Aboriginal Head Start

Aboriginal people recognize our children as our most valuable resource. We believe that our children are gifts from the creator and have the right to live proudly as Aboriginal people in the lands of our ancestors, and have the right to learn about their languages, cultural practices and histories. We believe that children are part of what makes a community whole, and have the right to be loved, valued, to be encouraged and to have a good life, free of violence.

The Challenge

The impact of colonialism has had its impact on our children. Aboriginal children are among the most disadvantaged of all Canadian children. Continuing disparities in social conditions, including sub-standard, overcrowded housing, and social problems such as domestic violence, suicide and alcohol and substance abuse, represent barriers to healthy development. Many Aboriginal children and youth live in extreme poverty without adequate physical and social support to enable them to grow up healthy.

28% of Aboriginal children live in single parent families headed by a mother
12% live with relatives other than their parents
58% of Aboriginal children live in poverty

These statistics are alarming. We know that poor children are twice as likely as other children to die before their first birthday, and more likely to suffer injury, chronic health problems, disabilities and psychiatric disorders. The data in our communities reflect these facts: The infant mortality rate for Aboriginal populations is 1.5 times higher than the rest of Canada, and Aboriginal children are 3 to 4 times more likely to suffer from injury related death.

The Program

The Aboriginal Head Start On Reserve program is a First Nations and Inuit Health Branch funded early intervention strategy for First Nations children on reserve. A similar program, funded through the Public Health Agency of Canada oversees the program for First Nations, Inuit and Metis children and their families living in urban centres and large northern communities.

Aboriginal Head Start (AHS) programs empower parents and their communities to meet the development needs of young children. AHS provides structured half-day pre-school experiences that prepare young Aboriginal children for their school years by meeting their spiritual, emotional, intellectual and physical needs.

NWAC is conducting research on and for the AHS for the purpose of promoting best practices, focusing on programs delivered away from reserves and in urban areas. This work is hoped to bring about more sustainable early childhood development programs understanding that the first five years of a child’s life is when the majority of brain development occurs. Stimulation during these early years greatly influences a child’s cognitive and linguistic development as well as social and psychological behaviour later in life.

The Opportunity

In all there are thousands of people working on various strategies across the country to improve the development of our children. Among these service providers in the Aboriginal community there is a wealth of experience and knowledge that must be utilized. NWAC supports an integrated and holistic approach that involves the essential role and participation of Aboriginal women to define and implement programs and services to meet the needs of their population. The current health status of Aboriginal children in the urban setting must be ameliorated within the holistic framework that acknowledges the impact of colonization and resultant socio-economic and health determinates such as poverty violence substance abuse. Our needs must be addressed in ways that honour our right to self-government and our cultures.

The Challenge

The Program

The Opportunity

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