Early Years Services

Children’s early experiences and environment lay the foundation of future health, success and well-being. In this period of rapid growth and development, MCFD’s Early Childhood Development programs and services ensure children get the best possible start in life. MCFD’s Child Care programs and services support the access and affordability of child care throughout the province.

The early years, a period of rapid growth and development from conception until age six, are critical for a child's physical, social/emotional and cognitive development.

This critical window of early human development provides an opportunity to build resilience in young children and also identify chronic stressors or threats to healthy child development in order to provide early intervention and prevention programs to support vulnerable children and enable them to grow to their full potential.

The ministry contracts with a number of provincial organizations which aim to improve parent/caregiver and child outcomes by providing supportive, preventative and evidence-based services.

Current research underscores the importance of supporting children, and by extension their families, during the early years.The ministry also administers a range of child care programs and services.