Aboriginal early learning and child care: Policy issues
As Canada’s Aboriginal groups have larger than average child populations, early learning and child care (ELCC) is a critical policy issue. Developing ELCC policy that is flexible to accommodate the diverse needs of the Aboriginal community and maintains their indigenous culture is a major concern for all Aboriginal peoples. There is a strong call for an Aboriginal controlled and sustainable ELCC system that adopts a culturally appropriate approach.
In 1996, the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples recommended that:
federal, provincial, and territorial governments co-operate to support an integrated early childhood funding strategy that a) extends early childhood education to all Aboriginal children regardless of residence; b) encourages programs that foster the physical, social, intellectual and spiritual development of children, reducing distinctions between child care, prevention and education; c) maximizes Aboriginal control over service design and administration; d) offers one-stop accessible funding; and e) promotes parental involvement and choice in early childhood education options.
Almost a decade later in 2005, the beginnings of a national early learning and child care program were laid down through a $5 billion/five year initiative, of which $100 million over five years has been earmarked for First Nations on-reserve ELCC. As Canadian child care is finally set for expansion, ELCC in the more than 600 First Nations and in other Aboriginal communities in Canada becomes a vital issue for policy discussion.
This Issue File is intended to promote discussion about how Aboriginal child care features within Canada’s ELCC system.
This list in not intended to be an exhaustive examination of this topic; for a more comprehensive list, search the Childcare Resource and Research Unit resource library catalogue Childcare Information Reference Collection (CIRC).
For the next seven generations: Early learning and child care programs for children
in First Nations and Inuit communities: AFN consultation with BC First Nations
community representatives
SOURCE: British Columbia Aboriginal Child Care Society, 28 Sept 2005
- Paper in pdf
- Summary of key themes in Word
Aboriginal ECEC
Friendly, Martha & Beach, Jane
SOURCE: Childcare Resource and Research Unit, Chapter in Early Childhood Education and Care in Canada 2004, 2005
Chapter in pdf
First Nations early learning and child care action plan
SOURCE: Assembly of First Nations, 1 April 2005
Paper in pdf
Early childhood development single window strategy: Summary report of First Nations regional dialogue sessions
SOURCE: Assembly of First Nations. 30 April 05
Report in pdf
Early childhood care and development programs as hook and hub for inter-sectoral service delivery in First Nations communities
Ball, Jessica
SOURCE: Journal of Aboriginal Health, Volume 12, Number 1, March 2005
Journal article in pdf
Where to from here? Building a First Nations early childhood strategy
Greenwood, Margo
SOURCE: Assembly of First Nations, 28 Feb 05
Report in pdf
Early childhood development activities and expenditures: Early learning and child care activities and expenditures, 2003-2004
SOURCE: Government of Canada, 2005
Full report in html. See Chapter 6 for overview of services for First Nations families and children.
Policies for future generations: Aboriginal early childhood in Canada
Greenwood, Margo
SOURCE: Aboriginal Children’s Circle of Early Learning, 1 Jan 05
Powerpoint presentation in pdf
Building a community of communities: Results and discussion of the national roundtable on Aboriginal ECD – What can research offer Aboriginal Head Start?
Health Canada
SOURCE: Health Canada, 2005
Paper in pdf
National dialogue on federal Aboriginal early childhood development strategy: Draft dialogue report
SOURCE: Aboriginal Research Institute of Six Nations Reserve, 2005
Report in pdf
Many voices, common cause: Addressing Aboriginal early childhood development education and training needs
SOURCE: British Columbia Aboriginal Child Care Society, 2004
Report in pdf
Third national survey of First Nations people on-reserve
Ekos Research Associates
SOURCE: Departments of: Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Communication Canada, Health Canada, Canadian Heritage, and Natural Resources Canada, 10 Feb 03
Complete news release, backgrounder and link to full report (in html and pdf).
Aboriginal children in poverty in urban communities: Social exclusion and the growing racialization of poverty in Canada
Canadian Council on Social Development
SOURCE: Canadian Council on Social Development, March 03
Presentation notes in html
Handbook of best practices in Aboriginal early childhood programs
SOURCE: British Columbia Aboriginal Child Care Society, 2003
Report in pdf
Aboriginal child care in review: Part II
Greenwood, M.
SOURCE: Canadian Child Care Federation, Interaction, Volume 13, Number 4, 2000. (See pp. 15-18.)
Available in pdf
Aboriginal child care in review: Part I
Greenwood, M.
SOURCE: Canadian Child Care Federation, 2000
Article in html
Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal people
SOURCE: Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, 1996
- Full report in html (see volume 3, chapter 5, section 3.1 for section on early childhood education.)
- Highlights in html (see part 3 for section on early childhood education.)
PRINT RESOURCES |
 |
Print materials available in CRRU’s resource collection. See CIRC online.
The needs of Aboriginal Canadians
Budgell, R. (2001)
SOURCE: In Cleveland, G. & Krashinsky, M. (Eds.) Our Children's Future:347-351. University of Toronto Press, 2001
ID #15277
Whispered gently through time: First Nations quality child care – A national study
Greenwood, M. & Shawana, P.
SOURCE: Adshaw Enterprises, St. George, B.C., 2001
ID #16247
USEFUL WEBSITES |
|
Aboriginal Children’s Circle of Early Learning
ACCEL is a bilingual web-based clearinghouse and network for Aboriginal early childhood development. This virtual meeting place provides an opportunity for Aboriginal early childhood service providers to access current research, discuss best and promising practices, and identify and respond to the emerging needs of their communities
with timely, culturally sensitive solutions.
Aboriginal Head Start On-Reserve
This website outlines the Health Canada-funded Aboriginal Head Start on reserve initiative. The initiative is designed to “prepare young First Nations children for their school years, by meeting their emotional, social, health, nutritional and psychological needs”.
Aboriginal Head Start (AHS) in Urban and Northern Communities
This website outlines the Health Canada-funded early childhood development program
for First Nations, Inuit and Métis children and their families. The primary goal of the initiative is to demonstrate that locally controlled and designed early intervention strategies can provide Aboriginal children with a positive sense of themselves, a desire for learning, and opportunities to develop fully as successful young people.
Assembly of First Nations
The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) is the national representative organization of the First Nations in Canada. The AFN exists to promote the "restoration and enhancement" of this relationship and to ensure that it is mutually beneficial to the First Nations people. The Assembly of First Nations is a national aboriginal lobby organization.
BC Aboriginal Child Care Society
The BC Aboriginal Child Care Society is a non-profit provincial organization serving Aboriginal early childhood programs throughout BC. It seeks to help Aboriginal communities develop high quality, integrated, community child care services that are based in the children’s culture, language and history.
Congress of Aboriginal Peoples
This major national organization represents off-reserve First Nations and Métis
people living in urban, rural and remote areas throughout Canada. Website offers information, resources, links and articles about and for Aboriginal Canadians living off reserve.
Early Childhood Development Intercultural Partnerships
University of Victoria website devoted to the health and development of children of indigenous populations in Canada and internationally.
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
ITK has represented the interests of the Inuit of Canada at the national level since its
incorporation in 1972. Working primarily as an advocacy organization, ITK has been
actively involved in a wide range of issues some of which have proven to be of critical importance in enabling Inuit to pursue their aspirations and take control of their destinies.
Métis National Council
The MNC represents the Métis Nation nationally and internationally. The MNC's central
goal is to secure a healthy space for the Métis Nation's on-going existence within the
Canadian federation.
Native Women’s Association of Canada
NWAC seeks to “improve the economic, cultural and political well-being of Aboriginal
women in Canada”. The site was developed to provide a “valuable tool in the fight to advocate, educate and promote gender issues”. Includes links to programs, resources and news.
Pauktuutit
Pauktuutit is the national non-profit association representing all Inuit women in Canada.
Its mandate is to foster a greater awareness of the needs of Inuit women, and to
encourage their participation in community, regional and national concerns in relation to
social, cultural and economic development.
|
