Certificate in Child Social-Emotional Development and Mental Health

Pilot Version

Certificate Overview

This 6-week certificate training is designed for educators and practitioners working with children ages 3–8 and their families. Developed from over 20 years of developmental and clinical psychology research led by Dr. Tina Malti and the team at the Centre for Child Development, Mental Health, and Policy (CCDMP) at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM), the training provides research-informed strategies to strengthen educators’ capacity to promote social-emotional development and mental health in children and families.

The certificate consists of three modules:

• Module 1: Social-Emotional Development (The 3Es©)
• Module 2: Early Relationships and Social-Emotional Development (The 3Cs©)
• Module 3: Growth, Stress, and Socio-Emotional Development (The 3Rs©)

Certificate Training Dates

The training will run from October 20 – December 10, 2025 (schedule and key dates can be found below). There will be an Information Session on October 20, 2025, 7–8 PM. This session will provide an overview of the training program. Access to the training website will be available starting October 20, 2025.

Training Format

The training includes a combination of self-paced learning, virtual group sessions, and readings/assignments:

• Self-paced sessions: 3 videos per module (9 total)
• Virtual group sessions: 1 two-hour session per module (3 total; every two weeks on Zoom)
• Assignments: 1 reflection activity and 1 theoretical assignment per module (6 total)

Virtual Live Group Session Dates

Code of Conduct for Virtual Live Group Sessions

• There are no right or wrong answers, and differing opinions are welcome.
• As a group, we commit to treating one another with kindness and respect, and to refrain from making comments that may cause harm or disrespect.
• Participation is always voluntary—no one is required to share if they do not wish to.
• This is a safe space: personal and private information will not be shared outside the session.
• Exception: If we suspect that a child is being harmed, we are required to report this to Children’s Aid.

The Online Training Platform

The training will be delivered entirely online through our Learning Management System (LMS) called The 3Es Training. After the introductory session and after you complete our initial online survey, the CCDMP team will register you to join the LMS where you have access to the training modules and materials as they become available. You can use your computer, tablet, or cell phone to access the LMS.

Requirements for Receiving the Training Certificate

To receive the certificate, you must:

• Complete all self-paced sessions.
• Attend all virtual live sessions.
• Have a working camera and microphone to participate via Zoom.
• Complete all assignments:
  • Assignments must be submitted in Microsoft Word, or PDF format on the training website. Learners can expect to receive feedback before the training end date, for all submitted assignment(s).
• Complete the final post-training survey.

Your Input

Your insights, comments, and feedback are highly valued and will be confidential. We hope to hear from you in the following ways:

• Pre-training registration form – You will be asked to provide information about yourself and your experiences as an educator to help us strengthen the training.
• Post-training surveys – Six brief surveys (two for each module) and one follow-up survey one week after the training.

Certificate Training Schedule