PolicyLab

Intergenerational family services are services provided to parents, caregivers and their children in pediatric health care settings. This family-centered approach recognizes that children’s health is directly connected to the physical, mental and social well-being of their caregivers. Although intergenerational health is not a new concept, recent health care reforms and emerging research offer new opportunities to put family-centered care into practice. Services for caregivers such as physical and mental health treatment, vaccinations, obesity prevention and smoking cessation are critical to the promotion of child and family health. Similarly, social determinants of health, such as poverty and housing insecurity, are linked to long-term health outcomes for children and are therefore an essential part of intergenerational programs.