SUFA Initiative (2001)

General Information

Human Resources Development Canada

The F/P/T Early Childhood Development initiative involves the Government of Canada and provincial and territorial governments. The Government of Quebec does not participate in this initiative, but receives its share of federal transfers to provincial/territorial governments under the initiative.

Within the Government of Canada, key partners include Human Resources Development Canada and Health Canada.

As part of this initiative, governments have committed to work with the Aboriginal peoples of Canada to find practical solutions to address the developmental needs of Aboriginal children.

This initiative was announced by Canada's First Ministers in a communiqué on early childhood development that was released on September 11, 2000.

This is an ongoing initiative.

Information about the initiative, including the text of the First Ministers' communiqué on ECD, is available on the Social Union website at: http://www.socialunion.gc.ca/

The overall goal of the initiative is to improve and expand early childhood development supports for young children (prenatal to age 6) and their parents.

The specific objectives of the initiative are:

• To promote early childhood development so that, to their fullest potential, children will be physically and emotionally healthy, safe and secure, ready to learn and socially engaged and responsible; and
• To help children reach their potential and to help families support their children within strong communities.

First Ministers recognized that provinces and territories have the primary responsibility for early childhood development programs and services.

Provincial/territorial governments will invest funds transferred to them by the Government of Canada in any or all of the following four areas of action outlined in the ECD communiqué:

1. Healthy Pregnancy, Birth and Infancy
2. Parenting and Family Supports
3. Early Childhood Development, Learning and Care
4. Community Supports.

In the ECD communiqué, First Ministers committed their governments to three public reporting requirements:

1. This fall, each government will release a first report on current ECD programs and expenditures, providing a baseline against which new investments can be tracked.
2. By September 2002, governments will begin annual reporting using comparable program indicators to track progress in improving and expanding early childhood development programs and services within the four areas for action.
3. By September 2002, governments will begin regular reporting on children's well-being, using a common set of outcome indicators.

In progress² - Governments are in the process of developing guidelines to ensure appropriate recognition of the federal investment in provincial and territorial ECD programs. These guidelines are expected to be developed by Fall 2001.

Joint public communications products may be developed by the participating governments as the initiative evolves.

Resources

The Government of Canada has begun to transfer $2.2 billion to provincial/territorial governments over the next 5 years. This funding will be transferred through the Canada Health and Social Transfer (CHST).

The funding profile for total transfers to provincial/territorial governments is as follows:

• 2001/2002 - $300 million
• 2002/2003 - $400 million
• 2003/2004 - $500 million
• 2004/2005 - $500 million
• 2005/2006 - $500 million

In the ECD communiqué, all governments agreed that ECD investments should be incremental, predictable and sustainable over the long term. All governments committed to make incremental investments in early childhood development. Governments will report to Canadians on these investments.

Saskatchewan

In the fall of 2001, each participating jurisdiction will publish a baseline report on programs and expenditures in the area of early childhood development.

Beginning in 2002, each jurisdiction will report annually on its progress in expanding and improving ECD programs. Governments have agreed to improve the quality of reporting over time.

These annual reports will be published by each jurisdiction in a range of formats, which may include websites. As well, governments are exploring the possibility of using the Social Union website as a common website for public reports on ECD.

The objectives of the initiative, as outlined in the ECD communiqué are:

• To promote early childhood development so that, to their fullest potential, children will be physically and emotionally healthy, safe and secure, ready to learn and socially engaged and responsible; and
• To help children reach their potential and to help families support their children within strong communities.

In the ECD communiqué, First Ministers committed their governments to:

• Report annually, beginning in September 2002, on a shared framework, including comparable program indicators, to help track progress in improving and expanding early childhood development programs and services within the four areas for action (healthy pregnancy, birth and infancy; parenting and family supports; early childhood development, learning and care; and community supports.); and
• Begin regular reporting on children's well-being, using a common set of indicators of child well-being, by September 2002.

In progress² - There is a commitment in the ECD communiqué to develop comparable program indicators that will permit each government to track progress in improving and expanding early childhood development programs and services by September 2002. F/P/T work is underway to identify comparable program indicators.

In progress² - There is also a commitment to develop a common set of outcome indicators of child well-being by September 2002. F/P/T work is underway to identify a common set of indicators.

In progress² - There is a commitment in the ECD communiqué to develop comparable program indicators that will permit each government to track progress in improving and expanding early childhood development programs and services by September 2002. F/P/T work is underway to identify comparable program indicators.

In progress² - There is also a commitment to develop a common set of outcome indicators of child well-being by September 2002. F/P/T work is underway to identify a common set of indicators.

To be determined³ - First Ministers, in their communiqué, agreed that governments would consult third parties to assist, as appropriate, in developing indicators and assessing progress on early childhood development. Specific options for involving third parties in the development of public reporting are under consideration.

To be determined³ - F/P/T governments have agreed to work together, where appropriate, on research and knowledge and sharing information on effective practices. Governments are considering how to proceed with this commitment.

In the ECD communiqué, First Ministers committed their governments to three public reporting requirements:

1. This fall, each government will release a first report on current ECD programs and expenditures, providing a baseline against which new investments can be tracked.
2. By September 2002, governments will begin annual reporting using comparable program indicators to track progress in improving and expanding early childhood development programs and services within the four areas for action.
3. By September 2002, governments will begin regular reporting on children's well-being, using a common set of outcome indicators.

First Ministers committed to ensure that effective mechanisms for Canadians to participate in developing early childhood development priorities and reviewing outcomes are put in place.

Not applicable¹ - There is a commitment to report publicly on current programs and expenditures to provide a baseline; on a shared framework including comparable program indicators; and on children's well-being using a common set of outcome indicators. However, there is no specific requirement to report on the involvement of Canadians.

Provincial/territorial governments have agreed to invest in any or all of the four areas of action described in the ECD communiqué, which is available on the Social Union website at: http://www.socialunion.gc.ca/

Not applicable¹ - Provincial/territorial governments will establish service commitments, as appropriate, for their respective program investments.

Not applicable¹ - Provincial/territorial governments will collect and report on performance information against service commitments as they deem appropriate.

Not applicable¹ - Provincial/territorial governments will determine if appeals and complaints mechanisms are appropriate for specific ECD programs

Not applicable¹ - Provincial/territorial governments will report on appeals and complaints mechanisms are they deem appropriate.

Not applicable¹ - Mobility is not a factor as all provinces/territories are receiving per capita funding to improve and expand early childhood development programs.