Our Activities

Now that you’ve visited our About Us page and know why SKIP is working to improve children’s pain management, learn what we’re doing to make a difference!

Identifying & Filling Gaps

SKIP connects with patients, caregivers, health professionals, administrators, and policy makers to understand pre-existing and pandemic-related needs, including vaccine pain and fear, and key issues around acute and chronic pain.

Barriers to evidence about children's pain

SKIP conducted a study to identify the shared and unique needs and barriers for children’s pain across three stakeholder groups: patient partners (patients, caregivers, and family members), knowledge users (i.e., health professionals, administrators, policymakers, educators), and researchers (including trainees). Our findings were shared at national and international pain conferences.

An emergent need for evidence-based information to manage vaccinations with confidence

SKIP responded quickly to emerging need for support navigating vaccination for children by organizing an up-to-date, bilingual resource sheet that provided information and links to more than 15 key evidence-based tools for managing needle pain and anxiety.

Acute Pain Management

SKIP’s Central Hub met with Emergency Physician Leaders of Ontario and helped create a repository of resources tailored to the specific needs of emergency room doctors managing acute pain.

Needs Assessment

SKIP takes a user-informed approach to knowledge mobilization. A Needs Assessment Survey was launched to confirm the needs of knowledge users (including patients, caregivers, health professionals, administrators, and policy makers) and to organize current resources and evidence. SKIP ensures that the tools and resources we develop and promote are informed by stakeholders that will use this evidence.

Let’s SKIP: Call for Patient Partners

A Patient Partner is someone with lived experience of pain, including patients, caregivers, family, and friends. SKIP has a network of more than ninety patient partners, including patients and caregivers, and is always looking to connect with new partners to match network activities and opportunities.

Producing and Promoting Valuable Tools

In 2021-22 we produced 131 knowledge mobilization tools with a wide variety of focuses, that reached nearly 680,000 people! SKIP coordinated with many partners to get evidence into the hands of knowledge users.

Indigenous-led resources for vaccine pain and needle fear

We collaborated to co-produce and promote Indigenous-led, culturally relevant resources to help Indigenous children and families feel safe when receiving a vaccine. These resources included illustrated vaccination stories like Little Reah, that were even featured on the Moment of Truth podcast.

The Rounds

SKIP’s partnership with The Rounds has provided a platform to share evidence-based resources to physicians and health professionals across Canada and around the world. During the “Ask Me Anything” events, pediatric pain experts share their knowledge and answer questions from members of The Rounds community about pediatric pain. This partnership ensures evidence-based tools and resources about children’s pain are put into practice.

HSO: Pediatric Pain Management Standard

SKIP has partnered with the Health Standards Organization (HSO) to improve the quality and safety of care for all children through the creation of a Pediatric Pain Management Standard. This standard facilitates institutional change in children’s pain management by supporting efforts to access, adopt, and implement evidence. The person-centered philosophy of the HSO is consistent with SKIP’s Patients Included approach.

Partnerships with Scientific Journals

SKIP partnered with Pediatric & Neonatal Pain, a new multidisciplinary journal, for two open-access special issues showcasing innovative knowledge mobilization in pediatric and neonatal pain management from around the world. Special issues focused on neonatal pain and pediatric pain.

Children’s Healthcare Canada Spark: Live Webinars

SKIP has co-hosted seven Children’s Healthcare Canada Spark: Live webinars, attracting approximately 1200 registrants. These webinars offer the chance to share evidence and promote its use in practice and policy with the Canadian children’s health community. Topics have included COVID-19 and its impact on families, mobilizing virtual care, patient engagement, and diagnostic uncertainty in pediatric chronic pain.

Facilitating Institutional Change

SKIP is committed to helping Canadian healthcare institutions put evidence into practice to improve care for kids in pain. We’re working with a wide range of partners to connect with institutions across the country and facilitate the adoption of best practices.

International Collaborator Testimony

“Connecting with SKIP has been an incredibly valuable experience on multiple levels. From the beginning, I’ve felt respected, appreciated and like I was entering a mutually beneficial collaboration. SKIP’s team is warm, friendly, and enjoyable to collaborate with. Above all, SKIP’s team members are passionate about what they’re doing, and that shines through. There is an authenticity to this organization, their mission, and work that is very unique.” - Melissa, International collaborator

ChildKind International

ChildKind certification is a global standard of institutional commitment to pediatric pain management. SKIP works in partnership with ChildKind International to assist children’s healthcare institutions in moving towards ChildKind certification. To date, SKIP has helped four Canadian children’s hospitals move closer to certification.

Knowledge Mobilization Workshop

SKIP hosted a two-day knowledge mobilization workshop in Toronto, facilitated by Dr. Melanie Barwick from The Hospital for Sick Children, that provided formal training to 21 provincial, national, and international stakeholders. Participants learned new approaches to better support knowledge mobilization initiatives around pediatric pain management in their organizations. SKIP has also continued to utilize the tools from this workshop to build capacity and excellence in knowledge mobilization with researchers through our Jump in With SKIP program.

SKIP Affiliate Designation

The SKIP Affiliate designation was created for institutions that demonstrate leadership and a commitment to mobilizing evidence to improve children’s pain management, and want to become official members of SKIP’s national network. To learn more about how your institution can benefit from the Affiliate designation, click here.

Raising Awareness and Kickstarting Conversation

SKIP is increasing awareness and fostering a sense of urgency among the general public about children’s pain. We’re hosting and participating in events and media activities and generating engagement and dialogue across our digital platforms.

Anyone can be a champion for kids in pain!

Want to find out how? Get in touch.