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The Inquiry into the Circumstances Surrounding the Death of Phoenix Sinclair was established in March 2011 by the Government of Manitoba, to investigate the death of Phoenix Sinclair - a five-year-old aboriginal girl who was murdered by her mother and stepfather. Her death went undiscovered for nine months. From the time of her birth Phoenix and her family were in and out of contact with the child welfare system in Manitoba.

The inquiry reviewed the child welfare services that were delivered to Phoenix and her family, and attempted to find out why the death went undiscovered for so long. In addition, the commission is examining the systemic issues that underlie this case, including the conditions and challenges that bring urban aboriginal people into contact with the child welfare system and the services and programs that exist, or ought to exist, outside the child welfare system to support families and prevent tragedies such as this one.

The Atkinson Centre’s, Kerry McCuaig prepared a discussion paper and presented to the commission on May 29, 2013 in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Background Paper: Prepared and presented by Kerry McCuaig, 3rd Nordic Conference, November 11, 2013, Oslo, Norway.

Presented by Kerry McCuaig, November 11, 2013, Oslo, Norway.

The third Nordic ECEC conference “Approaches in Nordic ECEC research: Current research and new perspectives” was held in Oslo 11-12 November 2013. About 80 policy makers and researchers from the Nordic countries participated actively in presentations and workshops on the three conference themes: 1) Investments in children and ECEC, 2) Inclusion for all children and each child – in view of special needs and 3) How can long term development be supported by research?

Presented by Zeenat Janmohamed, Atkinson Centre, at the Atkinson Centre Early Years Task Force meeting, January 29, 2014.

Presented by Kerry McCuaig, Atkinson Centre, at the Atkinson Centre Early Years Task Force meeting, January 29, 2014.

Presented by Emis Akbari, Atkinson Centre, at the Atkinson Centre Early Years Task Force meeting, January 29, 2014.

Presented by Petr Varmuza, University of Toronto, at the Atkinson Centre Early Years Task Force meeting, January 29, 2014.

Presented by Kerry McCuaig, June 23, 2014, Ringsted, Denmark.

Nordic leaders gathered in Copenhagen on June 23 to discuss how to create a good life for children through quality early childhood education. The Nordic approach of a good life, presents a different starting point to policy and program development. Kerry McCuaig with the Atkinson Centre attended the conference to share some Canadian innovations in ECE delivery and monitoring with participants.

Presented by Bernice Cipparrone and Kerry McCuaig, November 17, 2014, Toronto, Ontario.

The Atkinson Centre supports the general directions of the proposed legislation. It encourages swift action to curtail illegal child care provision. The role of the local system services manager is appropriately heightened but would benefit from additional tools. Expanding the mandate of school boards to secure programming for children to age 12 is essential. Attention must be paid the children with special needs. Changes to ratios in licensed family and group care should be put on hold and addressed as part of a full regulatory review.

Presented by Kerry McCuaig, Success by Six conference, November 27, 2014, Victoria, British Columbia.

Panel discussion with Zeenat Janmohamed, CFUW Guelph, February 19, 2015, Guelph, Ontario.

Presented by Zeenat Janmohamed, Best Start Resource Centre Conference, February 26, 2015, Toronto, Ontario.