Collaboration in child mental health care in Nunavik : what about boundaries? - Andréanne Robitaille & Sarah Fraser

Ilagiinut: collaborative child mental health care is a project developed by the Regional Partnership Committee of Nunavik with a research team based at University of Montreal to increase interorganisational collaboration towards child mental health care in Nunavik. One of the concerns expressed is “how to bridge the gap between, on the one hand, community conceptualisations of needs and appropriate care and on the other, best practice interventions and services offered under formal organisations and institutions?”. This participatory research project team met with 58 participants. Participants interviewed included psychiatrists, general practitioners, nurses, social workers, school principals, teachers, student counsellors, representatives of local committees (education committee, health committee), and police officers. Of the 58 participants, 39 were nonInuit and 19 were Inuit. In order to reflect on the process, the “how to bridge the gap”, this talk will share the

analysis of the participants’ narratives and perceptions of reality following two key concepts : temporality and social boundaries. Temporality will be considered as the perception of time within child development and trajectory of care (prevention, crisis management and follow-up). Social boundaries are “objectified forms of social differences manifested in unequal access to and unequal distribution of resources (material and nonmaterial) and social opportunities” (Lamont and Molnar, 2002). These concepts will help us reflect upon the ways in which collaboration can be improved to support the wellbeing of children and families.