Understanding the Early Years - Results of the Community Mapping Study on Prince Edward Island - November 2001

Appendix A: The Early Childhood Development Association of PEI

The Early Childhood Development Association of Prince Edward Island (ECDA of PEI) has provided a collective voice for Early Childhood Care and Education professionals in the province for the last twenty-five years. The Early Childhood Development Association of PEI is a non-profit organization, incorporated in 1974. This provincial organization is made up of four smaller organizations, regionally based throughout the province. The Provincial Executive Committee includes the members of each of the regional executive committees.

Goals of the ECDA:

To provide and exchange information with parents, the public and professionals concerning the education and care of young children.
To provide information, facilitate communication and develop professionalism within the membership.
To support the activities of other organizations concerned with young children.

Membership in the ECDA consists of people involved or interested in early childhood development on PEI. They include owners and operators of licensed early childhood facilities, professionals working in related fields, teachers, and parents. The ECDA has a base of approximately 400 members who adhere to the ECDA's mission statement and goals:

Mission Statement:

The Early Childhood Development Association of Prince Edward Island is a provincial non-profit organization committed to promoting physical, emotional, social, cognitive and creative development of young children.

The ECDA promotes the adherence to professional guidelines of early childhood educators and increases their skills through information sharing, workshops, conferences and other educational opportunities. As well, the ECDA is affiliated with the Canadian Child Care Federation (CCCF), connecting ECDA members to current information and research related to the profession from a national perspective.

Historically, the ECDA has had a well established cooperative and collaborative relationship with the Department of Health and Social Services, the Department of Education and the PEI Child Care Facilities Board. Members have worked with the P.E.I. Child Care Facilities Board over the years to develop regulations and policies in order to provide quality child care services for children while their parents contribute to the Island economy through employment, training and community endeavors. This relationship remains strong and active as our provincial government works to promote healthy development for Prince Edward Island's children.

Members of the ECDA were instrumental in:

successfully advocating for the first child care legislation in the province of PEI;
consulting with government on regulations and guidelines to the Child Care Facilities Act;
the community consultation phase in the development of Health Canada's Community Action Program for Children which has resulted in the development of seven family resource centres throughout the province; and
the development of a community based, publicly funded kindergarten system.

The ECDA works in collaboration with other non profit organizations in the province, and has partnered (and continues to partner) in a significant way in a number of multi-sectoral initiatives:

child sexual abuse protocols (partnership with police, Premier's Action Council on Family Violence and others);
family literacy;
children's mental health framework and coalition;
CAPC Family Resource Centres;
Child Find PEI;
PEI Tobacco Reduction Strategy.

In 1999 and 2000, the ECDA had representation on, and chaired the Healthy Child Development Advisory Committee, mandated by the provincial government to develop a comprehensive strategy for healthy child development on PEI. This initiative integrated the work of five government departments and community organizations across the Island, and was presented to government in November 2000. Other members on the Advisory Committee included representatives of the Departments of Health and Social Services, Education, Community and Cultural Affairs, Development, and Attorney General, along with health regions and schools. The ECDA's long term commitment to early childhood activities, leadership in the development of a province wide strategy for children, and history of working with the Provincial Government have had an impact on the healthy development of Island children.

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