Early Child Development
Every child should grow up in caring, supportive, healthy environments and have access to high-quality early childhood education.
For almost 30 years, the Lawson Foundation has been at the forefront of supporting the science of early human development which shows that experiences during the prenatal and early childhood periods are key to the health, education, behaviour and the general well-being of children throughout their lives.
Research points to sensitive or critical periods in early brain development when children have the greatest ability to acquire certain developmental skills. The kinds of positive experiences children have early in life influence how they develop, and the benefits play out across later childhood, adolescence and adulthood.
In order to contribute to early childhood development in Canada and to help ensure universal access to high quality programs and services for children across the country, the Lawson Foundation is keen to support innovative community-based initiatives, new public policy approaches, and ongoing knowledge development and monitoring that will strengthen our ability to act effectively. Moreover, the Foundation will encourage the mobilization of knowledge that will help young families, practitioners, and decision makers create healthy, high quality environments for our children.
Understand our Impact
Access information about our granting history and the projects that we fund in our Grants Navigator.
Related News and Updates
Imagining What’s Next: Strategic Foresight for Early Childhood in Canada
The Lawson Foundation is excited to release its new report, “Using Foresight to Contemplate the Future of Early Childhood in Canada.” This report, developed to inform the Foundation’s strategic planning, serves as a thought-provoking resource for those engaged in...
Open Letter | Charitable, academic, & private sector leaders urge Ottawa to limit child care funds to nonprofit/public providers
The Lawson Foundation has joined other charitable, academic and private sector leaders in urging Ottawa to limit child care funds to only nonprofit/public providers. Read the open letter here (Lisez la version française de la lettre ouverte ici).
Early Child Development Funders Working Group reaction to 2021 Federal Budget
The Lawson Foundation is a founding member of the Early Child Development Funders Working Group (ECD-FWG), a group of 8 Canadian foundations that are committed to the importance of ensuring high quality, accessible early learning and child care for all children....
Hot off the Press: Early Childhood Education Report 2017
The Early Child Education report (ECER) has just been published! Released every three years, these assessments identify gaps and progress in the provision of early childhood services across Canada. In 2017, it's mainly a good news story -- depending on where you live...
National Child Data Strategy: Results of a Feasibility Study
National Child Data Strategy: Results of a Feasibility Study By Sherri Torjman Released June 8, 2017 The Lawson Foundation, acting on the advice of pan-Canadian early child development stakeholders, recently commissioned a feasibility study, undertaken by Sherri...
In search of those unusual suspects
Getting a better understanding of how you build local, national and international agendas focused on Early Childhood Education (ECE). Sharing experience and knowledge across borders. These were the focus and outcomes of the OECD’s first conference on early childhood...