There should be a Government of Canada policy framework and action plan on aboriginal children and youth and their families in communities, with a vision, goals, targets, and desired outcomes; a commitment by the Government of Canada to make regular public reports on agreed outcome indicators of child and community well-being, tabled in the House of Commons and routinely referred to this standing committee; evaluation of the experience to date of the first nations component of the national child benefit; an exploration of the merits of expanding the first nations component of the Canada prenatal nutrition program; a consideration of ...[+++]expanding the national children's agenda to include school-aged children, specifically school-aged children with disabilities; a consideration of expanding the early childhood development initiatives by adding a specific aboriginal component a good start was made September 11, 2000 on this; an exploration of using the 115 or so native friendship centres that exist currently across the country as delivery agencies for supports and services for aboriginal peoples, whether on or off reserve, whether status or non-status; perhaps the establishment of multi-year framework agreements between the major national aboriginal organizations and relevant federal departments on funding child and family services for a variety of programs and benefits, including those for children with disabilities; and building on the throne speech promise last year of expanding significantly the aboriginal head start initiatives, an extension of that to include children aged 7 to 12, with a priority being given to inclusive services and supports in health, child care, and education (1635) Perhaps on the wider disability policy community debate, I would just conclude by saying, have the dollars follow the children and their families'.

There should be a Government of Canada policy framework and action plan on aboriginal children and youth and their families in communities, with a vision, goals, targets, and desired outcomes; a commitment by the Government of Canada to make regular public reports on agreed outcome indicators of child and community well-being, tabled in the House of Commons and routinely referred to this standing committee; evaluation of the experience to date of the first nations component of the national child benefit; an exploration of the merits of expanding the first nations component of the Canada prenatal nutrition program; a consideration of ...[+++]expanding the national children's agenda to include school-aged children, specifically school-aged children with disabilities; a consideration of expanding the early childhood development initiatives by adding a specific aboriginal component a good start was made September 11, 2000 on this; an exploration of using the 115 or so native friendship centres that exist currently across the country as delivery agencies for supports and services for aboriginal peoples, whether on or off reserve, whether status or non-status; perhaps the establishment of multi-year framework agreements between the major national aboriginal organizations and relevant federal departments on funding child and family services for a variety of programs and benefits, including those for children with disabilities; and building on the throne speech promise last year of expanding significantly the aboriginal head start initiatives, an extension of that to include children aged 7 to 12, with a priority being given to inclusive services and supports in health, child care, and education (1635) Perhaps on the wider disability policy community debate, I would just conclude by saying, have the dollars follow the children and their families'.

With that objective in mind there have been several developments in policy: an Internal procedure to be followed where there is a suspicion or complaint about serious child abuse was prepared in June 2000 and after adoption by the COCEPE (COmité paritaire de gestion du CEntre de la Petite Enfance), was sent to all parents in October 2000.