Making Children's Well-being Our Priority: The Fondation du Dr Julien brings together 300 participants to the 4th Community Social Pediatrics Symposium on September 17-18, 2015

MONTREAL, July 16, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - The Fondation du Dr Julien is inviting researchers, practitioners and students, as well as health, social services and law professionals, to take part in its 4^th Community Social Pediatrics Symposium, to be held September 17 and 18, 2015 at the Montreal Science Centre. This large gathering will bring together 300 participants and 30 speakers concerned with the well-being of the most at-risk children, to reflect on the theme of "Health-related quality of life and best interests of the child".

According to UNICEF, Canada still holds the 17^th position on children's well-being, out of 29 countries with similar economic levels.ⁱ When children are asked about their level of life satisfaction, Canada's rank falls to 24th. Since the last study on this topic was conducted a decade ago, our country has failed to make any progress in relation to other rich countries.

"Each child left behind translates into an enormous loss of potential for society. What if we committed to putting children first? This is what we hope to achieve through this 4^th Symposium, which prioritizes the best interests of the child and opens up new avenues for reflection, with the goal of improving our responses and inspiring new policies to promote children's health," says Dr. Gilles Julien, founder and president of the Fondation du Dr Julien.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child, which forms the basis of the Fondation's mission, states that the best interests of the child should be a primary consideration in all actions and decisions relating to children, including their well-being. Quality of life is intimately linked to the best interests of the child, as it affects not only the child's physical, emotional, academic or family well-being, but also his or her independence, relationship with parents, social support, physical activity, and experience with stress.

Speakers at the conference, representing a wealth of international experience, will deepen our understanding of these topics from a global health perspective and will help define the roles of families, practitioners, teachers, lawyers, political decision-makers and other professionals in ensuring that at-risk children enjoy a good quality of life.

Early Bird Registration until July 31, 2015

Discounted rates are offered until July 31, 2015 as follows: $200 for general registration and $75 for students. On-line registration.

The Fondation du Dr Julien held its first symposium in 2011 with financial support from Avenir d'enfants, as a way to broaden access to community social pediatrics training and to get the next generation involved in the field. symposium.fondationdrjulien.org

About the Fondation du Dr Julien

The Fondation du Dr Julien is a social organization whose mission is to allow at-risk children to reach their full potential in accordance with the terms of the Convention of the Rights of the Child. It oversees the Community Social Pediatrics Movement, currently made up of 17 centres that provide care to 4,000 severely disadvantaged children and their families in Québec. Thanks to vital support from the community, the private sector and the government, it hopes to broaden its services to 20,000 children by 2020.

In addition, the Fondation provides direct services to 2,000 children each year, through its community social pediatrics centres in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve and Côte-des-Neiges, as well as its Garage à musique.

As a centre of expertise, training and research, the Fondation provides certification for community social pediatrics centres throughout Québec and supports them in their development. It also seeks to create a community of practice through its professional training and internship programs. Finally, it places a high priority on academic research in order to help further knowledge about community social pediatrics. http://www.fondationdrjulien.org

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ⁱ  UNICEF Office of Research (2013). "Child well-being in rich countries: A comparative overview", Innocenti Report Card 11, UNICEF Office of Research, Florence.

SOURCE Fondation du Dr Julien

Interviews available on request; Émilie Russo, Communications and Public Relations Director, Fondation du Dr Julien, [email protected] , Cell. 514-707-2090, Tel. [phone], ext. 253.