Chapter 1: Introduction

The Early Childhood Development Agreement

In September 2000, the Government of Canada, in partnership with provincial and territorial governments reached an agreement to improve and expand the services and programs they provide for children under the age of 6 and their families. The Early Childhood Development Agreement is a long-term commitment to help young children reach their full potential, and to help families support their children.

As part of this agreement, governments committed to keeping the public apprised of progress in the area of early childhood development. Specifically, First Ministers committed to report on investments in early childhood development programs and services as well as on child well-being.

In the fall of 2002, federal, provincial and territorial governments began regular reporting on child well-being using an agreed upon set of common indicators. Reporting on child well-being is helping to build public awareness of how young children are faring in Canada, as well as demonstrating governments' continuing commitment to meet the objectives of the Early Childhood Development Agreement.

This report fulfills the Government of Canada's commitment to report on how young children in Canada are developing.

Environmental Influences on Young Children's Well-Being

The time from conception to entry into Grade 1 shapes children's early development and sets the foundation for later learning, behaviour and health.² Early experiences can exert a powerful influence on later well-being, building coping abilities and competencies and helping make children physically strong and emotionally healthy.

As they are developing, children are extremely sensitive to the environments around them. Subtle changes can have significant impacts on a child's development. Understanding the key factors that influence child development can help society make choices that build supportive environments for children.

The National Children's Agenda, developed in partnership by federal, provincial and territorial governments, sets out a shared vision for children in Canada. This vision identifies five key environmental influences that affect children's development: biological inheritance; family; child care and school; physical and community environments; and society. This report focuses on two of these influences–physical environment and family.

The physical environment greatly affects the health and well-being of young children. Access to clean air, food, and water all have an impact on healthy child development.

The family environment is also instrumental in ensuring positive child well-being. Parents and families play the primary role in children's lives. How a family functions, including parenting practices and lifestyle are key in shaping how a child develops.

Format of the Report

Chapter 2, "The Physical Environment and Its Impact on Child Well-Being" provides an overview of key elements of the physical environment and its potential effect on the health and development of young children. Chapter 3, "The Family Environment and Its Impact on Child Well-Being" presents a discussion of the key elements of family life, focusing on family dynamics, income, maternal education and family structure, and their impacts on young children's well-being.

The report also continues to monitor the well-being of young children in Canada. Chapter 4 of the report begins to track the indicators set out by the Government of Canada in The Well-Being of Canada's Young Children: Government of Canada Report 2002. These indicators expand upon the common set of 11 indicators of physical health and development identified by governments to include measures of key family and community determinants.

Chapter 5 provides a brief overview of recent information and research about the perinatal health of children living in First Nations communities.

Chapter 6 presents a summary discussion of recent survey information about young children with disabilities in Canada.