(Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan), December 18, 2007—Dave Batters, Member of Parliament for Palliser, on behalf of the Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, today announced support for early childhood development in the communities of Moose Jaw and South Central Saskatchewan.
"The Government of Canada is delivering on its commitment to support children, families and communities," said MP Batters. "This project will bring together families, teachers and community leaders to gather information on the developmental needs of children from birth to age six in Moose Jaw and in South Central Saskatchewan, and develop an action plan to respond to those needs."
The funding of $360,000 is provided through the Understanding the Early Years (UEY) Initiative.
Information collected through UEY helps communities understand how their children are doing physically, socially and cognitively, and how families and the community are supporting these children. Each three-year project is managed by a non-profit organization which works in collaboration with local organizations that are committed to helping children and families reach their full potential.
Understanding the Early Years is one example of how the Government of Canada invests in children.
This year alone, the Government of Canada is providing nearly $5.6 billion in support of early learning and child care through transfers, direct spending and tax measures:
$1,200 in annual support to families for each child under age six through the Universal Child Care Benefit;
A new Child Care Tax Credit for parents raising children under the age of 18 that provides tax relief for more than three million Canadian families; and
Increased transfers to provinces and territories to support the creation of child care spaces.
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This news release is available in alternative formats upon request.
Visit the HRSDC Web site - www.hrsdc.gc.ca.
For more information (media only):
Pema Lhalungpa
Press Secretary
Office of Minister Solberg
819-994-2482
Marina Willimont
Constituency Assistant
Office of Dave Batters
306-691-3577
Media Relations Office
Human Resources and Social Development Canada
819-994-5559
backgrounder
What is UEY?
The Understanding the Early Years (UEY) Initiative provides communities with the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of Canada's children.
Understanding the Early Years does this by helping communities to use local information and to foster partnerships among community groups to make decisions about the best policies and programs for young children to thrive.
What information is collected?
Communities collect information on:
the development of their kindergarten children;
family and community factors that influence their children's development;
local programs and services that help children develop to their full potential; and,
local socio-economic characteristics.
What does UEY do for communities?
Information collected through UEY helps communities understand how their children are doing physically, socially and cognitively, and how families and the community are supporting these children. Parents, teachers and others can then learn about what works in their community and together come up with creative solutions to help their children do even better.
What does UEY involve?
Each selected UEY community is given funding of approximately $350,000, which is allocated over three years. The funds are used to increase awareness in the community about the importance of children's early years, to collect and share information about the developmental needs of young children in the community, and to develop an action plan to address gaps in local supports for children and families. Each site is managed by a non-profit community-based organization which works in collaboration with a coalition made up of local organizations and individuals committed to helping children and families reach their full potential.
