PolicyWise for Children & Families - Edmonton

PolicyWise has a long, deep history that started in 2002 when the Government of Alberta recognized that healthy, thriving children living in supportive families and safe communities are critical to ensure a skilled, productive workforce for the future. And secondly that there were significant gaps in the applied research available to support the development of the most effective policies, programs and services for Alberta’s children, families and communities.

We were established in 2003, at the same time as Alberta’s Promise and announced in that throne speech as the government’s commitment to operationalize the fifth Promise to Alberta’s Children – “Leadership and Innovation”, learning from best practices and researching strategies to support Alberta’s children to learn and succeed. The Minister of Children’s Services, along with key leaders in community and universities established our governance structure, and pushed our organization to be a frontier for an inclusive, cross-sector approach.

Over the years, our organization remained committed to our original mandate but grew in expertise and impact. We partnered with government, academic institutions and communities on significant initiatives such as the Child and Youth Data Lab where we linked longitudinal data from a wide range of service areas such as health, education, justice, disability and income support, and foster care.

We have worked closely with academic institutions and built a research data repository and analytics platform. We have designed, implemented, and managed numerous evaluations; each being unique in subject matter, methodology, scope, and scale. We have participated in all major social policy initiatives advisory councils, and provincial and national committees aimed at improving the well-being of children, families and communities. Our legacy and influence continues to grow as we have now renewed our charitable objects so that we can continue our work in all areas of the world