Early Childhood Development

Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) is committed to supporting healthy early childhood development and improving the living conditions of Aboriginal families. To that end, INAC has created programs that contribute to child development through formal child day care activities and other related social services that directly benefit children.

Parents as Teachers

INAC works with organizations to deliver quality programs and support services.  Those services provide affordable child care and promote healthy child rearing practices for Aboriginal families. Meanwhile, parent advisory committees often oversee the operation of local projects.  INAC supports parents and guardians as the children's primary teachers.  Therefore, INAC assists them to develop the necessary skills to actively contribute to their child's healthy development.

Programs and Initiatives

Read more about what INAC is doing to advance early childhood development for Aboriginal and Northern families:

• Aboriginal Head Start on Reserve Program (AHSOR)
• Aboriginal Head Start in Urban and Northern Communities
• The First Nations and Inuit Child Care Initiative
• The Ontario Day Care Program
• Alberta On-Reserve Day Care Program 

Funding

The Federal Strategy on Early Childhood Development for First Nations and Other Aboriginal Children was created in 2002. This Strategy complements the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Early Childhood Development Agreement of 2000. Health Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada, Human Resources and Social Development Canada and Indian and Northern Affairs Canada have been developing options for a Single Window approach for federal Aboriginal ECD programs to ensure better integration, coordination, accountability and reporting. In 2002, $320M was invested over five years with $65M/year ongoing.

In 2004, enhancements of $45M over three years and $14M in ongoing funding were announced for Early Learning and Child Care programs on reserve, complementing the 2003 Multilateral Framework on Early Learning and Child Care.

In 2007, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Health Canada, Human Resources and Social Development Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada worked collaboratively since the Single Window Service Delivery Demonstration Projects began in April 2007 to test the single funding mechanism, streamlined reporting and community development progress.

You may also be Interested in:

• The Well-Being of Canada's Young Children: Government of Canada Report 2006 
• Early Childhood Development Activities and Expenditures: Government of Canada Report 2004-2005 & 2005-2006 
• Early Learning and Child Care Activities and Expenditures: Government of Canada Report 2003-2004