Who is the Inuit Early Childhood Development Working Group?

Who is the Inuit Early Childhood Development Working Group?

The Inuit Early Childhood Development (ECD) Working Group is made up of representatives from each of the four Inuit regions of Canada—the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Nunavut (Qikiqtaaluk, Kivalliq, Kitikmeot), Nunavik and Nunatsiavut, as well as Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) and Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada, who have a keen interest in, and work to promote, Inuit ECD.

Established in 2001, the Working Group provides a forum for Inuit to discuss Inuit ECD resources, priorities, policies, issues and concerns at a national level. ITK serves as the secretariat for this working group.

In 2004, the Working Group published the Inuit Early Childhood Development Strategy. The ultimate aim of the strategy is to “achieve healthy, happy and safe Inuit children and families” through collaboration with partners and work related to nine specific goals. Each year, these goals are revisited by the working group and priority action areas are identified. The development of an Inuit ECD resource collection was one of these action areas.