Mental health starts at birth.
(and maybe earlier)
The first six years are critical for human development and set the stage for mental health across the lifespan.
Through innovative grant making and collaborative partnerships with local experts, we are on a mission to nurture early childhood mental health by fostering secure connections between young children and their caregivers.
70%
of mental health issues have their onset in childhood or adolescence
17%
of children aged 2-5 meet the diagnostic criteria for mental health problems
$8
return on investment for every dollar spent on early childhood mental health
1
Million
neural connections formed in a baby’s brain every second before age 3.
Our 2030 vision
We believe every parent and caregiver deserves the best information available about early childhood mental health, including what to look for in their baby or toddler and how to seek help.
We want to normalize the conversation around mental health in babies and young kids so that parents and caregivers feel confident in asking for help and knowing that help exists.
We believe that infant and early childhood mental health services should be permanently funded in Ottawa and in communities across the province.
We are committed to being part of the solution by investing in research and programs that make the case for early intervention as prevention. We have committed to spending the entirety of Happy Roots’ endowment fund by 2030, through trust-based philanthropy, strategic grant-making, and mission aligned advocacy.
