About | TEAM UP for Children

The Survey of Well-being of Young Children (SWYC) is a preeminent early childhood screening tool co-developed by Ellen Perrin, MD, and Chris Sheldrick, PhD. Beginning in 2008, with funding support from the Commonwealth Fund, Dr. Perrin and Dr. Sheldrick worked to conceptualize, design, refine, test, and publish each portion of the SWYC. Today, professionals around the U.S. and the world have adopted the SWYC in their practices, incorporated it into their electronic medical systems, helped to translate the SWYC into new languages, and included the SWYC in their research. In 2025, Tufts Medical Center graciously transferred the SWYC to the TEAM UP Scaling and Sustainability Center at Boston Medical Center. TEAM UP is committed to the SWYC’s mission and will continue to steward the SWYC in the future.

Ellen Perrin, MD

Professor, Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine

Dr. Perrin’s career has blended her background and interest in developmental psychology with her passion to improve the lives of children and their parents. As President of the Society for Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, she was instrumental in gaining formal subspecialty status for Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics through the American Board of Medical Specialties and was the first Chair of the American Board of Pediatrics’ sub-board on Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics. She is committed to helping primary care pediatricians to address children’s optimal development and behavior most effectively. In her clinical work and research, she has worked with pediatricians in the care of children with chronic physical health conditions and a wide range of developmental-behavioral difficulties. In addition, she has been committed to advocacy for teens and parents who are gay or lesbian, and gender nonconforming young children. Recognizing the importance of early identification and intervention in developmental-behavioral problems and a need for a different kind of screening strategy, she worked with Dr. Chris Sheldrick to develop the Survey of Well-being of Young Children (SWYC). Dr. Perrin has been awarded the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Lifetime Achievement in LGBT Health and Wellness Award and the Massachusetts Medical Society 2024 Society’s LGBTQ Health Award.

Chris Sheldrick, PhD

Co-Director, Research & Evaluation, TEAM UP Scaling and Sustainability Center, Professor, Department of Psychiatry, UMass Chan Medical School

Chris Sheldrick, PhD is a research psychologist, a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at UMass Chan Medical School, and the Co-Director, Research & Evaluation of the TEAM UP Scaling and Sustainability Center. Dr. Sheldrick’s research focuses on the mental health of parents and children with a particular emphasis on optimizing community-based screening and interventions. Collaborating with Dr. Ellen Perrin, Dr. Sheldrick helped to create the Survey of Wellbeing of Young Children, a freely available comprehensive screening instrument for young children. His current research is directed toward improving systems of care through pragmatic research on real-world interventions, including perinatal psychiatry access programs, integrated behavioral healthcare in pediatrics, and parent-mediated interventions in early intervention settings. Dr. Sheldrick’s contributions include methodological innovations in community engagement, decision-making, and systems science to optimize and promote equity in the delivery of mental health services.

Disclaimer

The SWYC and the information on this site are not designed to and do not provide medical advice, professional diagnosis, or treatment. The information and any reference materials posted here by TEAM UP Scaling and Sustainability Center are intended solely for the information of the reader. Such information is NOT intended to replace consultation with a qualified medical professional. The SWYC trademark and copyrights are held by the TEAM UP Scaling and Sustainability Center at Boston Medical Center.

Permission to Use

All trademarks, service marks, and logos displayed on this website, including but not limited to The Survey of Well-Being of Young Children® and SWYC® are registered trademarks with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and are protected by applicable trademark laws. Unauthorized use of these trademarks is strictly prohibited.

Although the SWYC is freely available, it cannot be modified without the express permission of the Original Developer, Chris Sheldrick, PhD; Executive Director, Anita Morris, MSN; or Megan Bair-Merritt, MD, MSCE. If you are interested in translating the SWYC into a new language or administering it in a way that the downloadable forms are inappropriate (e.g., administering the SWYC through an electronic system), please contact the TEAM UP Center at SWYC.TEAMUPCenter@bmc.org.

ABOUT the TEAM UP Scaling and Sustainability Center

The Survey of Well-being of Young Children (SWYC) was intentionally designed to be uniquely suited for pediatric primary care. We find screening works best in the context of integrated care.

Funding Opportunity

If you are a Massachusetts-based primary care practice serving children and adolescents, TEAM UP—Transforming and Expanding Access to Mental Health Care Universally in Pediatrics—Scaling and Sustainability Center (TEAM UP Center) at Boston Medical Center is offering an exceptional funding opportunity to partner with the TEAM UP Center in advancing integrated pediatric behavioral health care.

Learn more about TEAM UP’s Request for Applications (RFA) →