Strengthened governance, strategic investments in economic development and education, including early childhood development, along with improved housing and infrastructure and safe drinking water, are part of an integrated set of priorities that are beginning to bring forth positive results. Improvements in all of these areas clearly show that the work being undertaken by the Government of Canada and Aboriginal people is making a difference in the lives of countless families.

To help realize a better future for Aboriginal children, a commitment made in the Speech From the Throne, the Government of Canada committed $320 million over five years for a strategy to improve and expand Early Childhood Development (ECD) programs and services for First Nations and other Aboriginal children. Launched in October 2002, this strategy complements the Federal, Provincial and Territorial ECD Agreement announced by First Ministers in September 2000.

The Government of Canada is committed to the health and well-being of Canada's children and is enhancing its measures to address the gap in life chances between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children. The federal strategy will be implemented by Health Canada, Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) and Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) in consultation with Aboriginal organizations and communities. It will:

• improve and expand existing ECD programs and services for Aboriginal children, with particular focus on programming for First Nations children on reserve;
  
• work towards the development of a "single window" approach to ensure better integration and coordination; and,
  
• introduce new research initiatives to improve understanding of how Aboriginal children are doing, and what can be done to ensure their healthy development.

ECD Programs
Aboriginal Head Start On Reserve: (Health Canada)
Now entering its third year of implementation ($25M/year), Aboriginal Head Start (AHS) on reserve serves about 7,700 children in 305 sites. The additional investment of
$21.5 million per year for AHS on reserve will:

• develop new sites to increase the reach of the program;
  
• expand the capacity of existing projects to reach more children; and
  
• respond to challenges/program gaps, such as children with special needs and parent outreach.

Aboriginal Head Start (Urban and Northern Communities): (Health Canada)
Initiated in 1995, AHS (Urban/Northern) serves approximately 3,500 children in 114 sites with $22.5 million annually. Through an additional investment of $12.6 million per year, AHS (Urban/Northern) will:

• expand the capacity of existing sites;
  
• establish new sites in priority communities;
  
• increase the number of special needs and parental outreach workers; and
  
• enhance special needs training.

First Nations and Inuit Child Care: (Human Resources Development Canada)
The First Nations and Inuit Child Care (FNICC) initiative currently supports over 7,000 child care spaces in over 390 First Nations and Inuit communities with $41 million annually. This strategy includes an additional $9.5 million per year for FNICC to:

• improve the quality of existing child care spaces;
  
• increase the number of spaces in existing centres; and
  
• create new child care centres.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Fetal Alcohol Effects: (Health Canada)
The First Nations and Inuit component of the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAS/FAE) Initiative ($1.7 million annually) has focused on training for front-line workers. The training assists these workers in supporting, identifying and managing those at risk of FAS/FAE. Another objective is the development of public education tools and resources. With an additional $10 million in 2002-03 and $15 million ongoing, the FAS/FAE strategy will:

• support the development of prevention and early intervention programming in First Nations communities;
  
• enhance training for service providers;
  
• develop practical screening tools; and
  
• improve parent/caregiver supports for families affected by FAS/FAE.

New Research Initiatives: (Human Resources Development Canada)
The strategy includes $4.2 million per year for research to follow Aboriginal children over time, monitor the kinds of supports they are receiving from their families and communities, and explore the conditions in which they live and grow. In consultation with Aboriginal stakeholders, the Government of Canada will:

• consider how to address gaps in data on the physical, social, emotional and cognitive development of young Aboriginal children and on the factors affecting their development; and
  
• expand the Understanding the Early Years (UEY) initiative to selected Aboriginal communities. UEY is a community-level research initiative that involves teachers, parents and community agencies to explore the impact of community factors on children's developmental outcomes and to understand how communities can best respond.

INAC's role in this strategy is to support and enhance opportunities among government departments.

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