Indigenous early learning and child care knowledge resources

Press Release

Nine knowledge translation products

The National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health (NCCIH), with support from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), has developed a series of knowledge resources to inform and strengthen programs and policies designed to serve families with young children in First Nations communities. The knowledge resources feature a comprehensive report, Quality care and young First Nations children: An exploration of optimal learning and development in early childhood settings on reserve, which presents the collective results of three interrelated qualitative studies examining different aspects of early learning and child care (ELCC) programming for First Nations children on reserve:

• The first study explores concepts of quality ELCC programming for First Nations children on reserve, through the stories and perspectives shared by First Nations partners with first-hand knowledge, experience, and insight pertaining to ELCC programming in First Nations communities;
• The second study involves an environmental scan of existing post-secondary ELCC education and training programs and review of respective course content to determine the extent to which First Nations perspectives are included in ELCC practitioner training curricula; and
• The third study covers a detailed review of the legislative complexities underpinning ELCC programs to understand the associated effects on the regulation, funding, and cultural appropriateness of on-reserve ELCC programming for First Nations children across Canada.

As a whole, the report offers valuable insight into important factors that contribute to the optimal learning, development, and care of First Nations children in early childhood program settings on reserve.

In addition to the comprehensive report, a series of shorter knowledge products were developed, including condensed summaries for each of the three qualitative studies and infographics.

Resources related to the quality ELCC programming study

• The report summary, Quality care and young First Nations children: Summary of findings from the quality ELCC programming study, provides a broad overview of the main findings from the interviews and group discussions with policy makers, program administrators, early childhood educators, and parents and grandparents with first-hand knowledge, experience, and insight related to ELCC programming in First Nations communities.
• The infographic, Key characteristics of quality ELCC programming in First Nations communities, offers a general outline of the qualities that First Nations people value and believe are important for their children in ELCC program settings on reserve.
• The infographic, Key challenges and needs of quality ELCC programming in First Nations communities, outlines the difficulties First Nations communities face with early childhood program delivery on reserve.

Resources related to the environmental scan of post-secondary ELCC training programs

• The digital companion, Appendix 2 – The integration of First Nations/Indigenous knowledges, worldviews, and perspectives into ELCC education and training programs across Canada: An environmental scan, provides a snapshot of ELCC, early childhood development, and early childhood education training curricula offered by post-secondary institutions across Canada. The digital publication is available only in English.
• The plain language summary, Incorporation of First Nations knowledges and perspectives in ELCC training programs across Canada, presents key findings on post-secondary training programs for ELCC practitioners working in First Nations settings, including the number of mandatory Indigenous-specific courses and courses with explicitly-stated First Nations or Indigenous content, the mode of course delivery, the types of programs offered in college and university academic settings, the most common Indigenous topics covered in the curricula, and requirements to complete practicums or field placements in First Nations communities.

Resources related to the review of ELCC legislation and regulations

• The report, Exploring the legislative complexity of ELCC for First Nations children, takes readers through provincial, territorial, and federal ELCC policies and legislation that affect the regulation, control, and cultural appropriateness of on-reserve ELCC programs for First Nations children.
• The fact sheet, Canada’s new Early Learning and Child Care Act – What is it and why is it important?, explores new federal ELCC legislation and its relevance to ELCC programs for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis families. The fact sheet reviews the Act and its objectives, what makes the Act significant, and what happens next, following its implementation.
• The infographic, ELCC legislative complexities for on-reserve early childhood programs and First Nations children, summarizes legislative complexities that influence the regulation, licensing, funding, quality, and cultural appropriateness of reserve-based ELCC programs for First Nations children on reserve.

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