Hiiye'yu Lelum Society
House of Friendship
Healthiest Babies Possible & Early Years
Little Sum’Suma’Yu Aboriginal Head Start
Culturally rooted childcare where children and families are surrounded by culture, care and community.
Little Sum’Suma’Yu is Hiiye’yu Lelum’s Aboriginal Head Start program, providing zero-cost, culturally rooted childcare for Indigenous families in the Cowichan Valley.
Families are at the centre of the program. Children learn and grow in a welcoming environment shaped by Hul’q’umi’num’ language, cultural teachings, relationships with Elders, traditional foods and a cultural calendar developed with community and Elders.
How We Support Families and Children
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Zero-Cost Childcare — childcare from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for children from newborn to school age.
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Culture & Language — Hul’q’umi’num’ language resources, cultural teachings, time with Elders and activities guided by a community-developed cultural calendar.
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Healthy Meals — freshly prepared meals, including traditional foods, provided by an on-site cook at no cost to families.
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Developmental Support — access to developmental screening and connections with speech and language, occupational therapy, vision, hearing and dental supports.
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Indigenous Infant Development — children and families can connect with Hiiye’yu Lelum’s Indigenous Infant Development Program for additional developmental support.
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Family Support & Connection — family gatherings, community resources and practical supports help strengthen the whole family.
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Transition to Kindergarten — tours, information and support help children and families prepare for the transition into the school system.
A Blanket of Support
Little Sum’Suma’Yu brings services and relationships together around children and their families. The program works with community service providers, developmental specialists and other Hiiye’yu Lelum programs to make supports easier for families to access.
Children can receive developmental supports while remaining in a familiar, culturally safe environment, while families are connected with additional resources when needed.
Building Connections
Little Sum’Suma’Yu works alongside the School District, Clements Centre, Margaret Moss Health Centre, Vancouver Island Regional Library, local artists, service providers and other community partners to strengthen the circle of support available to children and families.
Interested in Little Sum'Suma'Yu
Families interested in learning more about the program, eligibility or available spaces can connect directly with the Program Coordinator.
Our Website is Being Refreshed
We're creating a more welcoming and accessible online space to better connect our community with programs, services, events, and opportunities. Some pages are still under construction as we continue to build. Thank you for your patience—we look forward to sharing our new website with you soon.