Child Development Institute

12/10/2025

At CDI, our commitment to IDEA and Truth and Reconciliation calls us to ensure that our programs are shaped by and reflect the communities we serve.

Our Mothers in Mind (MIM®) program has been adapted to honour the strengths and identities of Toronto’s urban Indigenous mothers and their children — ensuring the support they receive is rooted in culture and informed by community leaders.

Thank you to our partners at Native Child and Family Services of Toronto for your leadership in shaping this adaptation of MIM — ensuring that mothers and children affected by family violence have access to safe, culturally-grounded spaces.

For more information about Mothers in Mind, please visit: https://childdevelop.ca/child-youth-mental-health-services/gender-based-violence-services/ -in-mind

12/10/2025

Did you know? In addition to our Mothers in Mind® (MIM) and Here to Help group programs, CDI partners with local shelters to support mothers and their children who have experienced through a range of services, including:

🟣 Shelter Programs: Individual counselling and parenting support for mothers and children (ages 0-18)

🟣 School Liaison Program: Transitional assistance for children (ages 4-16) adjusting to new schools

🟣 Taste of Home: An after-school cooking program for children (ages 6-17) to promote healthy life skills and mindfulness techniques

🟣 Transitional & Housing Support Program: Support for female-identifying adults/moms who have experienced domestic violence and/or are victims of human trafficking

For more information, explore our programs and reach out to our team: https://childdevelop.ca/child-youth-mental-health-services/gender-based-violence-services/

If you are a woman in crisis, please call the Assaulted Women’s Helpline at 416-863-0511; or text “SAFE” to 7233.

12/10/2025

Thank you to WomanACT for bringing awareness to Mothers in Mind (MIM®) as we celebrate the program’s 20th anniversary this of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.

Registration is open! If you are a mother or a service provider interested in learning more about MIM, reach out to our team today: https://childdevelop.ca/child-youth-mental-health-services/gender-based-violence-services/

We are proud to spotlight our member organization, Child Development Institute (CDI) as they celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Mothers in Mind® (MIM) program — a trauma-informed group program for mothers and their young children (ages 0-4) who have experienced family violence. 💜

For two decades, MIM has created a safe, playful, and supportive space for mothers to heal, build on their parenting strengths, respond sensitively to their child’s needs, and connect with others who understand their experiences.

During these Against Gender-Based Violence, we are proud to shine a light on the incredible resilience of these mothers, and to help raise awareness about the services available in our community for families affected by gender-based violence.

Learn more about MIM and CDI’s range of Gender-Based Violence Services here: https://childdevelop.ca/child-youth-mental-health-services/gender-based-violence-services/

12/09/2025

What helps young children heal after being exposed to Gender-Based Violence?

Research shows that maternal well-being plays a key role in promoting a child’s resilience after experiences of violence. When moms experience positive mental health, they have more resources to support the needs of their young children.

CDI’s Mothers in Mind (MIM®) program helps moms who have experienced gender-based violence build coping skills, strengthen their confidence and parenting skills, and foster nurturing relationships with their young children (ages 0-5). By supporting mothers, MIM helps create environments where children can begin to heal, grow, and thrive.

Learn more about MIM: https://childdevelop.ca/child-youth-mental-health-services/gender-based-violence-services/ -in-mind

If you are a woman in crisis, please call the Assaulted Women’s Helpline at 416-863-0511; or text “SAFE” to 7233.

#16 Days

12/08/2025

In 2023, Statistics Canada reported a 3% increase in police-reported family violence — and the reality is that many instances go unreported, often due to fear, shame, or stigma.

Across Toronto, more and more families are reaching out for help. In 2024, CDI’s Gender-Based Violence Services team supported 114% more children, youth, and mothers than the previous year — connecting families to safety, resources, and hope after experiencing violence.

Your donation can help make this healing possible. 💜

Give today to help mothers and children affected by find support and brighter futures: https://childdevelop.ca/impact/donate/donate-now/

12/03/2025

CDI is proud to be part of the Safe at Home initiative — bringing our Mothers in Mind (MIM®) program to more communities and supporting mothers and their young children as they reclaim hope, safety, healing, and connection after experiences of gender-based violence.

Thank you to our partners at Children's Aid Foundation of Canada for your continued support and leadership in making this important work possible!

For more information about MIM and the Safe at Home initiative, check out their latest blog 👇

Every child deserves to feel safe at home. But when they live with or witness intimate partner violence (IPV), their mental health, education, and futures are at risk.

Now in its fourth year, Safe at Home, is a program of the Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada (CAFC) and delivered in partnership with Child Development Institute and Changing Ways in Ontario and Manitoba.

It supports families experiencing IPV by helping parents strengthen relationships with their children and build positive parenting skills, reducing the likelihood of violence reoccurring and creating secure, nurturing environments where children can heal, learn, and thrive.

Learning and growing are a child’s right; experiencing trauma should never be a part of childhood.

Read more about Safe at Home:https://cafdn.org/stories/addressing-gender-based-violence-to-keep-kids-safe-at-home/

12/02/2025

Every moment matters. Every child deserves safety.

Did you know? A child’s brain grows faster between birth and the age 3 than at any other time. Every experience during these early years shapes how they learn, solve problems, and connect with others.

Research shows that exposure to violence during this critical stage can lead to long-lasting challenges like chronic stress, eating and sleeping difficulties, and developmental delays. It can also affect how a child bonds with their mother, and vice-versa.

This , your support can help mothers and children when they need it most — offering them the opportunity to heal, connect, and thrive after experiencing violence.

🌟 Your gift today will be matched and have double the impact — ensuring CDI’s mental health and support services reach more families in Toronto, and beyond: https://childdevelop.ca/impact/donate/donate-now/

12/02/2025

🌟 This , you can help support families rebuilding after experiencing domestic or interpersonal violence — and have your impact doubled.

A generous supporter is matching all gifts dollar for dollar, up to $10,000. That means your donation goes twice as far in strengthening CDI’s Gender-Based Violence Services.

At CDI, we support mothers and children as they navigate safety planning, trauma counselling, parenting support, housing assistance and food security. One of the programs your gift will help support is Taste of Home, a hands-on cooking program delivered in our shelter partnerships.

Taste of Home brings caregivers and children together to prepare meals, learn cooking skills, and connect through food and culture. These sessions offer comfort, routine and moments of stability during an incredibly difficult transition.

How you can help today:

✅ Individuals: Make a Giving Tuesday donation — your gift will be matched and have double the impact. 🔗 Donate here: https://childdevelop.ca/impact/donate/donate-now/

✅ Companies: We’re also seeking corporate partners to help cover the cost of meals and supplies for Taste of Home sessions. If your workplace is looking for a meaningful way to support families, we’d love to connect.

Together, we can make this season brighter and help families begin a new chapter with support and dignity.

11/28/2025

When Karen, a local business owner at Hummingbird Investment Holdings Inc., was looking for a meaningful way to give back to her community, she found alignment with CDI’s Taste of Home program.

For weeks, Karen cooked alongside families — helping kids (ages 6-17) who have experienced interpersonal violence and are living in CDI’s partner shelters discover joy, confidence, and mindfulness through food.

“It’s such a wholesome environment where families come together, cook, learn, and share a meal. You’d be surprised how excited kids get about making salad! Those little moments became opportunities for real connection.” – Karen, Volunteer

This of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, we are celebrating advocates like Karen, as well as the healing, skill-building spaces CDI’s Gender-Based Violence Services team creates for Toronto’s children, youth, and families. 💜

Learn more about our programs and services: https://childdevelop.ca/child-youth-mental-health-services/gender-based-violence-services/

11/27/2025

Research shows that exposure to intimate partner violence accounts for 45% of child maltreatment in Canada.

All children deserve to feel safe — yet far too many experience violence at a young age. For children under four, the effects are especially deep and long-lasting. It can shape how they grow to see themselves, others, and the world around them.

At CDI, our Gender-Based Violence Services provide free, trauma-informed counselling and support for children and mothers healing from violence. By helping families process their experiences and rebuild a sense of trust, we give them the tools to grow and thrive.

Your donation can help make this healing possible. 💜

This of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, help mothers and children find support and brighter futures: https://childdevelop.ca/impact/donate/donate-now/

11/27/2025

This November, CDI’s Mothers in Mind (MIM®) program is celebrating 20 years of impact!

In 2005, MIM began as an idea for an innovative support program for mothers and their young children affected by family violence. Today, it has grown into an evidence- and culturally-informed model that has supported thousands of children and their mothers at CDI and across more than 10 affiliate sites in Ontario, and beyond (including Manitoba and Australia!).

Each year, MIM’s impact continues to grow. In 2024-25:

• 100% of CDI’s participating mothers expressed satisfaction with the program, reporting significant improvement in their confidence as a parent.

• 100% of participating child protection workers, through the Safe at Home initiative in partnership with , reported positive shifts in parenting and well-being.

Thank you to our dedicated staff, affiliates, community partners, funders, and supporters for helping make this work possible. Together, we can continue to build safe spaces for families to heal, grow, and thrive. 💜

11/26/2025

November 25 – December 10 marks the of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV).

is not limited to physical harm. It can include neglect, harassment, and actions or attempts to degrade, control, intimidate, or coerce another person. These acts can occur online, in public spaces, and at home.

For mothers who have survived violence, rebuilding is a journey marked by courage, vulnerability, and the hope that their children can grow up free from cycles of harm.

At CDI, we are here to help. Explore our support services for children, youth and mothers who have experiences gender-based violence: https://childdevelop.ca/child-youth-mental-health-services/gender-based-violence-services/

If you are a woman in crisis, please call the Assaulted Women’s Helpline at 416-863-0511; or text “SAFE” to 7233.