New Indigenous-led child development program coming to Waterloo region this spring

Indigenous families with young children, or who are expecting, will soon have culturally informed wraparound care in Waterloo region as part of a new partnership.

The Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre (SOAHAC) in Cambridge worked with the region's Healthy Babies Healthy Children (HBHC) program to launch an Indigenous-led healthy child development program this spring.

The program will offer families help with care from the pre-natal stages all the way through to six years of age, said Charisse Sayer, integrated care manager with SOAHAC.

"This particular program will work directly with the maternity programs in the hospital as well as with mid-wives and other providers that are helping our community with their birthing experience," Sayer said.

Families taking part in the new program will also have access to primary health care, family and mental wellness supports, as well as Indigenous cultural teachings and peer support from other families taking part.

Sayer said to best meet the needs of families, SOAHAC staff have been communicating with Indigenous elders, knowledge keepers, parents, caregivers and staff with other programs that offer similar services in the region since August.

That's why part of the program will also focus on helping families navigate what can often be a challenging healthcare system. 

"One of the things that we identified is navigation and advocacy as really important to working with our First Nations, Inuit and Métis community members in health care and other social supports," Sayer said.

"Walking with them through some of those challenging systems, that are very Westernized, is important to that level of care for our community."

'I think community can be lifted up together'

Melissa Ireland, a mom of three in Waterloo who is from Curve Lake First Nation, says a program like this will go a long way for Indigenous families to access the care they need.

"When I was pregnant with my baby, I would have loved to have traditional teachings related to the pregnancy and birth. I would have loved to have access to [an] Indigenous midwife and postpartum supports," she told CBC News.

Ireland also sees the program as a way to help Indigenous children connect with their roots.

"I think community can be lifted up together," she said. "I think having that identity formation early on will help restore and reclaim connection to heritage and culture."

Ireland said she's excited for the new Indigenous-led healthy child development program, especially because her 11-month-old baby will be able to take part.

Sayer said SOAHAC will be looking to recruit health care and other providers for the program this month with the goal to have the program up and running by April or May.