Public Health and Primary Care


The Public Health and Primary Care team partners with public health, primary care, and community sectors to strengthen the delivery of early, preventive, and community-based services that promote the health and well-being of children, youth, and families across British Columbia.

Grounded in principles of health equity and cultural humility, our work supports providers through the development of evidence-informed resources, system-level strategies, and cross-sector collaboration. We are committed to advancing care that is culturally safe, responsive and trauma-informed, while upholding Indigenous-specific anti-racism as guided by the wisdom of Coast Salish teachings and PHSA’s values.

Our team works to improve access, quality, and outcomes by supporting integrated care, promoting healthy development, and addressing 
key population health priorities within the communities where children live, learn, play, and receive care.

Appetite To Play


Appetite to Play was developed as a province-wide approach to support early childhood providers in promoting and encouraging healthy eating and physical activity within early years settings.  

Key implementation supports include:  

  • An interactive Appetite to Play website (www.appetitetoplay.com) featuring healthy eating and physical activity recommended practices for providers, such as self-assessment and planning tools, tips/ideas, recipes, games and activities.
  • Training initiatives for early years providers to enhance their knowledge, skills and confidence in providing environments that support healthy eating and physical activity, using multiple modalities.
  • Resources and content directed at parents and caregivers, including a series of workshops that were created for community facilitators to be able to share content and key health promotion messages to parents/caregivers and families in a flexible format (Appetite to Play for Families: Facilitator Training).
  • Integration of Appetite to Play in StrongStart BC Early Learning Centres as a pilot across BC.

Appetite to Play has been generously supported by the Ministry of Health. 
 

BC Child & Youth Health Indicators Report


The health and well-being of BC’s children and youth is critical to the current and future well-being of the province. While BC is often considered the healthiest place in Canada, the health and well-being of our children and youth has not been consistently measured and monitored.  
 
In 2013, the Provincial Health Officer (PHO) and the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) issued the Child and Youth Health and Well-being Indicators Project: CIHI and B.C. PHO Joint Summary Report. The report identified a suite of 51 modifiable indicators, across five dimensions, for which data were collected and analyzed to define and track child and youth health and well-being in BC. Indicators are evidence based and reflect a population's health approach.  

What Actions Have Already Been Taken?

Building on the Indicators Project, Child Health BC partnered with BC’s Office of the Provincial Health Officer (OPHO) to develop the report Is "Good", Good Enough?  A Report on the Health & Well-Being of Children and Youth in BCIs "Good", Good Enough?  A Report on the Health & Well-Being of Children and Youth in BC that examines the current status of child and youth health and establishes a baseline to continue monitoring their health into the future. Contributors from across BC helped analyze the data and determine key findings for each of the indicators.  
 
Is "Good", Good Enough? A Report on the Health & Well-Being of Children and Youth in BC is the first report of its kind in Canada. It contains BC-specific data, related literature, discussions and recommendations that can inform decision-making around the development of policy, programs and services aimed at improving the lives of children and youth in BC. Overall, the Report found that the health and well-being of children and youth in BC is reasonably good, particularly when compared to other jurisdictions in Canada. However, some indicators are stable and not showing improvement, meaning that a portion of children and youth are continually left behind in health and wellness. Additionally, for many indicators, there are substantial disparities based on sex/gender and geography.

Where Are We Now?

In partnership with the BC Center for Disease Control and The Office of the Provincial Health Officer, Child Health BC is currently working to refine and update the previous 51 indicators and create new indicators particularly around youth mental wellness for the next version of the report. A specific focus will be placed on validating the updated indicators with provincial youth advisory committees for their lived experience perspective The audience for this updated report will be policy makers who can use the findings to inform priorities, policy, and programming.

The new version of the report is anticipated to be released in 2026 

BC Healthy Child Development Alliance

 

The BC Healthy Child Development Alliance is the province’s leading network for connection and collaboration in the early years sector. With over 60 organizations and 100 members from health authorities, ministries, academia, non-profits, and advocacy groups, the Alliance serves as a central hub for aligning efforts, sharing knowledge, and advancing efforts in the area of healthy early childhood development through a social determinants of health lens. The Alliance is chaired by Child Health BC and meets five (5) times per year. We welcome new member organizations that focus on early years health and well-being. If you are interested in learning more or would like to join the Alliance, please email primarycareandpreventionadmin@phsa.ca. 

 

Healthy Social Emotional Development in the Early Years

What is Social and emotional development and why is it especially important in the early years?

Social and emotional development in the early years (0-6 years old) is crucial as it lays the foundation for a child’s ability to form healthy relationships, manage emotions, and navigate social environments. These early skills support learning, resilience, and overall well-being throughout life.


Child Health BC, along with its provincial partners, have developed and supported the following initiatives to support care providers in promoting healthy social and emotional development:

  • A public message campaign on social media called Feelings First (www.feelingsfirst.ca) to raise awareness of the importance of fostering social and emotional development (SED) in the early years through 13 key messages.
  • A series of parent modules on Feelings First that provide more in-depth exploration of the messages that were communicated in the awareness campaign, which can be found here.
  • Supporting the legacy of KidCareCanada – a wealth of 200+ free video resources from an organization that focused on empowering parents to raise their children to be socially and emotionally healthy. We continue to offer their evidence informed video library and resources on social and emotional development, and are thrilled and honoured to be stewards of this great work. See link to KidCareCanada.
  • Integrating the Feelings First training into StrongStart BC Early Learning Centres in pilot areas in the province.

Feelings First has been generously supported by the Ministry of Health, and developed alongside the BC Healthy Child Development Alliance. 
 

Provincial Parent / Caregiver Health Promotion Resources 


Child Health BC, Perinatal Services BC and the Ministry of Health are proud to have co-developed a series of trusted resources for parents and caregivers across British Columbia. These long-used materials have been thoughtfully updated using the latest evidence-based information to ensure they remain relevant, accurate, and supportive of families' evolving needs in the area of pregnancy and child development.

Grounded in current research and best practices, these resources are designed to offer clear, practical guidance to help parents and caregivers navigate a wide range of challenges and stages during pregnancy and in a child’s life. Through this collaboration, our goal is to continue providing reliable support to families across the province. 

Baby’s Best Chance (BBC) 

Baby’s Best Chance: Parents’ Handbook of Pregnancy and Baby Care is a comprehensive guide designed to support families from early pregnancy through to the baby’s first year. It covers a wide range of topics including prenatal care, labour and delivery, postpartum recovery, infant care, feeding, and early development. It provides evidence-based information and practical tips to support healthy pregnancies and informed parenting. This resource is widely used by healthcare professionals to reinforce key health messages and support family-centered care.

Please see the 2024 version here: Baby's Best Chance: Parents' Handbook of Pregnancy and Baby Care | HealthLink BC 

Toddler’s First Steps (TFS)

Toddler’s First Steps: A Best Chance Guide to Parenting Your Toddler continues where Baby’s Best Chance leaves off, offering guidance for parents of children aged 6 months to to 3 years. It includes information on developmental milestones, nutrition, sleep, safety, behavior, and emotional development. TFS supports caregivers through the toddler years with a focus on promoting positive parenting practices and healthy child development.

Please see the 2024 version here: Toddler's First Steps: A Best Chance Guide to Parenting Your 6-to-36 Month-Old Child | HealthLink BC 

Child Health Passport

The Child Health Passport is a record booklet given to parents and caregivers to track a child’s growth, immunizations, and key developmental milestones from birth through early childhood. It serves as a communication tool between families and healthcare providers, supporting continuity of care and encouraging active participation in a child’s health and development.

The latest version is here: Child Health Passport. 

Safer Sleep for My Baby

Safer Sleep for My Baby is a public health booklet that provides clear, practical guidance to reduce the risk of sudden infant death (SIDS) and other sleep-related causes of infant death. It outlines safe sleep practices such as proper sleep positioning, sleep environments, and the importance of avoiding risk factors like smoking. This resource is used by healthcare professionals to educate parents and caregivers on creating a safe sleep space for infants.

Latest version is here: Safe Infant Sleep