A group of researchers from the University of Manitoba, McMaster University, and the University of British Columbia have written a discussion paper for the Public Health Agency of Canada on the current state and future direction of early child development in Canada.
Early Childhood Development in Canada: Current State of Knowledge and Future Directions
The discussion paper aims to summarize the current state of knowledge on early childhood development, based on the set of indicators in the Canadian Institute of Child Health’s 2017 Profile on the Health of Canada’s Children and Youth.
The paper describes how certain family factors impact the early years of children’s lives, including:
- demographic characteristics
- income and employment status
- family and community characteristics
- access to and use of health services
- health status
The paper concludes with an overview of current policies, programs, and interventions that support early childhood development in Canada.