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June 19, 2023

Exploring Diversity, Family Dynamics, and Disability at the CSA Conference

Sophie Mathieu, Kim de Laat, and Margaret Campbell recently presented at Canadian Sociological Association (CSA) Conference.

June 19, 2023

On May 29 to June 2, 2023, Sophie Mathieu, PhD, Kim de Laat, PhD, and Margaret Campbell, PhD, participated in the Canadian Sociological Association (CSA) Conference. The conference was part of the Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences that took place at York University.

Dr. Mathieu presented alongside the Reimagining Care/Work Policies partnership led by Dr. Andrea Doucet, PhD. She highlighted how recent policy incentives in the Quebec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP) have affected fathers’ uptake of shareable parental benefits since 2021.

The Vanier Institute of the Family also chaired two sessions on family diversity. During these sessions, Dr. de Laat introduced the Family Diversities and Wellbeing Framework developed during her postdoctoral fellowship at the Vanier Institute. The framework sheds light on the interconnectedness between family identity, family structures, and the various forms of work performed by families—all of which can influence family wellbeing.

Dr. Campbell’s first presentation drew on data from her doctoral research which examined the numerous barriers to sexual health and expression that people with disabilities routinely encounter. Her second presentation, titled “Families with Disability and Wellbeing: Results from a Narrative Review,” introduced her research on wellbeing outcomes among families with disabilities conducted at the Vanier Institute. Using the Family Diversities and Wellbeing Framework, Dr. Campbell detailed how inequalities in service provision and social isolation, as well as the personal and financial costs of care, can jeopardize family wellbeing among this population.