New  Investments  and  Initiatives

Building Blocks
A community-based service to support children and their families by providing family home visiting, FASD prevention, supports in a child care setting and linking new parents with experienced ones for mentoring. The program serves 27 communities, with expansion being planned for the near future.

Learning Initiative Sites
The Learning Sites target children who are at-risk of poor social, emotional, cognitive and physical outcomes. The goal of the program is to build a community-based, integrated service delivery system for early childhood development. Three BC communities are currently involved in this project: Prince George, Chilliwack/Hope-Boston Bar corridor, and Port Alberni and the West Coast. The ministry is working on identifying communities for further expansion of the program.

Infant Development Program
This program provides home-based services to families of infants up to age three who are at-risk of developmental delay, or who have a developmental disability. Services include assessments, consultation, counselling and group activities, referrals to relevant community professionals and resources.

Family Resource Centres/Neighbourhood Houses
Funding for evidenced based programs in communities will build the capacity of families who need additional support to provide a safe, nurturing environment for their children that maximizes their growth and development. This funding may be used to strengthen existing programs or introduce new ones.

Best Chance Series
Baby's Best Chance, one of the cornerstones of BC's perinatal program, has set the national standard for information on healthy pregnancy since it was first published in 1987. It has been a major contributor to healthier outcomes for both parents and infants by providing detailed information on what to expect during pregnancy, birth and the first year of a baby's life. The publication has been so successful, BC has decided to build on it. Toddler's First Steps has been published this spring and covers the age span from six months to three years in a child's life. Preschoolers Ready to Learn is expected to be published early in 2003, and will offer advice and information on the opportunities, challenges and potentials of children age 3 to 5.

Aboriginal Early Childhood Development
Twenty-five urban Aboriginal communities have been identified to develop a comprehensive, integrated and culturally relevant early childhood development approach, within the context of their communities, for children under the age of six and their families. The program focus includes supports for FASD prevention, parenting, family, healthy pregnancy, birth and infancy and community.

Early Development Instrument
The Early Development Instrument, developed by University of British Columbia professor Clyde Hertzman, will be used as a standard to assess kindergarten aged children's readiness to learn. As well, through work with the UBC Human Early Learning Program, the project will collect information on how children's readiness to learn is influenced by community and neighbourhood factors.