Aboriginal Head Start On Reserve

2000-2001 Annual Report

2003
ISBN: 0-662-88900-2
cat. No.: H33-1/2001E

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Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Atlantic Region
• Quebec Region
• Ontario Region
• Manitoba Region
• Saskatchewan Region
• Alberta Region
• Pacific Region
• Appendix

Introduction

In 1995, the Government of Canada established the Aboriginal Head Start (AHS) program to enhance child development and school readiness of Indian, Metis and Inuit children living in urban centres and large northern communities.

The goal of AHS is to instil a sustaining, caring, and nurturing environment for pre-school children based on a holistic model encompassing the emotional, spiritual, physical, and mental health needs of children for life long learning. AHS is a school readiness and early intervention program involving parents, guardians and communities to support the developmental needs of children. AHS provides opportunities for Aboriginal pre-school children to develop positive self-esteem, encourages a desire for learning and provides opportunities to enhance all aspects of their development. AHS aims to reduce the negative health effects experienced by some Aboriginal children due to high rates of poverty and lack of social supports in many Aboriginal communities.

Since the original AHS program was announced, First Nations have advocated for AHS to be expanded to on reserve communities. First Nations communities need the knowledge and resources to enable their children to have the best possible opportunities to develop and achieve their full potential. Research indicates that programs such as AHS lead to significant improvement in reading skills, cognitive development, enhanced self esteem, lower school absenteeism and improved health.

Expansion of AHS to On Reserve First Nations

On October 19, 1998, the expansion of the AHS program to First Nations children and families on reserve was officially announced. The joint announcement included: Minister Allan Rock, Health Canada; Minister Jane Stewart, Indian Affairs and Northern Development; the Honourable Ethel Blondin-Andrew, Secretary of State, Children and Youth; and National Chief Phil Fontaine, Assembly of First Nations. This expansion was a result of commitments made in Gathering Strength - Canada's Aboriginal Action Plan, Securing Our Future Together and the September 1997 Speech from the Throne. The AHS program expansion also adhered to the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples and the need to ensure the healthy early development of all Aboriginal children.

The AHS On Reserve program is designed to prepare young First Nations children for their school years by meeting their emotional, social, health, nutritional and psychological needs. The AHS program framework was adjusted to reflect the First Nations operating environment and considered such things as existing child development initiatives and community activities. The AHS On Reserve program retains the six core components including: culture and language, education, health promotion, nutrition, social support, and parental and family involvement.

The development and implementation of the AHS On Reserve program is the result of collaborative efforts, both at national and regional levels of First Nations communities and organizations, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB), Health Canada; Population and Public Health Branch (PPHB), Health Canada; Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC); and Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC).

The AHS On Reserve program is designed to meet the unique needs of First Nations children and families while ensuring integration with existing children's programs. The Government of Canada currently funds a number of programs that address healthy early childhood development including INAC's Kindergarten (K4/K5) program, HRDC's First Nations and Inuit Child Care Initiative and Health Canada's Brighter Futures Initiative (BFI). The AHS On Reserve program will build upon and enhance existing programs which will result in more comprehensive and integrated programming for children and their families. The AHS On Reserve program has completed its second full year of implementation and operations, and First Nations are continuing to be encouraged by the program delivery in their respective communities.

Funding

Treasury Board approved funding for the AHS On Reserve program was $100 million dollars over 4 years beginning with $15 million in 1998/99, $33 million in 1999/2000, $27 million in 2000/2001, $25 million in 2001/2002, and $25 million per year on- going.

Allocation of AHS On Reserve dollars involved a two step process. Funds were first distributed to FNIHB regions based on the existing Assembly of First Nations population-based formula which was modified to include only ages 0 - 6 years living on reserve. Remoteness cost factors for service delivery were also considered in the formula for distribution of funds to regions. Each region was advanced $115,000 to address administration, coordination, regional committee meetings and operations.

Communities were required to submit proposals to apply for project funding against the regional budget. Projects were assessed by regional Aboriginal Head Start committees against national criteria, while considering the regional environment, including existing investments for children's programming such as HRDC's Day Care funding, and INAC's Kindergarten 4/5 (K4/5) funding. Once proposals had been approved for funding, regions were expected to fund those projects for a period of three years.

National Advisory Committees and National Activities

The mandate of the National Advisory Committee (NAC) is to provide advice, expertise, and guidance on the overall national implementation of the AHS On Reserve program. The NAC addresses issues that are national in nature and identifies opportunities for joint activities and linkages with existing children's programs in areas including knowledge transfer, staff training, curriculum development, resource material development, and evaluation support.

To fulfil its mandate, the NAC met four times throughout the 2000-2001 fiscal year in April, October, January and March.

The NAC is comprised of eight voting members:

• Seven First Nations representatives, one from each of the regions;
• One First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB) representative from the National Office.

As stated in the Terms of Reference, there are non-voting members who serve as technical advisors/observers to the committee. The committee is co-chaired by a First Nations regional representative and a FNIHB representative.

The technical advisors are mainly drawn from representatives from national First Nations organizations and governmental departments which include:

• Assembly of First Nations (AFN);  
• Member from the community at large with expertise in child care;
• Member from the community at large with expertise in early childhood education;
• Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC);
• Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC); and  
• Health Canada, Population and Public Health Branch (PPHB).

The FNIHB provides secretariat support to this committee.

Reporting to the NAC, there were five sub- committees which addressed budget, evaluation, communication, strategic planning and training. The members of these sub-committees include members from the NAC and FNIHB representatives. These sub-committees communicate through meetings and tele-conferences over the course of the fiscal year.

The NAC advised and offered expertise on a number of projects over the 2000-2001 fiscal year. These included:

1) National Training Workshop:

The Third National Training Workshop was held on March 8 -10, 2001 in Vancouver, BC. The theme for the conference was "Sharing Our Knowledge For Our Future Generations". This conference provided an opportunity for training and information sharing, in addition to networking with other AHS On Reserve projects.

2) National Evaluation Activities 2000-2001:

The evaluation process has been developed to look at the AHS On Reserve program from an implementation/developmental perspective and to establish formative and measurable elements upon which future comparisons can be made. This will highlight the impact that Head Start has made both in First Nations communities and regionally. Two approaches were used to accomplish this.

The first approach was a National Process Survey which included a questionnaire for each of the following at every Head Start site: Staff/Early Childhood Educator (ECE), a First Nations community member and the Program Administrator.

The second approach included creating an impact baseline which will serve to establish an initial set of measurable criteria, creating a "snapshot" of the program. These criteria were based on elements of the program including the six Head Start program components.

3) National Reporting Template (NRT):

The National Reporting Template was completed and training was given to representatives from each of the regions who then trained each of the AHS On Reserve coordinators from their respective regions.

4) AHS On Reserve Web Page:

Over the year, a web page was created for the Aboriginal Head Start On Reserve program. The page provides an outline of the program; linkages with other federal child development initiatives; details on program advisory committees; accountability/evaluation and contact information. In addition, information on upcoming training conferences and a contact list of FNIHB regional consultants can be found there. The page can be accessed through the FNIHB home page.

5) Communications Activities:

During the 2000-2001 fiscal year, the communications sub-committee oversaw the distribution of the AHS On Reserve pin designed by Dean Ottawa.

The NAC has also been involved in planning a number of activities for the 2001-2002 fiscal year. Highlights include:

1) National Training Workshop:

The Fourth National Training Workshop is scheduled for December, 2001 in Quebec City, and is expecting approximately 500 participants. The theme of the training conference will be "Honouring Our Head Start Caregivers". Participants will have the opportunity to experience training in all areas of the AHS On Reserve program.

2) Standards Guide:

The Standards Guide is a document that outlines issues to be considered in the development of standards. The document will enhance programs nationally, and will serve as a guide for those programs who have not identified standards of their own.

Regional Advisory Committees

Regional Advisory Committees (RACs) were established in October 1998, and are composed largely of representatives from First Nations communities and organizations as well as regional representation from FNIHB, PPHB, HRDC and INAC. RACs, in collaboration with FNIHB regional offices, were given the authority to manage the regional implementation of the AHS On Reserve program making appropriate decisions in accordance with national criteria and guidelines. They also ensure that there is no duplication of efforts by examining community needs and identifying linkages within existing programming. The RACs are responsible for reviewing, assessing, and approving project proposals that are consistent with the national principles and guidelines. In addition, they are tasked with building on existing relationships and infrastructures for the overall regional management of the AHS On Reserve program, overseeing the implementation of AHS On Reserve projects and providing on-going monitoring and appropriate liaison with the NAC.

Many of the RACs are currently revising their Terms of Reference to better address the mandate of their committees. Originally their roles were focussed on the proposal process, but now the focus is ongoing operations.

National Overview of Projects

As the AHS On Reserve program has moved into the operational phase, the time frame for implementation of the individual project sites in the different communities varied considerably. While the majority of programs have moved beyond the construction/renovation phase, there were a small number of sites that still required some work.

Subsequent to the calls for proposals in the 1999-2000 fiscal year, a total of 373 proposals were received by the various RACs. Of those proposals received, 156 proposals were approved for operation, 49 proposals were approved for development, and 168 proposals were declined. In a few instances, AHS On Reserve funding became available. It was at the discretion of the respective regions to decide how the funds should be distributed; in a number of cases proposals that had missed posted deadlines were revisited and new projects implemented.

In some regions, smaller communities that may not have had the internal structure to support stand-alone projects were encouraged to partner with other communities and to submit multi- community proposals. As a result, the numbers of communities being served is higher than the number of approved projects.

It was reported in the 2000-2001 fiscal year that there were approximately 6500 children served in 168 AHS On Reserve projects, serving over 300 communities.

Table 1 - AHS On Reserve Allocations 2000-2001

Component	Total allocations
Atlantic Region	1,125,416
Quebec Region	2,171,078
Ontario Region	4,874,706
Manitoba Region	3,925,704
Saskatchewan Region	3,403,473
Alberta Region	2,716,474
Pacific Region	6,083,150
FNIHB - National Activities	1,954,999
Corporate Services	36,000
Northern Equity support	709,000
Total	27,000,000

 

Table 2 - AHS On Reserve Project Demographics as reported by Regions 2000-2001

Region	Number of Project Sites in Region	Total Reported Number of Children Served by Projects	Total Reported Number of Special Needs Children Served by Projects	Total Reported Number of Children on Waiting Lists for the Aboriginal Head Start On Reserve (AHSOR) Projects
Atlantic	36	663	32	89
Quebec	38	1,443	57	596
Ontario	15	643	30	90
Manitoba	20	659	52	178
Saskatchewan	77	1,234	47	548
Alberta	53	933	59	270
Pacific	75	892	100	120
Total	314	6,467	377	1,891

Atlantic Region

Regional Committee Structure and Membership:

The Regional Aboriginal Head Start Committee consists of representatives from the four Atlantic First Nation political organizations: the Union of Nova Scotia Indians, the Union of New Brunswick Indians, the MAWIW Inc. (MAWIW) Tribal Council, and the Confederacy of Mainland Micmacs. In addition, linkages continue to be explored with the Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC), the Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC), and the Population and Public Health Branch (PPHB) to ascertain and examine integrated approaches toward children's programming.

The committee consists of community-based Aboriginal people who possess the required expertise and backgrounds in early childhood development, child care and health care education. As well, a regional Health Canada representative and a regional program consultant continue to provide advice and expertise to the committee.

Regional Committee Operations and Activities:

The committee has established its operational administrative terms of reference and continues to review relevant policies, procedures and protocols which are necessary to meet the rigorous requirements surrounding the Aboriginal Head Start (AHS) program delivery. The committee's administrative capacity extends to: reviewing projects; responding to program issues; policies and standards; and ensuring regional commitment and communications that promote the continuity and integrity of the Head Start initiative.

Regional Operating Costs:

The costs incurred by the Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) for the 2000- 2001 fiscal year included administrative and operational costs of program coordination within the region. Total costs of $122,962.00 included:

• the Regional Coordinator's position
• expenditures associated with operating the regional committee structure
• training for five pilot sites and the Regional Coordinator on the National Reporting Template
• a regional training workshop for all projects on evaluation, networking, best practices models and the National Reporting Template, and
• minor program adjustments

Overview of Proposals Received, Approved and Declined:

A total of sixteen projects were funded in the 2000-2001 fiscal year, and no developmental/operational project submissions were declined. Operational allocations were approved for fifteen of the projects, while one of the projects was reprofiled into developmental/transitional funding for the fiscal year.

Project Information:

• total number of sites open and serving children is 36
• total number of children being served by the program is 663
• total number of children identified with special needs is 32
• total number of parents involved in the program is 232
• total number of staff is 78
• staffing ratio is 1 staff member per 8 children (1:8)
• total number of children on waiting lists is 89
• total number of visits with health staff is 651
• total number of visits with dental staff is 49
• total number of projects with Parent Advisory committees is 16
• total number of Head Start sites reporting a Board of Directors in addition to Parent Advisory committees is 4
• total number of projects that require construction/renovation or are still under construction/renovation and starting up/hiring staff but not serving children is 0

Number of children identified with special needs

Type of special needs	Gender	Age 0	Age 1	Age 2	Age 3	Age 4	Age 5	Age 6
Developmental	Male		1	5	5	1
Developmental	Female			1	2	1
Physical	Male
Physical	Female		1	1	3	1
Behavioural	Male			3	2
Behavioural	Female				5
Emotional	Male
Emotional	Female
Communication	Male
Communication	Female
Total	Male(17)		1	8	7	1
Total	Female(15)		1	2	10	2

Linkages with Other Children's Programs:

To ensure viable and sustainable programming, a significant number of the projects that have been funded under the Aboriginal Head Start (AHS) On Reserve program had already established linkages with other funding agencies such as INAC and/or HRDC's Child Care Initiative.

Smaller projects are being provided with developmental assistance and support for developing alternative partnerships in order to maximize their potential.

Site Visits:

Site visits include communities in New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.

Status Report on Regional Evaluation:

The RAC reviewed the national evaluation framework and recommended that projects incorporate this within the context of their own evaluation tools.

Communication regarding evaluation, the proposed pilot site evaluations, the proposed tool kit and time lines for the formal evaluations were discussed at the regional workshop which took place on March 26 - 29, 2001. The project participants were presented with an overview of the evaluative processes and the reporting requirements that would be expected for the approaching fiscal year.

Quebec Region

Regional Committee Structure and Membership:

The Regional Advisory Committee on Head Start On Reserve Program (RACHSORP) was established in 1998-1999. The existing two committees overseeing Aboriginal Head Start and First Nations Child Care were amalgamated in 1999-2000 into a new committee which was responsible for overseeing all First Nations early childhood programming. The new name of the committee was the First Nations Early Childhood Regional Advisory Committee (FNECRAC).

The membership structure has remained consistent; it is comprised of seven voting members, one Elder and representatives from the First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Health and Social Services Commission (FNQLHSSC) and Health Canada. In March of 2001, the newly elected members were:

• Delvina Vachon -- Betsiamites
• Daniel Malec -- Natashquan
• Gaétane Petiquay -- Wemotaci
• Tina Martin -- Listuguj
• Debbie Delisle -- Kahnawake
• Julie Mowatt -- Abitibiwinni
• Annette Mathias -- Long Point
• Holly Danyluk -- Observer, Cree Representative
• Alex Sonny Diabo -- Elder, First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Health and Social Services Commission (FNQLHSSC)
• Marjolaine Sioui -- First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Health and Social Services Commission (FNQLHSSC)
• Marino Argentin -- First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB)

The FNQLHSSC's Early Childhood staff are responsible for providing direct support to the 27 communities that adopted the FNQLHSSC as their funding source, while the Cree Regional Authority support eight Cree communities with their own coordinator. The remainder of the projects are supported by the Health Canada regional coordinator of community based programs.

Regional Committee Operations and Activites:

During the 2000-2001 fiscal year, the committee met a total of five times. Meetings are chaired by Marjolaine Sioui.

As the principal activities of the committee are to support the First Nations communities with the planning, development, delivery and evaluation of the Aboriginal Head Start (AHS) On Reserve programs, activities were subgrouped according to the following areas:

Communications:

The FNQLHSSC maintains a website, a documentation centre and produces an information bulletin for distribution twice a year to all AHS On Reserve sites in the Quebec region.

Training:

Approximately 150 participants attended the annual forum on Early Childhood Services in Montreal in May of 2000. The final report on this forum has been distributed to all participants and Head Start project coordinators.

Additionally, three individuals received training in November of 2000 on the National Reporting Template, who then trained the Head Start site coordinators.

Regional Operating Costs:

The total costs incurred by the Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) for the 2000-2001 fiscal year were $32,500.00, including site visits carried out in the course of other community-based program visits.

Overview of Proposals Received, Approved and Declined:

No new proposals were received by the Quebec region in the 2000-2001 fiscal year.

Project Information:

• total number of sites open and serving children is 38
• total number of children being served by the program is 1,443
• total number of children identified with special needs is 57
• total number of parents involved in the program is 689
• total number of staff is 139
• staffing ratio is 1 staff member per 10 children (1:10)
• total number of children on waiting lists is 596
• total number of visits with health staff is 825.5
• total number of visits with dental staff is 24
• total number of sites with Parent Advisory committees is 15
• total number of sites that require construction/renovation or are still under construction/renovation and starting up/ hiring staff but not serving children is 11

Number of children being served

Age in years	Male	Female
less than 1 year	107	92
1	79	75
2	102	99
3	136	147
4	188	179
5	67	81
6	38	53
Total	717	726

 

Number of children identified with special needs

Age in years	Male	Female
Less than 1	2	0
1	4	0
2	1	2
3	6	7
4	13	10
5	6	4
6	1	1
Total	33	24

Linkages with Other Children's Programs:

The 38 communities eligible for funding of a community project were required to demonstrate linkages to existing community programs or other community funding agencies such as the Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) Child Care program, Social Services, or to other FNIHB funded projects such as the Brighter Futures Initiative (BFI).

In addition, a number of linkages were made with local resources at the community level which included band councils, Elders and traditional teachers, local Amerindian police agencies, local fire fighters, drug/alcohol counsellors, social workers, nutritionists, mental health therapists, and environmental health officers.

Site Visits:

The Quebec region has five different projects that are under contribution agreements with Health Canada. The FNQLHSSC completed all of its site visits through the Early Childhood file, as the majority of AHS On Reserve projects are affiliated with these facilities.

The First Nations Early Childhood Regional Advisory Committee (FNECRAC) is currently developing a regional assessment framework document in collaboration with Health Canada and will be implemented in future site visits.

Status Report on Regional Evaluation:

It was mandated that a project process evaluation should be instigated prior to the completion of the third year of the program.

To date, the FNQLHSSC has created the tools and questionnaires necessary for site evaluations in their 27 sites. These tools have been made available to other sites for evaluation purposes.

Ontario Region

Regional Committee Structure and Membership:

The First Nations Head Start Regional Working Group (FNHSRWG) was established in September of 1998 to assist with the implementation of the program. Responsibilities included developing, implementing and monitoring a proposal review process for the developmental and implementation phases of the program.

During the 2000-2001 fiscal year, all projects in the Ontario region moved from the developmental to the implementation phase which resulted in the need to review the mandate and composition of the FNHSRWG. It has been proposed that the Ontario Health Coordination Unit (HCU) serve as the Regional Advisory Committee (RAC). This committee is comprised of the Political Territory Organization (PTO) Health Directors, a representative from the Independent First Nations and is chaired by the Chiefs of Ontario Health Coordinator. The current First Nation representative continues to participate on the National Advisory Committee (NAC). While under transition, the Aboriginal Head Start (AHS) On Reserve program in Ontario is managed and supported by two Program Managers, located in the north and south. The Ontario region also supports meetings of the Project Coordinators, where discussion and program planning occurs.

Regional Committee Operations and Activities:

The Ontario First Nations Head Start Regional Working Group (OFNHSRWG) operated from April through to the first week of September, 2000. They met a total of four times over this time frame; three of the meetings were in person, while the other was conducted via teleconference.

Priorities for the group included the finalization of the Needs Assessment Roll-Up Report, hosting of a Project Coordinators' meeting to solicit input on the Regional Evaluation Options document and performing preliminary work for a Management Review of the AHS On Reserve program in Ontario.

Major regional activities conducted after September 2000 by the Program Managers and NAC members included:

• Regional Training Workshop, March 2001 Sudbury, Ontario
• Site Visit Process and Review Form developed
• Training on National Reporting Template provided to all Project Coordinators, February 2001
• Evaluation framework developed to assist projects with the development of local evaluations
• Upward amendment support for the development of local evaluation frameworks and tools
• Participation on AHS On Reserve National Advisory Committee, Training Sub-Committee, Communications Sub-Committee and Evaluation Sub-Committee

Regional Operating Costs:

The FNHSRWG incurred operating costs in the amount of $333,523.

Overview of Proposals Received, Approved and Declined:

No new proposals were received by the Ontario region during this fiscal year.

Project Information:

• total number of sites open and serving children is 15
• total number of children being served by the programs is 643
• total number of children identified with special needs is 30
• total number of parents involved in the program is 381
• total number of staff involved in the program is 89
• staffing ratio is 1 staff member per 7 children (1:7)
• total number of children on waiting lists is 90
• total number of visits made by health staff is 207
• total number of visits made by dental staff is 7
• total number of projects with Parent Advisory committees is 14, the remaining 1 site is currently establishing a Parent Advisory committee
• total number of projects that require construction/renovation or are still under construction/renovation and starting up/hiring staff but not serving children is 0

Number of children being served

Age in years	Male	Female
less than 1 year	32	21
1	38	35
2	47	38
3	57	62
4	59	51
5	75	53
6	34	41
Total	342	301

NOTE: All of the Ontario AHS On Reserve projects, with the exception of one, will be licensed under the provincial Day Nurseries Act (DNA). Many of the remote northern projects have experienced difficulties in meeting some of the requirements, particularly in securing qualified ECEs. Until requirements are met, only limited programming can be provided - restricting the number of children served to ten per day. It is anticipated that the numbers of children being serviced by the program in Ontario will increase when all of the communities are fully licensed.

Number of children identified with special needs

Type of special need	Gender	Number of children
Developmental	Male	0
Developmental	Female	2
Physical	Male	4
Physical	Female	4
Behavioural	Male	2
Behavioural	Female	0
Emotional	Male	0
Emotional	Female	0
Communication	Male	12
Communication	Female	6
Total	Male (17)	18
Total	Female (15)	12

 

Linkages with Other Children's Programs:

There has been significant work completed on a number of different levels to create linkages with other children's programs and services. At the project level, staff have been working with other children's program staff in areas such as policy development, social support systems, program delivery and curriculum development. All of the projects in Ontario, with the exception of one, are complying with the DNA, which creates natural linkages with any existing Child Care programs. Moreover, a number of projects have integrated the Head Start program into existing Child Care Centres, health facilities and local schools to capitalize on program and human resources.

Several projects have also targeted in-kind contributions to support integration and supplement their budgets. In-kind contributions include human resources, volunteer hours, health promotion materials and resources, policies and curriculum.

Examples of linkages established with other programs at the project level include: securing resources from the Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) for training positions, the Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC)'s National Child Benefit Reinvestment and K4/K5 Program, the province's Healthy Babies, Healthy Children Program, Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program (CPNP), Brighter Futures Initiative (BFI), and local health and social service programs.

At the regional level, the program managers have supported integration through regular meetings with other program leads such as CPNP, the First Nations & Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB), and Home and Community Care. The program managers have also facilitated linkages between projects and the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services staff to ensure capital plans, health and safety requirements and on-going programming comply with the DNA. Regional staff in the Population and Public Health Branch (PPHB), the Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) and INAC are consulted with and kept cognizant of programming activities.

Site Visits:

A formal site visit process and review form was developed and used during formal site visits. A total of 18 site visits were conducted in the following First Nation communities:

• Chippewas of Kettle & Stony Point
• Chippewas of the Thames
• Deer Lake
• Ginoogaming
• Long Lake #58
• Mohawks of Akwesasne
• Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte
• Moravian of the Thames
• Muskrat Dam
• Naotkamegwanning
• Oneida Nation of the Thames
• Pic River
• Sandy Lake
• Temagami
• Tyendinaga
• Webequie

In addition, a presentation on AHS On Reserve was given to eight First Nations communities in Windsor and ten First Nations communities in Thunder Bay.

Status Report on regional evaluation:

In February 2001, all projects received an upward amendment to assist with the development of local evaluation frameworks and tools. As a means of utilizing the funds in the most productive way in the limited time frame provided, projects in close geographical proximity pooled their resources and engaged the services of a consultant to develop their tools. All fifteen projects have evaluation frameworks and tools in place and throughout the upcoming 2001-2002 fiscal year, the tools will be refined to meet the projects' specific needs. Evaluations will be completed between January and March of 2002.

Manitoba Region

Regional Committee Structure and Membership:

The membership of the Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) consists of community based appointed First Nations band members and representatives from Tribal Councils. The committee also includes ex-officio members from Health Canada, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC), and the Population and Public Health Branch (PPHB) acting in advisory roles.

The RAC has continued to evolve during the past fiscal year with new members being identified to sit on the committee. The committee members are:

• Andy Wood - Co-Chair, Island Lake Tribal Council
• Betty-Ann Lavalee - Population and Public Health Branch (PPHB)
• Bob Chamberlain - Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC)
• Caroline Sinclair - Anishinabe Mino- Ayaawin Inc.
• Guy Gosselin - Roseau River Anishinabe First Nation
• Hazel Colon - Norway House Cree Nation
• Hilda Bone - Keeseekoowenin Health Office
• Jeannette Lynxleg - Tootinaowaaziibeeng Health
• John Spence - Keewatin Tribal Council
• Lillian Saunders - York Factory First Nation
• Louise Contois - Opaskwayak Cree Nation
• Marilyn Harry - Southeast Resource Development Council
• Mary Brown - Regional Consultant, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB)
• Mindy Sinclair - Peguis Development Centre
• Ron Cook - Co-Chair, Cree Nation Tribal Council
• Vivian Scott - Cross Lake First Nation

Regional Committee Operations and Activities:

The RAC provides direction to Health Canada to ensure the mandate and priorities established by the committee are being met. Ex-officio members act as intermediaries between the departments to ensure coordination of information for maximum benefit to the Aboriginal Head Start (AHS) On Reserve program. Additionally, ex-officio members provide knowledge and expertise about federal and provincial government programs, services, policies and regulations relevant to the Head Start program. The committee strives for consensus to ensure that the advice and guidance is supported by the group as a whole. If consensus is not reached, a majority vote is utilized. Throughout the 2000-2001 fiscal year, the following training and activities occurred which AHS On Reserve staff were able to participate in:

• A five day Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAS/FAE) workshop was held for community workers within the Brighter Futures Initiative/Building Healthy Communities (BFI/BHC) program, the Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program (CPNP) program and the AHS program. The feedback was positive with requests that on-going training in the area of special needs be provided. The three program areas shared in the cost of the training workshop.
• An evaluation framework was developed and training was provided to all Head Start project staff to enable them to complete their self evaluations which are due in January 2002. On-going tools will be developed for the projects in the upcoming fiscal year to assist them with their data collection.
• The RAC recommended that a newsletter be developed, highlighting the program, the twenty projects, and RAC committee members. Profiles of the community projects were obtained from the various coordinators in order to obtain a community perspective.

Regional Operating Costs:

The RAC's operating costs for the 2000-2001 fiscal year were $297,114.00

Overview of Proposals Received, Approved and Declined:

No new proposals were received in this fiscal year. Funding became available to finance three new projects within the Manitoba region due to difficulties encountered by First Nations communities who had initially received funding. The RAC reviewed existing proposals which had missed posted deadline dates and the following communities received funding for AHS projects: Roseau River First Nation, Chemawain Cree Nation and Norway House Cree Nation. All three projects were operational by December of 2000.

Number of children being served

Age in years	Male	Female
less than 1 year	29	24
1	46	32
2	52	52
3	81	96
4	60	60
5	45	40
6	23	19
Total	336	323

 

Project Information:

• total number of sites open and serving children is 20
• total number of children being served by the program is 659
• total number of children identified with special needs was 93, although this number may be disproportionately high as children may have been identified with more than 1 special need
• total number of parents involved in the program is 266
• total number of staff involved in the program is 110
• staffing ratio is 1 staff member per 6 children (1:6)
• total number of children on waiting lists is 178
• total number of visits made by health staff is 446
• total number of visits made by dental staff is 51
• total number of projects with Parent Advisory committees is 18
• total number of projects that required construction/renovation is 1
• total number of projects that are still under construction/renovation is 0

Number of children identified with special needs

Type of special need	Gender	Age 0	Age 1	Age 2	Age 3	Age 4	Age 5	Age 6
Developmental	Male			5	1	1	6	1
Developmental	Female			2	1	2	2
Physical	Male			3	1		2
Physical	Female				1	1	1
Behavioural	Male			2	2	1	3	1
Behavioural	Female				2	2	1
Emotional	Male			4	1		5	1
Emotional	Female				1	2	3
Communication	Male			4	2	6	9
Communication	Female				4	3	3	1
Total	Male (61)			18	7	8	25	3
Total	Female(32)			2	9	10	10	1

 

Linkages With Other Children's Projects:

The RAC has recommended that all funded projects be stand-alone, on-site projects. For effective program delivery to occur in these communities, the projects have created linkages with many of the existing programs through inkind contributions, utilization of existing infrastructure and cost-sharing of resources in the areas of staffing, administration and other various activities.

Involvement of Smaller communities:

A call for proposals occurred in the 1999-2000 fiscal year for needs assessment and developmental dollars. All First Nations communities had an opportunity to access this process and meet the designated deadlines. The proposal process was based on merit in conjunction with identified need; twenty projects became fully operational with three of these projects recognized as smaller communities.

Site Visits:

Regional staff continue to conduct site visits with the expectation of visiting a project site at least once a year. Orientation for new staff is provided by the regional staff at the request of the communities, in addition to regular site visits. During the 2000-2001 fiscal year, site visits were conducted at the following locations:

• Brokenhead
• Chemawawin
• Crane River
• Dakota Tipi
• Hollow Water
• Keeseekoowenin
• Lake Manitoba
• Little Black River
• Nelson House
• Norway House
• Opaskwayak
• Peguis
• Rolling River
• Roseau River
• Split Lake
• Tootinaowaziibeeng
• York Factory

Status Report on Regional Evaluation:

Regional self-evaluations of the AHS On Reserve projects are currently underway. An evaluation framework manual was developed and training was provided to the AHS On Reserve staff in March of 2001. Time lines were also established at the request of project staff. In addition, a contract was initiated with Romanow Bear and Associates to develop a questionnaire and interview bank in the new fiscal year to assist the projects in completing their self evaluations.

Saskatchewan Region

Regional Committee Structure and Membership:

The Aboriginal Head Start On Reserve Regional Committee membership includes:

• One Elder representative
• Two Chiefs from the Health and Social Development Commission (HSDC)
• One voting representative from each of the recognized Tribal Council areas,
• One representative from each recognized Independent First Nation. Independent First Nations will have a total of three votes.

The Aboriginal Head Start (AHS) On Reserve committee may have up to 18 members. Representatives from the First Nations & Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB) Saskatchewan Region, and technicians from the HSDC of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN), attend meetings in an ex-officio capacity and provide technical support to the committee.

Representatives from Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC), the Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC), the Population and Public Health Branch (PPHB), Saskatchewan First Nations Women's Secretariat (SFNWS), and Indian Child and Family Services (ICFS) are also invited to attend meetings as required, in an ex-officio capacity.

The FSIN AHS On Reserve Coordinator chairs the meetings.

Listed below are the current members who sit on the committee and their respective affiliations:

• Arnette Weber-Beeds - Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation
• Bertha Tootoosis - Joseph Bighead First Nation
• Bob Gerow - Agency Chiefs Tribal Council
• Brian Mcdonald - Onion Lake First Nation
• Darlene Standingready - Whitebear First Nation
• Delphine Severight - Independent First Nations
• Edna Lavallee - Yorkton Tribal Council
• Freida Iron - Meadow Lake Tribal Council
• Grace Lafayette - Saskatoon Tribal Council
• Janice Nicotine - Thunderchild First Nation
• Jemima Wells - Lac La Ronge Indian Band
• Joanne Regnier - Battleford Tribal Council
• Mary Lee - AHS Elder
• Norma Adams - Beardy's First Nation
• Pat Cook/Sandra Felix - Prince Albert Tribal Council
• Patrick Mcarthur - Pheasant Rump First Nation
• Sheila Kay-Machiskinic - Touchwood Agency Tribal Council
• Velma Night - Saulteaux First Nation
• Wanda Wilson/Pat Mcnab - File Hills Qu'Appelle Tribal Council

Regional Committee Operations and Activities:

A three day training event was held in September of 2000 in conjunction with the Child Care working groups on licensing and monitoring Head Start/Child Care programs. Joint Head Start/Child Care workshops were held throughout the year as part of the integration strategy. The Regional Management Committee (RMC) selected three individuals to participate in the National Reporting Template Training offered in Edmonton in December, 2000. These individuals then trained members of the Head Start RMC, who were responsible for training each of the sites within their area.

Regional Committee Operating Budget:

Roles	Group	Total budget (including FNIHB and in-kind contributions)
Regional Management Coordination	HSDC	$90,000
Regional Management Coordination	FNIHB	$60,000
Regional Management Coordination	RMC	$90,000
Regional Management Coordination	Training	$50,000
Second Level Management Support	Tribal Councils	$153, 473
Regional Needs Assessment	HSDC	$10,000
Regional Needs Assessment	Contract 12 Projects	$20,000
National Reporting Template Training	HSDC RMC	$10,588
National Reporting Template Training	12 Projects	$19,412
Total		$503, 473

* $120 000.00 was contributed as "in-kind" contributions

 

Overview of Proposals Received, Approved and Declined:

The total number of projects in Saskatchewan is 12, which services 77 sites.

Project Information:

• total number of sites open and serving children is 73
• total number of children being served by the program is 1,234
• total number of children identified as special needs is 47 (4 children not included in the chart below were identified as special needs but did not specify age/gender/special need)
• total number of parents involved in the program is 811
• total number of staff involved in the program is 195.5
• staffing ratio is 1 staff member per 7 children (1:7)
• total number of children on waiting lists is 548
• total number of visits made by health staff is 1045
• total number of visits made by dental staff is 225
• total number of sites with Parent Advisory Committees is 61
• total number of sites that required construction/renovation is 8
• total number of sites that are still under construction/renovation is 3
• total number of sites that are starting up/hiring staff but not serving children is 4

Number of children being served

Age in years	Male	Female
less than 1 year	17	20
1	28	36
2	63	57
3	244	254
4	216	185
5	36	52
6	12	14
Total	616	618

Number of children identified with special needs

Type of special need	Gender	Age 0	Age 1	Age 2	Age 3	Age 4	Age 5	Age 6
Developmental including Intellectual	Male		1		3	4	1	1
Developmental including Intellectual	Female				1	3	1
Physical	Male			1	2	2
Physical	Female				1
Behavioural	Male				2	1
Behavioural	Female
Emotional	Male
Emotional	Female					1
Communication	Male			1	2	3	2
Communication	Female						1
Other (Hearing)	Male					1
Other (Hearing)	Female			1
Other (FAS)	Male			2	3
Other (FAS)	Female			1		1
Total	Male (32)	0	1	6	14	16	5	1
Total	Female (11)	0	0	2	2	5	2	0

 

Linkages with Other Children's Projects:

The focus of health services in Saskatchewan is linkages through the development of a First Nations' Children's Strategy, of which AHS is a major component. The overall approach is centralized, coordinated and highly integrated at all levels.

Individual communities have developed their own unique set of linkages. Overall, at the community level, linkages include: Day Care, RCMP, the Brighter Futures Initiative (BFI), National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program, Building Healthy Communities (BHC), ICFS Agencies, education, health, social development, the Saskatchewan Health Districts, early childhood intervention programs, the Saskatchewan Institute on Prevention of Handicaps, and AHS Urban and Northern Program.

Involvement of Smaller Communities:

In Saskatchewan, 12 projects comprised of 77 sites were funded under the AHS program. Of these 77 sites, 11 communities have an on reserve population of more than 1,000 individuals, 34 communities have an on reserve population between 500 and 999, and 32 communities have an on reserve population of less than 500.

Site Visits:

As a result of the approach that the Saskatchewan region assumed, the focus in the 2000-2001 fiscal year was on meeting with the projects to prepare and upgrade the proposals, thus ensuring compliance with national criteria. The FSIN-HSDC Aboriginal Head Start On Reserve coordinator completed visits to the following Head Start sites:

• Beardy's & Okemasis
• Carry the Kettle
• Joseph Bighead
• Kawacatoose
• Okanese
• Pasqua
• Pheasant Rump

Status Report On Regional Evaluation:

The RMC's Evaluation Sub-Committee mapped out a draft regional evaluation framework which was developed during the 2000-2001 fiscal year. The framework will be presented to the Head Start RMC in the fall of 2001 for finalization.

Alberta Region

Regional Committee Structure and Membership:

The Aboriginal Head Start On Reserve Program is led by a steering committee of individuals committed to early childhood development programming for children living on reserve in Alberta. These individuals have dedicated time and energy from regular positions held in health, education, daycare, child welfare and Head Start projects.

Treaty areas 6, 7 and 8 representatives form the membership majority with a maximum of 7 individuals from each of the areas. Each of the federal governmental departments (Health Canada, Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC), and the Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC)) have a maximum of two representatives. The individuals who form the Head Start Steering Committee are listed below:

Treaty 6:

• Edna Arcand - Treaty 6 Co-Chair
• Louise Potts - Alexis First Nation
• Belle Dy-Reyes - Kehewin First Nation
• Theresa Wade - Frog Lake First Nation
• Beverly Carter-Buffalo - Samson Cree Nation
• Marilyn Shirt - Saddle Lake First Nation

Treaty 7:

• Jordan Head - Treaty 7 Co-Chair
• Bruce Iron Shirt - HRDC, Blood Tribe
• Violet Meguinnis - Child Care, Tsuu T'ina Nation
• Dr. Vivian Ayoungman - Education, Siksika Nation
• Sandra Grier - Social Work, Peigan Nation
• Frank Weasel Head - Elder, Blood Tribe

Treaty 8:

• Joyce Cardinal - Treaty 8 Co-Chair
• Fred Didzena - North Peace Tribal Council
• Marcella Cunningham - Lesser Slave Lake Indian Regional Council
• Bernadette Sawan - Bigstone Cree Nation
• Viola Goodswimmer - Sturgeon Lake First Nation

Other Members:

• Ruth Jongerius - First Nations & Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB)
• Sue Mrzljak - First Nations & Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB)
• Carol Schimanke - Indian & Northern Affairs Canada (INAC)
• Gail Gallagher - Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC)
• Alvin Manatopyas - Population and Public Health Branch (PPHB)

Regional Committee Operations and Activities:

In developing constructive working partnerships for the overall regional management of the Aboriginal Head Start (AHS) On Reserve program, the Regional Committee met on a monthly basis. In addition, the co-chairs are actively involved in the National Advisory Committee (NAC) for AHS On Reserve.

The Regional Committee hired a consultant as part of the regional evaluations to conduct site evaluations addressing space, transportation, and provisions for special needs for each of the projects.

Regional Operating Costs:

Operating costs incurred by the Regional Committee in the 2000-2001 fiscal year totalled $135,824.00.

Overview of Proposals Received, Approved and Declined:

There were no new proposals received by the Alberta region in the 2000-2001 fiscal year.

Project Information:

• total number of sites open and serving children is 53
• total number of children being served by the program is 933
• total number of children identified with special needs is 59
• total number of parents involved in the program is 418
• total number of staff involved in the program is 203
• staffing ratio is 1 staff member per 5 children (1:5)
• total number of children on waiting lists is 270
• total number of visits made by health staff was 778
• total number of visits made by dental staff was 74
• total number of projects with Parent Advisory Committees is 20

Number of children being served

Age in years	Male	Female
less than 1 year	38	35
1	51	48
2	30	27
3	129	148
4	133	125
5	72	66
6	12	19
Total	465	468

 

Number of children identified with special needs

Age in years	Male	Age nor sex reported	Female
less than 1 year	0		0
1	0		1
2	2		1
3	10		5
4	15		9
5	9		2
6	3		2
Age nor sex reported		1
Total	39	1	20

 

Linkages With Other Children's Projects:

Linkages with existing resources from HRDC, INAC, and PPHB have been established to improve the level of service delivery.

Site Visits:

The following site visits were conducted at all project sites in the spring of 2000:

• Alexander First Nation
• Alexis First Nation
• Athabasca Chipewyan
• Beaver Lake First Nation
• Bigstone Cree Nation
• Blood Tribe First Nation
• Bushe River
• Chateh
• Chipewyan Prairie First Nation
• Cold Lake First Nation
• Dene Tha' First Nation
• Driftpile River First Nation
• Duncan's First Nation
• Eden Valley First Nation
• Enoch Cree Nation
• Fort McMurray First Nation
• Fort McKay First Nation
• Frog Lake First Nation
• Heartlake First Nation
• Horse Lake First Nation
• Kapaweno First Nation
• Kehewin Cree Nation
• Little Red River Cree Nation
• Loon River Cree First Nation
• Louis Bull Tribe First Nation
• Meander River Health Station
• Mikisew Cree First Nation
• Montana First Nation
• O'Chiese First Nation
• Paul Band (First Nation)
• Peigan First Nation
• Pigeon Lake First Nation
• Saddle Lake First Nation
• Samson Cree Nation
• Sawridge First Nation
• Siksika First Nati
• Stoney First Nation
• Sturgeon Lake First Nation
• Sucker Creek First Nation
• Sunchild First Nation
• Swan River First Nation
• Tall Cree First Nation
• Tsuu T'ina First Nation
• Whitefish Lake First Nation (Atikameg)
• Whitefish (Goodfish) Lake First Nation
• Woodland Cree First Nation

Status Report on Regional Evaluation:

At the current time, the Alberta region has selected the sites for evaluation. The process will occur throughout the 2001-2002 fiscal year.

Pacific Region

Regional Committee Structure and Membership:

The Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) has evolved over the fiscal year, as the original intent of the committee was to make funding decisions. As existing agreements were established for a three-year period, the resulting recommendations for funding levels were specific to that time frame, and the mandate of the committee became outdated. The terms of reference were amended to reflect the new mandate of the committee. Consequently, a call for nominations was held early in the fiscal year, and the committee was restructured.

The committee is currently comprised of community Head Start Coordinators, First Nations organizations and First Nations & Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB). Members include:

MARGERY MCRAE - Chiefs' Health Committee (CHC)

CHC ALTERNATIVE - Vacant

BEVERLY PARNELL - North West Area Representative

AUDREY NORRIS - North East Area Representative

BRENDA BAPTISTE - South Mainland Area Representative

JOAN GIGNAC - Vancouver Island Representative

MARGO GREENWOOD - Child Care Specialist

ROSE SONES - Population and Public Health Branch (PPHB)

ADDIE PRYCE - First Nations & Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB)

Regional Committee Operations and Activities:

The British Columbia Aboriginal Head Start RAC met throughout the 2000-2001 fiscal year and communicated via teleconference calls. The primary role of the RAC is to provide direction and expertise to FNIHB in areas including primary development, program review and monitoring, identifying and addressing issues at the community level, and to ensure that accountability is maintained. The committee is chaired by the CHC.

The RAC established sub-committees to oversee the organization of the Regional Training Conference and to monitor the progress of the regional evaluation. A regional training conference was held in February of 2001, in which two participants from every site and 25 Elders were invited to attend the conference. The overall opinion of conference participants was that they were pleased with the learning experiences and found the networking opportunities invaluable. The feedback from the conference will be utilized as the sub-committee begins planning for next year's conference.

Number of children identified with special needs

Type of special need	Gender	Age 0	Age 1	Age 2	Age 3	Age 4	Age 5	Age 6
Developmental	Male		2		7	2
Developmental	Female		2	1	3	2
Physical	Male		1			1
Physical	Female		1		1	1	3
Behavioural	Male			1		11	4	2
Behavioural	Female				1		2	1
Emotional	Male						2	1
Emotional	Female					3	2	1
Communication	Male			1	11	11	4	1
Communication	Female			2	6	6		1
Total	Male (61)	0	0	4	11	29	13	4
Total	Female (39)	0	1	4	9	13	9	3

Regional Operating Costs:

The operating costs for the RAC are approximate as they are not identified in separate expenditure reports. The estimated costs for the 2000-2001 fiscal year are $26,200.00. This amount includes all travel for committee members to attend the RAC meetings, and other conferences that were identified as beneficial, both regionally and nationally.

Overview of Proposals Received, Approved and Declined:

Throughout the 2000-2001 fiscal year, the Pacific Region did not request proposal submissions from First Nations. Earlier in the fiscal year, there had been funding identified that allowed the Pacific Region to support an additional two sites, bringing the total to 75 sites.

• the total amount released through contribution agreements was $4,826,757.00
• all contribution agreements were operational, not developmental

Project Information:

• total number of sites open and serving children is 75
• total number of children being served by the program is 892
• total number of children identified as special needs is 100
• total number of parents involved in the program is 378
• total number of staff involved in the program is 122 (including all staff listed: cook, bus driver, janitor etc.)
• staffing ratio is 1 staff member per 6 children (1:6)
• total number of children on waiting lists is 120
• total number of visits made by health staff is 1045
• total number of visits made by dental staff is 53
• total number of projects with Parent Advisory committees is 14. A number of sites report difficulties in assembling formal Parent Advisory committees. Parents are reported to be unsure of their ability to act on a formal committee or are unwilling to commit to regular attendance at scheduled meetings. Some sites have been able to hold infrequent and informal discussion circles to address Head Start issues.
• total number of Head Start sites reporting a Board of Directors is 4
• total number of projects that require construction/renovation or are still under construction/renovation and starting up/ hiring staff but not serving children is 1

Number of children being served

Age in years	Male	Age nor sex reported	Female
less than 1 year	45		28
1	47		46
2	42		49
3	94		97
4	115		94
5	71		76
6	35		36
Age not identified	9		3
Age nor sex reported		5
Total	458	5	429

 

Linkages with Other Children's Programs:

At the inception of the Aboriginal Head Start (AHS) On Reserve program, the Pacific Region mandated that existing community children's programs must be included as part of the overall Head Start Program to receive funding. Those communities that did not have other children's programs in place were considered on an individual basis, and if the original proposal submissions were approved, the lack of other programming was taken into consideration when funding was allocated. Although the majority of sites operating in BC are considered to be enhancements, there are approximately 20% that are stand alone operations.

At the community level, funding and program linkages were made with the following:

• Band Social Services programs (sexual abuse intervention workers, family preservation officers, alcohol and drug workers)
• Band Health Services (Community Health Nurse [CHN] Community Health Representative [CHR], addiction prevention counsellors, nutritionists, infant development workers, Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program [CPNP], community kitchen programs, Meals on Wheels)
• Band Community Services (Gathering Strength, Healing Fund Programs) and schools (transportation, staff, resources and facilities)
• Band Day Cares (staff, licensed facilities and resources)
• Community day cares (off reserve)
• BC Aboriginal Child Care Society/Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) (one time capital purchases or ongoing operational funding)
• Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) - K 4/5 funding, National Child Tax Benefit
• Ministry of Child and Family Services (capital purchases, referrals)
• School District (staff, resources, facilities)
• First Nations School Association (language and curriculum development)
• HRDC Training Programs
• Community Family Centres, Crisis Centres (off reserve)
• District and Community Resources (family services offered off reserve)
• Elders Councils
• Provincial Health Units
• Native Education Centres (language development, cultural curriculum)
• Band Administration (in-kind agreements of facilities, utilities, administration costs)
• Community fundraising
• Tribal Council (language development funds)
• Speech and language therapists

Involvement of Smaller Communities:

The majority of the 75 projects in the Pacific Region are smaller communities with an average community population size of 350 members. The size of the projects ranges from four to 105 children, however, the average number of children involved in the Head Start projects is 17. As smaller communities receive less funding in all program areas, the issue of community size can be challenging for the smaller projects and it is therefore imperative that they make the relevant program linkages.

Site Visits:

The following sites were visited during the 2000-2001 fiscal year:

• Chemainus
• Dididaht
• Fort Nelson
• Fountain
• Gitsegukla
• Gitwinksihlkw
• Kincolith
• Kispiox
• Kitasoo
• Kitselas
• Kitsumkalum
• Kitwanga
• Klahoose
• Lower Similkameen
• Lower Post
• Metlakatla
• Moricetown
• Nanoose
• New Aiyansh
• Okanagan
• Osoyoos
• Penelakut
• Penticton
• Sik-E-Dak
• Skidegate
• T'it'Kit
• Tseshaht

The visits were to provide support and assistance to the sites with program implementation, the completion of reports, meetings with Band Councils and program staff, and information sharing with respect to program development.

Status Report on Regional Evaluation:

In preparation for the community-based evaluations that are expected in the 2001-2002 fiscal year, the region contracted a consultant to develop evaluation tools and a framework to assist projects in completing the requirements of the contribution agreement. These tools will provide projects with optional questions and formats for evaluating their program, as well as preparing renewal plans for potential on-going funding. A planning and evaluation training session will be included in the regional conference to provide assistance and consultation to the project coordinators and those responsible for completing the evaluations.

Appendix

Glossary of Terminology

• AFN - Assembly of First Nations
• AHS - Aboriginal Head Start
• AHSOR - Aboriginal Head Start On Reserve
• BFI - Brighter Futures Initiative
• BHC - Building Healthy Communities
• CHR - Community Health Representative
• CHN - Community Health Nurse
• CPNP - Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program
• CSSSPNQL - Commission de la santé et des services sociaux des Premières nations du Québec et du Labrador
• DIAND - Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
• DNA - Day Nurseries Act
• FAS/FAE - Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Fetal Alcohol Effects
• FNECRAC - First Nations Early Childhood Regional Advisory Committee (Quebec)
• FNHSOR - First Nations Head Start On Reserve
• FNHSRWG - First Nations Head Start Regional Working Group (Ontario)
• FNIHB - First Nations and Inuit Health Branch
• FNQLHSSC - First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Health and Social Services Commission
• FSIN - Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations
• HCU - Health Coordination Unit
• HPPB - Health Promotion and Programs Branch
• HRDC - Human Resources Development Canada
• HSDC - Health and Social Development Commission (Saskatchewan)
• ICFS - Indian Child and Family Services
• INAC - Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
• K4/5 - Kindergarten 4/5
• MSB - Medical Services Branch
• NAC - National Advisory Committee
• NWAC - Native Women's Association of Canada
• OFNHSRWG - Ontario First Nations Head Start Regional Working Group
• PPHB - Population and Public Health Branch
• PTO - Political Territory Organization
• RAC - Regional Advisory Committee
• RACHSORP - Regional Advisory Committee on Head Start On Reserve Program (Quebec)
• RMC - Regional Management Committee
• SFNWS - Saskatchewan First Nations Women's Secretariat