Jordan's Principle

Jordan River Anderson was 5 years old and had never spent a day in a family home. In response to this tragedy, Jordan's Principle was created. It is a child first principle calling on the government of first contact to ensure First Nations children can access public services on the same terms as other children.

Jordan's Principle is a child-first and needs-based principle used in public policy and administration in Canada to ensure that First Nations children living on and off reserve have equitable access to all government funded public services.

Jordan's Principle covers all public services such as mental health, special education, dental, physical therapy, medical equipment, physiotherapy and more.

Current eligibility criteria under Jordan's Principle are:

• The child must be aged 0 - 17 years old.
• The child is registered or eligible to be registered under the Indian Act (has a band number or is eligible for one)
• The child has one parent/guardian who is registered or eligible to be registered under the Indian Act.