The Manitoba government has launched Starting Early, Starting Strong, a five-year plan that charts a course for early childhood development. This announcement was made by Children and Youth Opportunities Minister Melanie Wight.
“We know that strong investments in early childhood development set a solid foundation for the health, happiness and success of our families,” said Minister Wight. “By helping children reach their full potential, we’re building a brighter future for all Manitobans.”
The Manitoba government will reach out to parents provincewide and enhance parent supports including the toll-free Manitoba Parent Line, which provides confidential parenting support, information, and referral services to all families, and Manitoba ParentZone, an online resource that includes an Ask the Expert feature.
The minister noted that early childhood development hubs will be established in communities serving vulnerable populations.
“We want to make it easier for parents to access the supports they need, all in one place,” said Minister Wight. “These one-stop shops will be developed in consultation with the community and be tailored to local needs but might include licensed child care, a family resource centre and an outreach component.”
One such hub will open at IRCOM House Isabel in early 2016, linking housing and family supports for approximately 300 newcomers to Canada, the minister added.
“Newcomer families, like all Canadian families, will benefit from the Manitoba government’s five-year plan for early childhood development,” said Dorota Blumczynska, executive director, Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba (IRCOM). “This plan and the latest early childhood development research will help our children get a strong foundation in language, motor skills, as well as social and emotional well-being. Our investment today will benefit many generations of children and help build a more vibrant and prosperous community in the future.”
Minister Wight said the province is a recognized leader in early childhood development in Canada. In addition to having the first-ever cabinet committee dedicated to children – the Healthy Child Committee of Cabinet, created in 2000 – the Manitoba government has made considerable gains in early childhood development including:
- expanding access to affordable, high-quality early learning and child care;
- launching the prenatal benefit, which has helped more than 55,000 women access nutritious food during pregnancy; and
- establishing Health Baby programs at more than 100 sites, supporting thousands of pregnant women, new mothers and their babies.
For more information on Manitoba’s five-year plan for early childhood development, visit: www.gov.mb.ca/healthychild.
