telling the story of canada’s children a comprehensive approach to accountability national...
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Telling the Story of Canada’s Children
A Comprehensive Approach to Accountability
National Children’s Alliance
November 26, 2004
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Accountability and Monitoring
• Since 2000 the Alliance has taken a leadership role in facilitating dialogue on the issue of accountability
• Involved in facilitating research and dialogue around the f/p/t agreements (SUFA, NCA, ECDI, M-L-F)
• Over the last four years the Alliance has evolved its thinking about the role of the “third sector” in accountability within this context
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Towards Accountability…
• Throughout our work the Alliance continued its dialogue about the role of the “third sector” and came to the conclusion that this role is more than monitoring government agreements
• The intersecting roles of governments and the voluntary sector as partners in service delivery require a partnership in monitoring
• Therefore, the focus gradually began to switch from monitoring to accountability
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Key themes
Consistent throughout our work:• Need for evidence-based decision-making• Ecological model as foundational• Determinants of health approach• Engagement critical to accountability• Commitment to reflecting inter-related influences
on children’s development• Asking the “right questions” critical• Inclusion of voices of children and youth
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What do we need to know?
• CHILDREN – What is the progress of children and youth in Canada in reaching their potential?
• FAMILIES -- How well are families able to contribute to the optimal development of their children?
• COMMUNITIES – What are communities (all sectors) doing to support children, youth and families?
• GOVERNMENTS – How are governments sustaining the capacities of communities, families, children and youth?
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Being accountable
• Accountability is about “being responsible” with and obligation to “answer” for one’s actions
• This means being able to track progress over time in a way that is meaningful to all stakeholders
• In the end, for the Alliance it means being able to “tell the story of all Canada’s children”
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Moving towards accountability…
The Alliance recognized that accountability requires engagement processes that are:
• Cross-sectoral (Governments, Voluntary Sector, Private Sector)
• Intergovernmental (Federal/Provincial/Territorial/Regional/Municipal/Aboriginal)
• Horizontal (health, social, education, recreation, environment, etc…)
• Vertical (from grassroots communities to pan-Canadian)
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Role of Voluntary Sector
• The Alliance believes that the voluntary sector is in a unique position to take the leadership role on accountability
• Voluntary sector has credibility with the public• Voluntary sector can leverage partnerships with
the other stakeholders• Voluntary sector has “on the ground” linkages and
presence in communities
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How can accountability be achieved?
• Through a sustainable mechanism it is possible to support a long term, cohesive approach to accountability for children in Canada
• The Alliance recommends creation of a “Council” that would build the collective capacity of all stakeholders to exercise their roles and responsibilities
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Mandate of the Council
• Increase body of knowledge on accountability for health and well-being of Canada’s children
• Build capacity of all sectors to be accountable• Develop and engage cross-sectoral and multi-
disciplinary networks • Track investments and impacts for children and
families• Build capacity of communities to articulate
objectives and “tell the story”
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Functions of the “Council”
• Research and Development
• Knowledge Translation
• Network and Partnership Development
• Tracking progress towards agreed upon objectives
• Reporting
• Mobilizing for change
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Research and Development
• Pan-Canadian data strategy
• Co-ordination of data collection and access
• Resource “bank” of expertise
• Accountability model development (includes objectives, roles and responsibilities, framework of questions and indicators, analysis)
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Knowledge Translation
• Tools for accountability
• Clearinghouse of resources
• Capacity building initiatives for communities
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Network and Partnership Development
• Constituents of NCA member organizations• Voluntary Sector stakeholders (FCM, CCRC etc.)• Think Tanks (Caledon, CPRN, etc.)• Researchers and Academic Institutions (CIAR, Centres of
Excellence, Child Care Resource Unit U of T, etc.) • Agencies (CIHI, CIHR)• Government initiatives (UEY, NLSCY, Early Years
Ontario, etc.)• Provincial/Regional Children’s Networks (First Call,
Calgary Children’s Network, etc)• Governments (all levels)
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Tracking Progress
• Consistent framework for developing indicators based on the “right questions” (for sectors and communities)
• National “monitoring” initiatives (supporting existing initiatives within a collaborative strategy that addresses gaps)
• Facilitation of processes to assist communities in articulating objectives and tracking progress
• Co-ordinating data collection and analysis
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Reporting
• Pan-Canadian public education strategy• Developing a series of national reports• Tools and template for the “story” to be
used by different stakeholders• Catalyst role for telling of community and
sub-sector stories• Assist communities in data interpretation
and communications of the “story”
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Mobilizing for Change
• Facilitate dialogue across sector on broad policy implications
• Develop tools for communities to give meaning to their stories
• Facilitating collaborative strategies for improving the lives of children
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Concrete achievements
Within the first five years:• Accountability Framework – includes foundational set of questions
and national level indicators• Clearinghouse for data and information – from local to pan-Canadian• National Data Strategy – qualitative and quantitative• Series of National Reports – “Story of Canada’s Children” • Accountability Tools – to enable and build capacity for community
initiatives• Knowledge Transfer Networks – multi-disciplinary and cross-
sectoral• Resource Bank on Accountability – from expertise to information
products
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Roles of the “Council”
• Facilitator/Co-ordinator
• Bridger
• Catalyst
• Capacity-builder
• Broker consensus
• Funder of key accountability initiatives
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Operating Principles
• Holistic and asset-based approaches• Respects diverse sources of knowledge• Includes child and youth engagement• Builds on existing initiatives and infrastructure• Collaborative • Transparency• Community-based• Inclusive
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Model of the “Council”
• Voluntary sector driven • Consortium – “distributed organization”• Links research, practice and policy through
sustained networks• Support existing initiatives and infrastructure
Note: Will be informed but not limited by an exploration of existing models
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Role of the National Children’s Alliance
• Alliance is positioned to play the leadership role in the development of the Council
• Potential for an ongoing relationship with the Council – Alliance could ensure effective partnerships and that the Council is voluntary sector driven through an oversight function
• Alliance could ensure inclusion in the ongoing processes of the Council