Dozens of families will benefit from new culturally relevant child care spaces through the Aboriginal Head Start (AHS) program.

“The opening of these new Aboriginal Head Start spaces are making a real difference for Indigenous families, ensuring that their children can learn and grow in environments that reflect and celebrate their cultures,” said Rachna Singh, B.C. Minister of Education and Child Care. “These spaces support Indigenous children’s growth and learning, while also providing opportunities to further strengthen their communities and cultures.”

Three new AHS centres are providing a total of 108 new child care spaces, including 48 spaces in Colwood, 44 in Kelowna and 20 in Vancouver. AHS is a culturally relevant early-learning and child care program for Indigenous children up to age six and their families that provides wraparound family support and inclusion services at no cost.

“Aboriginal Head Start Association of British Columbia (AHSABC) is growing culturally rich spaces in a big way,” said Joan Gignac, executive director, AHSABC. “Eight hundred and twenty-nine AHS-licensed full-day child care spaces have been created since 2018 in 23 communities across B.C. This has been life-changing for Indigenous families in B.C.”

AHS uses a culturally relevant curriculum that encompasses six core programming components: culture and language, education and school readiness, health promotion, nutrition, social support, parent and family involvement.

“It is so important that children feel safe, seen and supported from a young age,” said Joan Phillip, MLA for Vancouver-Mount Pleasant. “These new Aboriginal Head Start spaces in Vancouver mean that more First Nations children will receive ongoing culturally appropriate care that will strengthen their mental, physical and spiritual well-being.”

Since 2018, based on the results of community engagement, the Province has partnered with the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) and the Aboriginal Head Start Association of B.C. to support the creation or transformation of more than 1,750 AHS spaces provincewide, including more than 900 spaces in First Nations communities and more than 800 in urban Indigenous communities.

“These new Aboriginal Head Start spaces will greatly benefit Indigenous families and children with culturally relevant care that reflects and celebrates their heritage,” said Jenna Sudds, federal Minister of Families, Children and Social Development. “We are committed to increasing access to affordable, high-quality early learning and child care rooted in Indigenous cultures across Canada that are designed by and for their communities.”

AHS funding is supported by a combination of provincial funding, the Canada-British Columbia Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, and the Canada-B.C. Early Learning and Child Care Agreement.

Learn More:  

For information about ChildCareBC, visit: https://www.gov.bc.ca/childcare

For more information about the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund, visit: https://www.gov.bc.ca/childcare/newspacesfund 

For more information on the Affordable Child Care Benefit, visit: https://www.gov.bc.ca/affordablechildcarebenefit