Childhood (3-12 years) is an important stage of life for continued healthy growth and development. Experiences during this time can influence lifelong physical, mental and social health.
What you will find
These resources provide information to help you plan programs to support healthy growth and development for this age group. For more information, please visit the Best Practices section for interventions related to children.
Data
A first step to planning a program to promote early child health is to understand the topic through surveillance data. For more information injuries and children, please visit the Injuries public health topic.
Canadian Data
- Children and youth, Statistics Canada.
- Are Canadian Kids Too Tired to move? The ParticipACTION Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth 2016 (PDF document)ParticipACTION.
- Children vulnerable in areas of early development: A determinant of child health, Canadian Institute for Health Information (2014).
- Blood pressure of Canadian children and youth, to 2013, Statistics Canada.
- Body mass index of Canadian children and youth to 2011, Statistics Canada.
- The well-being of Canada’s young children: Government of Canada report, Early Childhood Development (2011).
- National longitudinal survey of children and youth, Statistics Canada (2010).
Provincial/Territorial Data
Alberta
New Brunswick
- Children and youth snapshot, 2012 Provincial Snapshot: So how are we doing? (PDF document), New Brunswick Health Council.
Ontario
- Child and youth health data source project – Summary of findings (PDF document), Public Health Ontario (2015).
- Measuring the health of infants, children and youth for Public Health in Ontario: Indicators, gaps and recommendations for moving forward (PDF document), Public Health Ontario (2013).
- The first 5 years: A foundation for life, Public Health Ontario.
Northwest Territories
- Health and health-related behaviours among young people: Northwest Territories (PDF document), Government of Northwest Territories (2012).
Quebec
- Time for the big leap: Québec survey of child development in kindergarten, Institut de la statistique du Québec (2012).
Yukon
- Yukon 2012 Health status report: Focus on children and youth (PDF document), Health and Social Services (2013).
- Kids count: Measuring child and family wellness in Yukon: An indicator framework, Government of Yukon (2012).
International Data
- Child well-being: Statistics and monitoring, UNICEF.
- The state of the world’s children 2013: Children with disabilities, UNICEF.
- Child well-being in rich countries: A comparative overview, UNICEF, Office of Research (2013).
Australia
- A picture of Australia’s children 2012, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2012).
New Zealand
- Child and youth health data and stats, Ministry of Health.
- The health of Maori adults and children, Ministry of Health (2013).
- The health of Pacific adults and children, Ministry of Health (2013).
United Kingdom
- Child health profiles, Public Health England.
- National child and maternal health intelligence network, Public Health England (2015).
United States
- Child health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Child health USA, US Department of Health and Human Services.
- Health data interactive, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- National MCH Center for Child Death Review.
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
- OECD Family database, (2014).
World Health Organization
Government Strategies (Frameworks, Action Plans, etc.)
For more information injuries and children, please visit the Injuries public health topic.
Canadian Strategies
- Childhood and adolescence, Public Health Agency of Canada.
- Curbing childhood obesity: A Federal, Provincial and Territorial framework for action to promote healthy weights, Public Health Agency of Canada (2011).
Aboriginal Strategies
- Improving First Nations children’s health with social justice education for all children, National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health (2014).
- Strengthening urban Aboriginal families: Exploring promising practices, National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health (2013).
Provincial/Territorial Strategies
Alberta
- Healthy children and youth initiatives, Alberta Health.
- Together we raise tomorrow. An Alberta approach to early childhood development 2013, Government of Alberta.
British Columbia
- Healthy families BC policy framework: A focused approach to chronic disease and injury prevention (PDF document), Ministry of Health (2014).
- Model core program paper: Health child and youth development (PDF document), BC Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport (2010).
Manitoba
- Starting early, starting strong: Manitoba’s early childhood development framework (PDF document), Healthy Child Committee of the Cabinet (2013).
- Healthy child Manitoba, Government of Manitoba.
New Brunswick
- New Brunswick health council’s 2012 child and youth-rights and well-being framework: Children and youth snapshot (PDF document), Government of New Brunswick (2012).
- Be ready for success: A 10 year early childhood strategy for New Brunswick (PDF document), Government of New Brunswick (2008).
Newfoundland and Labrador
- Child and youth development, Department of Health and Community Services.
Northwest Territories
- A Framework for Early childhood development in the Northwest Territories Action plan (PDF document), Government of Northwest Territories (2014).
- Right from the Start: A framework for early childhood development in the NWT (PDF document), Government of Northwest Territories (2013).
Nova Scotia
- Our kids are worth it. Our sixth year: Strategy for children and youth (PDF document), Government of Nova Scotia (2014).
Ontario
- Realizing potential: Our children, our youth, our future, Ministry of Children and Youth Services.
- No time to wait: The healthy kids strategy, Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care (2013).
- Youth population health assessment visioning: Recommendations and next steps (PDF document), Public Health Ontario (2013).
Yukon
- On the path to together: Wellness plan for Yukon’s children and families (PDF document), Government of Yukon (2014).
International Strategies
Australia
- Child health, Department of Health and Ageing.
New Zealand
- Child health, Ministry of Health.
United Kingdom
- Healthy lives brighter futures – The strategy for children’s and young people’s health, Department of Health.
World Health Organization
Guidance
For more information injuries and children, please visit the Injuries public health topic.
Canadian Guidance
- Canadian immunization guide evergreen edition, National guidelines for immunization practices, Public Health Agency of Canada (Evergreen).
- WHO growth charts adapted for Canada (2014).
Provincial/Territorial Guidance
British Columbia
- Model core program paper: Healthy infant and child development (PDF document), BC Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport (2009).
Ontario
- Child health guidance document (PDF document), Ministry of Health Promotion (2010).
Quebec
- Conditions for success of actions to promote total child development: State of Knowledge (PDF document), Institut national de santé publique du Québec (2014).
International Guidance
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
United Kingdom
- NICE public health guidance 40: Social and emotional wellbeing – early years, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (2012).
United States
- Maternal, infant and child health: Interventions & resources, HealthyPeople.gov.
World Health Organization
Systematic Reviews of the Research
For more information injuries and children, please visit the Injuries public health topic. Selected reviews from HealthEvidence.org:
- A socio-cultural approach to physical activity interventions in childcare: A systematic review, (2014).
- The value of pre-school playgrounds for children’s physical activity level: A systematic review, (2014).
- Preventative zinc supplementation for children, and the effect of additional iron: A systematic review and meta-analysis, (2014).
Search more systematic reviews.