Welcome to the Special Teen Education Program CFSID/STEPS

This project responds to a unique target audience and at every step involves this target group, TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS. This project responds to an urgent need to educate young moms through a supportive, educational training programme that will in turn lower the rate of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome for young parents.

STEPS provides risk reduction information for Teen Moms, Dads, expectant parents and all who may become parents in the future.

The Back to Sleep information will reduce the risk of SIDS, but it is not guaranteed to prevent SIDS altogether.

All About Us

The Teen SIDS Risk Reduction Programme was established because the rate of SIDS deaths is higher in Teenage Mothers. The Canadian Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths will develop and implement a very comprehensive communications program reaching new and expectant teenage mothers. We believe one of the reasons teen mothers have a 5% higher rate of SIDS is Teen Mothers are not being informed about successful methods of risk reduction.

The Teen SIDS Risk Reduction Peer Educational Programme will train 20 Teens to act as facilitators in 100 communities in 10 catchment areas throughout Ontario. Over 2000 teens and teen mothers will be reached with Back to Sleep information. 50 new volunteers will work on SIDS Education. A video and brochure will be developed to promote this training. The main objective of this project will be to see a reduction in the rate of SIDS and Teen Mothers. The sponsor of the program is the Canadian Foundation for the Study of Infant Death. This project is financially supported by The Trillium Foundation.