REGINA (CP) - Preventing and treating fetal alcohol syndrome will be Saskatchewan's first priority in spending the money from the federal government earmarked for early childhood development. "For us, the most urgent and immediate priority is to put into a place an effective strategy that will help us stop FAS (fetal alcohol syndrome) and stop FAE (fetal alcohol effect)," Social Services Minister Harry Van Mulligen announced Tuesday.

"The costs of FAS are tremendous to society, but we know it is 100 per cent preventable and we simply have to target our resources."

Fetal alcohol syndrome describes a pattern of abnormalities observed in children born to alcoholic mothers.

Babies tend to weigh less and be shorter than normal. They also commonly suffer from smaller heads, deformed facial features, abnormal joints and limbs, poor co-ordination, problems with learning and short memories.

Saskatchewan will receive $73 million over the next five years from the federal government to spend on early childhood development programs.

The money is part of the $2.2 billion announced Monday to be spent nationally on children over the next five years.

The money, starting with $300 million next year, will flow under the Canada Health and Social Transfer. That amount increases to $400 million the following year and $500 million in each of the next three years.

It's to be spent on four broad areas: prenatal and postpartum care, parenting services, pre-school and child care and community supports.

Final allocations are left up to the provinces and territories.

However the money does not come without conditions.

Human Resources Development Minister Jane Stewart says premiers agreed to specifically show how they've used the money for children's programs and to report each year on outcomes.

Last year, a Saskatchewan provincial court judge ordered social workers to create a treatment program for a young arsonist with fetal alcohol syndrome.

The government is appealing the ruling and argues the judge went beyond her jurisdiction in making the order.

© The Canadian Press, 2000