b'Were doing an early learningRecently, the Chiefs of Ontarioand families, is new legislation intro-and childcare study right now, sayshosted the Creating a Healthy andduced in 2019 that aims to return juris-Andy. The study is to look at all theLoving Society for our Children Forum,diction over child and family services to programs, services, capital and any Firsta virtual conference to discuss Bill C-92.First Nation communities. Andy says Nation and family data that is specificThe conference included Dr. CindyElder Gertie Beaucage was one of the to children ages zero to six. Many FirstBlackstock and then-Ontario Regionalpresenters at the conference, sharing her Nations dont have daycares or programsChief RoseAnne Archibald as keynotetraditional and community knowledge, like Ontarios Healthy Babies Healthyspeakers and ran from May 19th to 20th.and that the forum is an important Children program, Andy also points out. Bill C-92, An Act respecting Firstaspect of the work being done at Chiefs Right now, the funding is mixed upNations, Inuit and Mtis children, youthof Ontario. and all over the place between provincial and federal.Another project within the depart-ment is creating a needs-based assess-ment tool that was developed by INDsight Consulting. What the tool does is that it gets everything you need to build your own child welfare system on your reserve, Andy explains.This tool is designed to help deter-mine the extremely specific needs for a First Nation community. Andy is hoping that First Nations can use these needs assessments and tools to start up their own projects in the next year or two. The department is also focused onAt the Centre for Indigenous Initiatives (CII), we support students, staff and faculty at Carleton by the long-term needs of a communityproviding culturally safe spaces for dialogue and learning. We do this by nurturing a sense of belonging visvis social assistance and economicfor Indigenous students, and by developing and delivering resources and training to educate the development. Right now, the OntarioCarleton community about the experiences, histories and worldviews of Indigenous peoples.Works legislation is focused on getting people off of financial assistance andEmail: indigenous@carleton.caonto being employed, but thats notcarleton.ca/indigenousjust the reality in some Ontario First Nations, Andy says. The challenges, he explains, are associated with how First Nations were created in the first placethe area that was settled and whether the community is isolated or near a large urban center. With some First Nations, there just arentEveryone Working Together to Raise Our Childrenenough employment opportunities to meet the needs of an entire community.In addition to the Ontario Works program, theres a focus on the Ontario Disability Support Program and how to best meet the needs of people with mental and physical challenges ina community.Andy says that best practices are part of the design structure built into many of the community surveys, which should help to mould the many social serviceServing 30 First Nationsprograms that can be set up in FirstTikinagan.org | 1-800-465-3624Nation communities while preserving families and communities. I ssue1 2021C hIefs ofo ntarIoA dvocAte magazIne l 51'