging and brighter futures.

Give today: https://childdevelop.ca/impact/donate/donate-now/

Today on Red Dress Day, we honour the lives of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirited People (MMIWG2S+), as well as their families and communities.

This day is a powerful reminder of the ongoing systemic inequities faced by First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples across Canada. At CDI, we recognize that meaningful mental health support for children and youth cannot be separated from this context.

Our Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) Action Plan includes a sustained commitment to Truth and Reconciliation — ensuring ongoing learning, listening, and action as we work alongside Indigenous partners and communities to ensure that our services reflect diverse cultures, identities, and lived experiences.

Today as we pause to reflect, we reaffirm our commitment to creating equitable outcomes for all those we serve.

This week is and Child and Youth Worker (CYW) Appreciation Week!

This year’s theme, “Come Together,” highlights the powerful role that connection plays in strengthening mental health and wellbeing. For children and youth, research consistently shows that connection to self, family, peers, and community is a key predictor of resilience and long-term mental health outcomes.

At CDI, we see the power of connection every day — whether it’s the Mothers in Mind program helping caregivers feel less isolated in their experiences, youth forming meaningful friendships at Camp Towhee, or SNAP families developing the tools they need to strengthen relationships at home and in their communities.

At a time where children and youth are facing unprecedented levels of mental health challenges with increasing complexity, we are grateful to CDI’s staff, affiliates, partners, donors, and community of supporters who make this work possible.

Together, we are building a future where more families are connected to the supports they need to thrive. 💙