Posted on March 6: Utrecht University models program after CanChild

The way McMaster's CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research makes a difference in the way children with disabilities and their families are treated and supported, has impressed researchers in Utrecht, Netherlands.

So much in fact, that they launched NetChild, a new childhood disability research group modeled on CanChild's tradition of multidisciplinary collaboration. It is based in part on NetChild's Jan Willem Gorter's experience at CanChild in 2002, where he spent six months as a post-doctoral fellow.

“We realize the added value of doing multidisciplinary research, both in developing a research program, as well as the opportunities for research funding,” said Gorter, a NetChild partner.

“We noticed that CanChild has made a difference in the last 10 years in the field of childhood disability research by developing a research program instead of conducting singular research projects, and by working together with a multidisciplinary approach and functioning as a community-linked organization.”

Gorter says it's time to work together in a network like CanChild. NetChild would like to develop a community-linked research program and work on transferring knowledge through teaching, education and promotion.

“We would like to build a strong network of professionals in childhood disability research, with a focus on maximizing the level of activities, participation and quality of life of children with disabilities and their families,” says Gorter.

The new research group brings together colleagues from rehabilitation (Gorter and Marjolijn Ketelaar), pediatric physiotherapy (professor Paul Helders, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital) and special education (professor Marian Jongmans), each of whom has longstanding professional relationships with CanChild colleagues.

The program was created with the support of professors Adri Vermeer of Utrecht University, and Arie Prevo of Rehabilitation Centre De Hoogstraat/University Medical Center Utrecht, and will be developing its first five-year research program.

CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research is located at McMaster University in the School of Rehabilitation Science and has been funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care since 1989.

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The way McMaster&#039;s CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research makes a difference in the way children with disabilities and their families are treated and supported, has impressed researchers in Utrecht, Netherlands.<p><br />
<br />
So much in fact, that they launched NetChild, a new childhood disability research group modeled on CanChild&#039;s tradition of multidisciplinary collaboration. It is based in part on NetChild&#039;s Jan Willem Gorter&#039;s experience at CanChild in 2002, where he spent six months as a post-doctoral fellow.<p><br />
<br />
"We realize the added value of doing multidisciplinary research, both in developing a research program, as well as the opportunities for research funding," said Gorter, a NetChild partner.<p><br />
<br />
"We noticed that CanChild has made a difference in the last 10 years in the field of childhood disability research by developing a research program instead of conducting singular research projects, and by working together with a multidisciplinary approach and functioning as a community-linked organization."<p> <br />
<br />
Gorter says it&#039;s time to work together in a network like CanChild. NetChild would like to develop a community-linked research program and work on transferring knowledge through teaching, education and promotion.<p><br />
<br />
"We would like to build a strong network of professionals in childhood disability research, with a focus on maximizing the level of activities, participation and quality of life of children with disabilities and their families," says Gorter.<p><br />
<br />
The new research group brings together colleagues from rehabilitation (Gorter and Marjolijn Ketelaar), pediatric physiotherapy (professor Paul Helders, Wilhelmina Children&#039;s Hospital) and special education (professor Marian Jongmans), each of whom has longstanding professional relationships with CanChild colleagues. <p><br />
<br />
The program was created with the support of professors Adri Vermeer of Utrecht University, and Arie Prevo of Rehabilitation Centre De Hoogstraat/University Medical Center Utrecht, and will be developing its first five-year research program.<p><br />
<br />
CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research is located at McMaster University in the School of Rehabilitation Science and has been funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care since 1989.<p>

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