Our “Messages from the Heart: Caring for our Children” video continues to inspire organizations across the country. The film captures journeys to healing and strength as voiced by participants in an NCCAH-hosted national gathering with early childhood educators. The 2009 event helped address the legacy of the residential school system and child welfare policies, and highlighted strategies and programs that work for parents, families and communities.

Curriculum to support paediatric residents in the care of Aboriginal children is being released this year in universities across Canada. The result of a unique collaboration with the Canadian Paediatric Society and the Many Hands One Dream network, the training involves not only medical information but historical context in the care of Aboriginal children and youth.

Our joint 2009 report with UNICEF Canada brought national and international attention to the state of Aboriginal children's health in Canada. The report found Aboriginal children fare worse than national averages on almost all health status indicators and called the health gap a children's rights issue.

A national project to support culturally relevant school health initiatives in Canadian schools is garnering international attention. A Framework for Indigenous School Health: Foundations in Cultural Principles was released in 2009 after three years in development, and will be presented this July at the 20th IUHPE World Conference on Health Promotion in Geneva, Switzerland.

Responding to community concerns, the NCCAH explores what we know and don't know about fetal alcohol spectrum disorder among Aboriginal peoples in Canada. New insights can help prioritize future research and improve understanding of how to address FAS/FASD in Aboriginal communities.