The Healthy Children and Families department is part of Promoting Health within Provincial, Population and Public Health. Our focus is preconception (before pregnancy) to children 18 years of age and their families.
Health Promotion
Primary Prevention
Preventing the onset of disease by intervening to remove or reduce risk factors.
Secondary Prevention
Detecting and addressing disease in early stages, prior to the presentation of symptoms, to stop or slow its progression.
Healthy Children and Families has three teams.
We use a population health approach to address the needs of the preconception, maternal, infant, child, and youth populations. Primary Prevention is the main focus of the department, though some elements of secondary prevention are also undertaken.
We work closely with our partners in the Government of Alberta, and external stakeholders to implement a range of health promotion efforts, including universal and targeted interventions.
Our work centers around six Strategic Priority Areas:
| Our Strategic Areas | |
|---|---|
| Sexual and Reproductive Health | Promote sexual and reproductive health in school-aged children and youth, as well as among those in the preconception period |
| Healthy Pregnancies and Birth Outcomes | Address factors such as nutrition, physical activity, weight, mental health, and substance use in the preconception period and during pregnancy that may negatively impact the health of families |
| Breastfeeding | Promote breastfeeding initiation, duration and exclusivity |
| Early Child Development | Promote healthy child development including: physical health, communication and general knowledge, social and emotional wellbeing, and language and thinking skills |
| Child and Youth Mental Health | Promote mental health among school-aged children |
| Child and Youth Nutrition and Physical Activity | Promote healthy weights in children and youth by addressing modifiable factors such as nutrition, physical activity, sedentarism and mental health |
Annual Healthy Children and Families Highlights Reports:
Healthy Children and Families Strategic Action Planning:
