The Nurturing the Seed (NTS) model, co-created with Indigenous communities, Elders, and leaders in partnership with Infant and Early Mental Health Promotion (IEMHP) at The Hospital for Sick Children, blends infant mental health best practices with Indigenous knowledge to foster early relational health. 

NTS supports caregivers and service providers in nurturing infants, toddlers, and preschoolers within homes and communities. Parents are recognized as primary relational agents and collaborate with prenatal, early-years, and community professionals to promote wellbeing. 

As a national program, NTS trains professionals in culturally respectful screening and developmental planning using validated tools like the ASQs. It emphasizes co-created, family-friendly strategies that strengthen caregiver-child relationships and connect families to community supports - often reducing reliance on intensive care. 

This session will share NTS’s journey, participant experiences, and preliminary evaluation findings, highlighting its role in timely, culturally grounded developmental support.

Learning Objectives

1. Understand the Nurturing the Seed (NTS) model and its roots in Indigenous-mainstream partnership.

2. Appreciate how cultural integration is woven into content, structure, and delivery.

3. Hear community-level successes from across Canada.

4. Grasp the importance of infant and early mental health as a preventive strategy.

5. Recognize how service providers can foster culture and connection to support infant and early mental health as well as overall family wellbeing.

6. Explore how NTS has been effective in child and family agencies, including in contexts involving child protection services.