We imagine a community where all parents
have the support they need to raise healthy, resilient children.
Who we are
Happy Roots Foundation is a private charitable foundation serving the Ottawa area.
Our mission is to nurture infant and early childhood mental health by fostering secure connections between young kids and their caregivers.
What we do
Happy Roots works with charitable organizations in the Ottawa area to provide funding for children’s mental health in the early years, from birth to age six.
We believe the single greatest thing we can do for children’s mental health is to support parents in building strong, secure connections with their kids in the earliest years. By focusing on connection–especially for families living with adversity–we seek to destigmatize socially entrenched beliefs about early childhood mental health and parenting, and to promote early intervention as a means of prevention.
Why the early years
Scientists and researchers now know that our brains are built through a combination of genes and experiences–this is often referred to as our brain architecture. Recent science tells us that our early relationships and life experiences affect the physical structure of our brains, with potential long term impacts on our emotional, physical and mental health.
The numbers tell the story of why early intervention is crucial:
70%
of mental health problems have their onset in childhood or adolescence
17%
of children aged 2-5 meet the diagnostic criteria for mental health problems
3rd
Canada’s youth suicide rate is third highest in the industrialized world
It’s ok not to be ok.
If your family needs immediate help, contact your family doctor or another trusted professional. You can also reach out to the variety of services in the Ottawa region that can provide advice or direct you to the right resource.
