[Crossroads, 50 years of child care].

Introduction: Through a journey in time, we propose to revisit the birth of the first mental health care settings for children with mental disorders affiliated with Université de Montréal, Quebec, Canada.
Methods: The main centers of child psychiatry affiliated with the Université de Montréal are presented with the outstanding figures of the time.
Results: Philosophical transitions and therapeutic paradigms are also briefly discussed. The creation of subspecialty clinics and training approved by the Royal College of Psychiatry of Child and Adolescent marked the contemporary era.
Conclusion: The contribution to training medical students, residents and researchers in the field of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry reflects the important milestones since the foundation of the Université de Montréal Department of Psychiatry. So much achieved in half a century.