New free webinar series to support parent and caregiver mental health literacy
School Mental Health Ontario is pleased to introduce a new free webinar series for parents and caregivers, offered through the By Your Side Learning Hub. This four-part series responds to key areas of interest identified by families across Ontario and provides accessible, evidence-informed guidance to support child and youth well-being at home.
Each webinar will feature subject matter experts who will share current knowledge, practical strategies and clear, actionable information. Parents and caregivers will also have the opportunity to submit questions in advance, ensuring that the sessions reflect the real needs of families.
Webinar topics and dates
Conversations about balanced device use
March 5
Guidance for helping your child build better habits for balanced device use and navigating social media and AI.
Speaker: Matthew Johnson, MediaSmarts
Bio: Matthew Johnson is the Director of Education for MediaSmarts, Canada’s centre for digital and media literacy. He is the author of many of MediaSmarts’ lessons, parent materials and interactive resources and is the architect of MediaSmarts’ Use, Understand, Engage: Digital Literacy Framework for Canadian K-12 Schools. He has served on expert panels convened by the Canadian Pediatric Society, the Sexual Information and Education Council of Canada and the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, among others.
Conversations about vaping
April 10
Information on youth vaping and approaches to open conversations at home.
Speaker: Dr. Trisha Tulloch, CAMH Intrepid Lab
Bio: coming soon
Conversations about body image
May 7
Insights on the pressures shaping body image and how families can promote confidence and belonging.
Speaker: Ary Maharaj, National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC)
Bio: Ary Maharaj (he/him) is a registered psychotherapist who currently works in community education at the National Eating Disorder Information Centre, coordinating health promotion initiatives aimed at preventing eating disorders. He is immensely passionate about grounding his mental health work in cultural humility, recognizing the impact of systemic injustices on mental health while creating spaces that allow for healing and transformation.
Conversations about anxiety
June 5
Better understand what anxiety is, how to help your child manage it and how and where to seek support if needed.
Speaker information coming soon.
Why this is important
Parents and caregivers play a foundational role in promoting student mental health and well-being. This webinar series is designed to strengthen mental health literacy at home by offering:
- clear, evidence-informed information
- practical tips that families can apply in everyday settings
- opportunities to hear directly from experts
- free, open access for all Ontario parents/caregivers
These sessions complement the mental health promotion, prevention and pathway-to-care work happening in schools and support a shared understanding between home and school.
How you can help
We encourage you to share this opportunity widely within:
- school communities
- parent/caregiver networks
- school councils
- community partners
Your support in amplifying this series will help ensure families across Ontario receive timely, relevant and trusted information to support their children’s mental health.
Registration information
Sessions run monthly from March to June and will be offered in English and French.