Make Children First (MCF) is a province-wide program established and funded by the Ministry of
Children and Family Development to create community based, integrated and comprehensive
approaches to foster the healthy development of children up to 6 years old.

MCF in Kamloops was formed in 2002, and is one of 30 community development initiatives
around the province that incorporates a strength based population health approach to improving
outcomes for young children and their families. Although MCF does not deliver services directly
to children and families, it works to improve services and programs by bringing together and
supporting a coalition of service providers and a broad representation of community members
interested in healthy early childhood development.

The Kamloops MCF Coordinator is guided by a Steering Committee that has developed a
strategic action plan for the local area. The key directions for MCF outlined in this plan are to:

1. Enhance community education and awareness of the importance of the early years
2. Facilitate and support a sustainable and collaborative system of community services and support
3. Support existing and new programs and services for early identification of children age zero to six
4. Support and encourage research and special projects for early childhood development.

Make Children First (MCF) is a province-wide program established and funded by the Ministry of
Children and Family Development to create community based, integrated and comprehensive
approaches to foster the healthy development of children up to 6 years old.

This report provides the background, methodology, findings and recommendations related to
the 2006 evaluation of the Kamloops Make Children First (MCF) initiative.

MCF in Kamloops was formed in 2002, and is one of 30 community development initiatives
around the province that incorporates a strength based population health approach to improving
outcomes for young children and their families.

The purpose of this evaluation was to focus intently on a few key goals and outcomes in order
to be able to inform the funder and the early childhood community about the effectiveness of
specific activities and processes undertaken by MCF in the past two years.

 With guidance from the Coordinator and an Evaluation Advisory Committee, it was decided that
the evaluation would focus on the following four components of the MCF initiative:

1. MCF support for the Kamloops early childhood community (networks & collaboration)
2. Functioning of the Steering Committee
3. Social marketing initiatives
4. Parents access to the early childhood system

A combination of interviews, and respondent-completed questionnaires was used to collect
quantitative and qualitative data during the month of February 2006. The data were analyzed
during March and April. Respondents included 78 parents, 51 early childhood professionals
and 12 MCF Steering Committee members.

Some of the key findings include: 

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