Funding outcome

The mental health of children is an important healthcare issue. In general, one in five children in Canada require mental health services. However, during stressful events such as pandemics, the mental health of children is further affected. For Asian children in particular, experiences of racism during the COVID-19 pandemic have increased their likelihood of developing mental illnesses. This is concerning because Asian-Canadians are the largest visible minority group in Canada, with 170,760 Asian children under 14-years living in Alberta. However, without effective mental health resources explaining to parents when to seek mental health services, mental illnesses may go undetected and become more severe as these children age. The objective of this study is to identify anti-racism strategies for child mental health resources, and to improve the mental health outcomes of Asian children. A scoping review will identify and document how Asian parents perceive child mental health resources, and map the barriers and facilitators of child mental health resources for Asian parents. Next, interviews with Asian parents across Alberta, Canada will uncover their perceptions of child mental health resources. The interviews will target the unique knowledge needs of Asian families while simultaneously empowering parents with approaches that facilitate racially diverse families to thrive. Through the expected outcomes of this study, it will transform child mental health resources with racial equity, diversity, and inclusivity, and better serve the multi-racial population in Canada.