We moved on to our second decade with the 2013 annual Assessment Workshop. We opened the day
of our 11th event with Dr Charlotte’s Waddell inspiring and thought-provoking keynote address on
the mental health and well-being of children where Dr Waddell offered a population-health approach
on how to identify and address the individual --and global-- needs of young children and families. Dr
Waddell’s talk was the perfect start of our day where we focused on the topic “Start Early, Go Far:
Early Assessment Leads to Understanding and Inclusive Communities.”
Our incredible group of passionate presenters carried this theme through the day where the “start
early” message was represented in the different presentations on social and emotional development,
work with parents and community agencies, screening and assessment using a variety of tools for
infants, toddlers, preschoolers and children in early school grades – also taking into consideration
ethics and parents’ values and beliefs into the process. Presentations included the sharing of practical
tools and resources that acknowledged our theme of “caring and inclusive communities.” As in
previous years, poster presentations featured the work of graduate students –this year focusing on
children with additional needs. Community agencies displayed their work to inform delegates of
resources and programs in their communities.
We close the day with Dr Martin Guhn’s presentation on “The Well-Being of British Columbia’s
Children.” In his elegantly crafted – and original and creative—presentation, Dr Guhn’s wove in
cutting-edge science research with the latest findings reported through the EDI (Early Development
Instrument) and MDI (Middle Development Instrument) about children’s social and emotional wellbeing in our province.
We run this event thanks to the dedicated and committed effort of an outstanding committee of
volunteers. This year, we welcome Andrea James, of the BC Centre for Ability, and Beth
Hutchinson, Provincial Advisor for the Parent Child Mother Goose Programs as our new committee
members. We thank, once again Andrea Lemire and Christina Thiele of the Society for Children and
Youth, SCY, for their participation in our committee last year (and for presenting their display once
again this year!). Once again, talented Christina Thiele worked her graphic arts magic and edited the
beautiful thank-you cards for our presenters. Our deepest thanks once again to Dana Brynelsen,
volunteer community member, and formerly Provincial Advisor of the Infant Development and
Program of BC, respectively, to Diana Elliott with the Aboriginal Infant Development/Supported
Child Development Program Provincial Office. We are proud of Mary Stewart who completed her
Master of Arts and defended her thesis just before our event – and presented it in one of the sessions!
We are indebted to Dr Hillel Goelman, our leader and founding member of this committee and the
Interdisciplinary Studies Graduate Program at UBC’s Green College for also taking on the closing
keynote role in this celebratory year. As always, deep gratitude to Iris Berger and Dr Marilyn
Chapman of IECER, the Institute for Early Childhood Education and Research at UBC’s Faculty of
Education for their contributions, and to Dr William McKee of the Psychoeducational Research and
Training Centre at the Faculty of Education for behind-the-stage organizing role!
We will be using your evaluations to plan the first year of our second decade, in 2013, were early
identification of mental health, learning and behaviour difficulties, follow-up intervention, as well as
family-related topics continue to show as your areas of interest. We are already planning our
12th Assessment Workshop so – See you there!
If you would like to check the description and links to the presentations, these will be outlined in the
sections that follow. Additional information on previous programs and presenters can be found at
our new website.
Immense thanks to:
Joyce Branscombe, Nicky Byres, of EventAbility. In this 11th year, they once again took the
challenge of organizing an event run through volunteer work, and once again achieved excellence!.
Bonnie Barnes, with the Infant Development Program of BC, and the Developmental Disabilities
Association
…for their support and enthusiasm in presenting this exciting event
We gratefully acknowledge the administrative, logistical and onsite volunteering support
provided by:
Dr William McKee, The Psychoeducational Training Centre, Faculty of Education, UBC
Lesley Richardson and Lauris Williams, EventAbility
Natasha Boskic, Faculty of Education, UBC
Warm thanks to our enthusiastic and committed ECE student and community Volunteers:
 Leslie Richardson
 Lindsay Byres
 Yaa Nimako
 Mariel Gomez
 Carrie McClellan-Haqq
 Ellen Strelaeff
 Michaela Wooldridge
2013 Presenters
Name
WS
Title
Charlotte Waddell
Keynote
AM
For the One and the Many: A Population Health’s
Approach to Children’s Mental Health
Keynote
PM
The Well-Being of British Columbia’s Children.
Presentation not available. Please see summary in 2013
Registration Program. You may contact Dr Guhn at
martin.guhn@ubc.ca
A1
Creating A Culture Of Inclusion For Children On
The Autism Spectrum. Presentation available through
Pinterest link at the BC Centre for Ability; please click
here http://pinterest.com/bccfa/ (or highlight, copy, and
paste in your browser)
Presentation not available. Please see summary in 2013
Registration Program. You may contact Heather
McCracken through the Friend2Friend Program
http://www.friend2friendsociety.org/about-us/team/
Marcy Adler-Bock and
Jessica Folk-Farber
A2
Communication In Your Community: Promoting
Early Speech And Language Referral Through
Family And Community Partnerships
Alison Gerlach
A3
Health Equity From The Start: Implications For The
Early Years
A4
Parent Professional Relationships Presentation not
available. Please see summary in 2013 Registration
Program. You may contact presenter through the BC
Family Support Institute at
http://www.familysupportbc.com/contact_angela_clancy
A5
“How Can I help You?”: Compassionate Assessment
For Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) In
Young Children.
Dr Martin Guhn
Heather McCracken
Angela Clancy
Barbara Fitzgerald
Julie Petrie-Thomas
A6
Diana Elliott
B1
Cognition And Executive Functions: What Can
We Predict From Infancy? Presentation not available.
Please see summary in 2013 Registration Program. You
may contact presenter through the Children and
Women’s Hospital at jpetrie-thomas@cw.bc.ca
Fostering Resiliency with Aboriginal Children
And Families. Presentation not available. Please see
summary in 2013 Registration Program. You may
contact presenter through the Aboriginal Infant
Development Program at DElliott@bcaafc.com
Kimberly Schonert-Reichl
Kimberly Thomson, and
Ryan Vandecasteyen
B3
The Middle Years Development Instrument Tools
For Educators And Community
Lesley Rappard, Tanya
Eichler, and Amelia
Kyewich
B4
Fostering The Development Of Children In Care
Kate Wishart
B5
Dana Brynelsen, Herbert
Chan, Mari Pighini, Mary
Stewart, Silvia Vilches,
Anat Zaidman-Zait, and
Bozena Zdaniuk
B6
Aleksandra Stefanovic,
Lisa Martin, and Jeanine
McDonald
B7
Andrea Harstone and
Alison Brook
B8
Assessing And Fostering Children’s Communication
In Everyday Activities-Handout. Presentation
available through Pinterest link at the BC Centre for
Ability; please click here http://pinterest.com/bccfa/ (or
highlight, copy, and paste in your browser)
Observe And Learn From the Child; Listen to
Parents; Work Together.
Exploring Standards For Developmental Screening
And Assessment Tools For The Infant
Development And Supported Child Development
Programs.
Social Emotional Development: Early Identification
And Intervention