Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) and the Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre (CACAC) hosted the fourth annual Transforming Practices Conferences: Child Abuse Prevention Conference on May 28 and 29, 2026.
More than 500 attendees, including teachers, counselors, doctors, therapists, social workers, and other frontline workers from across Alberta gathered at the Polytechnic to learn and explore emerging practices that support the critical cause of child advocacy and the needs of vulnerable children and families.
"The Transforming Practices Conference reflects Red Deer Polytechnic's commitment to our 2030 Strategic Plan and our focus on creating meaningful social impact," says Stuart Cullum, President, Red Deer Polytechnic. "Through our partnership with the CACAC, we are advancing collaborative solutions that strengthen communities, while leveraging our strengths in education, training and applied research to better support vulnerable children, youth and families across Alberta."
Throughout the two-day conference, 45 speakers led sessions. As one of four keynote speakers, Tyler Smith, a survivor of the Humboldt Broncos tragedy, shared his experiences about navigating mental health and grief. Additional sessions, such as "Understanding Trauma in Vulnerable Populations", "Building Safe Spaces" and "Introduction to the Child Intervention System," offered practical insights into trauma-informed practice and community support.
"Transforming Practices creates space for honest conversations about some of the heaviest realities faced by children, youth, families, and the professionals who support them, but it does so with vision, hope, and a clear commitment to doing better together," says Cheryl Patterson, Transforming Practices attendee. "The sessions offered a meaningful variety of knowledge, perspectives, and practical tools that not only strengthen individual practice, but bring people together across disciplines to transform how we respond, collaborate, and support healing moving forward."
The Transforming Practices Conference also highlighted the broader, ongoing partnership between RDP and the CACAC. Beyond this conference, the CACAC provides learning opportunities to more than 12 RDP programs, supporting hands-on education for students.
Over the past year alone, approximately 50 students have completed practicums and clinical placements at the Child Advocacy Centre, gaining experience in a highly specialized environment that impacts their future careers.
Further strengthening this collaboration, Red Deer Polytechnic learners, faculty and staff also conduct applied research with CACAC staff to help address complex societal challenges. At the conference, one session titled "RDP Student Research Spotlight" showcased work on topics such as gender-related violence, the role of cognitive styles in psychological outcomes following trauma and how resilience supports post-traumatic growth.
"The challenges facing children and youth today do not fit neatly within the mandate of any one organization or profession," says Mark Jones, CEO of the Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre and the Sheldon Kennedy Centre of Excellence. "Whether we are addressing child abuse, exploitation, mental health concerns, violence, or family adversity, meaningful change happens when education, healthcare, justice, social services, and community organizations work together. That collaborative approach is at the heart of the Sheldon Kennedy Centre of Excellence and the reason this conference exists. Transforming Practices creates space for professionals to share knowledge, challenge assumptions, and strengthen the partnerships that ultimately lead to better outcomes for children, youth, and families."
For more information about the Transforming Practices Conference, please visit: transformingpractices.info/.
