Belongings list for CHEO's inpatient mental health program

You may wish to ask your parent or caregiver to bring some personal belongings for your stay at CHEO.

To keep everyone safe, staff will check all items and bags brought onto the unit by patients and visitors. Staff will determine which items are permitted.

If you have questions or concerns, please speak with your assigned staff member, the unit Care Facilitator or the Charge RN.

What to bring

Items you can keep in your room:

✓ 2–3 sets of casual, comfortable clothing (no spaghetti straps, short shorts, skirts or tops, or clothing displaying explicit language or images)
✓ Sleepwear (pajamas without strings)
✓ Footwear (shoes without laces, slippers and socks)
✓ Personal toiletries (brush, comb, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap and menstrual hygiene products)
✓ Activities such as books, writing paper, puzzle books and small hobby supplies (no sharp objects, such as scissors or sewing needles)

Items stored in the unit office:

The following items can be brought to CHEO but must be stored in your designated office storage space (called your "tuck"). You can sign them out when needed.

✓ Headphones
✓ Electronic chargers
✓ Hygiene and makeup products (up to five makeup items; no glass or mirrors)
✓ Small musical instruments (guitars are the largest permitted instrument)
✓ Personal DVD players and DVDs (rated PG-13 or lower)
✓ Music players without Wi-Fi capabilities (music must not contain explicit language)
✓ Three-ring binders or notebooks with metal or plastic spiral bindings

What not to bring

For everyone's safety, the following items are not permitted on the unit:

✗ Blankets and pillows
✗ Belts or clothing with ties or strings
✗ Cell phones
✗ Cameras and recording devices
✗ Wi-Fi-capable devices (iPads, laptops, handheld gaming devices, etc.)
✗ Electrical appliances such as hair dryers, hair straighteners and radios
✗ Yarn, knitting needles, gimp, embroidery floss and Rainbow Loom supplies
✗ Aerosol cans, body sprays and perfumes
✗ Toiletry bags and pencil cases
✗ Valuables such as jewellery or money
✗ Sharp objects such as razors, scissors, nail clippers and tweezers
✗ Drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, lighters, matches and weapons

Personal belongings and storage

CHEO is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged items. We encourage you to leave valuables at home.

When you are admitted, you will be assigned a room cubby, one office tuck and one unit locker. If your belongings exceed the available storage space, we may ask you or your caregiver to take some items home.