Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (Oct 18/00) - Childcare workers and families across Nunavut may be able to better detect when a child is having developmental delays or difficulties.

A new early-intervention training tool was introduced to childcare workers in Rankin Inlet last week.

The Ages and Stages program was developed at the University of Oregon and is a family-centred, parent completion questionnaire.

Jane Freeman, early childhood program co-ordinator for the Department of Education's early childhood and school services division in Arviat, arranged for Sue Yockelson to travel to Rankin to facilitate the program.

She says besides helping to detect problems early, the questionnaire also identifies children's skill areas such as cognitive development, fine and gross motor development, speech and language.

"The idea for the training came from my looking into what currently exists in Nunavut for identifying children with development disabilities, delays or physical handicaps at a very early age," says Freeman.

"I also looked at what's available in early-intervention services to help these children and their families encourage their development."

Freeman says although some communities do have early-intervention programs, most are just starting to look into the area.

She invited a representative from every health centre, who now use the so-called Denver process" to assess children, to attend the workshop.

She also invited co-ordinators from Aboriginal Head Start programs, and staff from other programs working with special needs children.

Freeman said the Ages and Stages method is being used in both Canada and the United States.

"It's a new tool developed over the past five years that is having a lot of success. It's felt to be more culturally-sensitive and family friendly than the Denver process."

Freeman says she wants to help create interest to develop early-intervention programs in Nunavut communities. She adds it's a big need that can only be accomplished in steps.

"The first little step is increasing awareness of a screening tool that could be very helpful.

"If we had it in every community health centre and early-childhood program, we'd have similar information to share with families and we could follow young children who are identified with developmental needs."