The Demonstration Projects and the Task Group will conclude their work in 2001. The Secretariat will implement a public education and awareness campaign to broaden understanding of the importance of early child development and parenting. The government will also provide funding for community coordinators to raise awareness at the local level of the importance of the early years. To facilitate access to information about provincially supported services for children, the Secretariat will expand and update the Children's Pathfinder to provide a comprehensive inventory of government-funded services and programs for children. The government will also establish a Youth Reference Board to provide Ontario s youth with the opportunity to advise the Minister Responsible for Children on youth priorities and issues, and engage youth more directly in discussions and decisions on the future of Ontario.
Partnerships are also important for enhancing services and supports for children and families.
That is why we are creating the Minister's Youth Reference Board and seeking advice from the Early Years Task Group. Bringing people together in this way will assist the Minister and Secretariat in identifying priorities and further steps that will benefit Ontario's children now and in the future. Toronto ON M7A 1N8.