Highlights of ECE/D Activities

1984 Pauktuutit becomes incorporated. ECD Workshops are given at the first Annual General Meeting. The need for strong ECD Programs is recognized.

1984-1988

• Resolution # 87-07, a call for parenting workshops for young single parents,
• Resolution # 87-23, a call to improve daycare services accessibility; and
• Resolution # 87-31, a call to support the Inuit women of Cape Dorset in their efforts to establish a daycare centre.

1988 Adopted a formal position on child care in response to the government’s proposed Bill C-144, The Canada Child Care Act. Presented to the Standing Committee on Bill C-144.

1989 Published a booklet on how to start a day care centre in English and Inuktitut for communities in Labrador, Northern Quebec and NWT and conducted workshops on this topic.

1992 Coordinated a national joint working group to determine Inuit priorities for community-based programs aimed at improving the health of children. In partnership with Kakivak Association, undertook a joint project to assist the Arctic Bay women’s group in developing their sewing centre into a business that included setting up day care space.

1993 Worked on the Healthy Inuit Babies Project. Pauktuutit was asked by Health Canada to coordinate a working group to identify the major community issues and strategize for improving the health of Inuit babies.

1995 Involved in the Human Resources Development Canada First Nations/Inuit Child Care Initiative by participating in the joint First Nations/Inuit/Federal Government Working Group, and by flowing the funding to Nunavut. Held a parenting skills workshop in Inuvik, NWT.

1998 Coordinated the National Inuit Childcare Conference in Kuujjuaq PQ. Information about traditional child rearing practices was gathered, recorded and shared, such as the book and tape “Tusarannaat”. Involved in the Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program by providing direction and information to Health Canada about the management of the Inuit Component.

2002, Pauktuutit worked with ITK to develop a joint work plan addressing certain elements of the federal governments’ Early Childhood Development Strategy.

2003 Entered into a contribution agreement with INAC to work on the ECD Strategy. As a result of the INAC funding, Pauktuutit became a member of the Inuit Early Child Development Working Group.

2004 Published a report “Teenage Pregnancy in Inuit Communities: Issues and Perspectives”.

2005 Began the Quality in Inuit Child Care Project. Which will exam best practices from mainstream sources, traditional Inuit child rearing, and the reality of Inuit Day Care, Head Start and Child Care programs to arrive at indicators of quality in early learning and child care programs, and identify best practices for Inuit communities. This project includes six program visits and telephone interviews with all Inuit day care programs. It will be very Inuit specific.
The resource will be shared nationally.

Pauktuutit has also achieved many activities concerning Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and Midwifery within the Maternal & Child Health Department.

Early Child Development Goals for the future

Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada recognizes that the work for Inuit Early Child Development can always be improved and enhanced. With beliefs firmly rooted in community-based, proactive programs some national goals include:

• Listen to the priorities of northern families as brought forward by our Board of Directors;
• Collaborate to create, develop and distribute cultural resources for all Inuit day care staff such as syllabic alphabet flashcards and Inuktitut language resources;
• Participate in working groups and committees to ensure that all aspects of Inuit child care are recognized;
• Focus on the resource needs of children during their middle childhood years;
• Build partnerships around healthy living strategies;
• Liaise closely with federal departments on Inuit ECD issues, initiatives, programs and policy to communicate how Inuit women see ECD working beneficially for their children and families;
• Continue and broaden research and consultation that will improve and support Inuit Early Child Development, in all forms, formal and informal;
• Continue our work to enhance and implement the goals and objectives of the Inuit Early Child Development Working Group Strategy;
• Develop and disseminate resources and discussion papers on Childhood issues for parents and day care staff, including how to enhance child care programs to assist children with FASD.