COUNCIL FOR EARLY CHILD DEVELOPMENT Collaboration in Support of Early Child Development.

COUNCIL FOR EARLY CHILD DEVELOPMENT

Collaboration in Support of Early Child

Development

ECD The Powerful Equalizer

If we can:Improve health & well-being of populations

Improve ability & competence of populations

COUNCIL FOR EARLY CHILD DEVELOPMENT

Why is Early Child Development Important?

Building the brain

Neurons are the basic basic building blocksbuilding blocks of the

brain.

Synaptic Density

At birth 6 Years Old 14 Years Old

Neuron connections

‘Sensitive periods’ in early brain development

Binocular vision

0 1 2 3 7654

High

Low

Years

Habitual ways of respondingLanguageEmotional

controlSymbolPeer social skills

Relative quantity

Central auditory system

What Matters

Everything.Children need nurturance and stimulation across all

environments.Children develop everywhere. So

everywhere needs to support development.

OECD Report, 2004

Source: Starting Strong ll: Early Childhood Education and Care; September 2006

How are children doing?

“…What gets measured improves and what gets measured gets attention…”

— Charles S. Coffey

¼ of Canada’s children between birth to age 6 are experiencing some learning or behavioural difficulty.

EDI characteristics

• completed by kindergarten teachers based on several months of observation

• population level measure—results can be interpreted for groups of children.

• results used by communities to mobilize for improved child outcomes

5 scales of the EDI

1. Physical health and well-being2. Social competence3. Emotional maturity4. Language and cognitive

development5. Communication skills & general

knowledge

Percentage of Students Vulnerable on One or More scales of the EDI Based on Provincial cutoffs, Wave 1

Percentage of Students Vulnerable on One or More Scales of the EDI Based on Provincial cutoffs, Wave 2

Proportion of Students Vulnerable on One or More Scales of the EDI Based on Provincial cutoffs, Wave 2

Vulnerability

Because of the size of the middle class, the largest number (rather than the highest %) of children with serious difficulties are in moderate income families.

Socioeconomic status

Where families fit on the economic ladder contributes to children’s

developmental outcomes.

But income is not the whole story.

Many children in low-income families are doing just fine, and some children living in

affluence are not doing well.

From Chaos to Coherence

The evidence is compelling

Well-funded, integrated, child development and parenting

programs

improve

the cognitive & social functioning

of all children.

Child CareKindergartens

Community Agencies

Parenting centres

Local school

authorities

Public health

Child Care

Community

services

Parks & recreati

on

Early intervent

ionHealth Social

servicesEducatio

n

Family support

Chaos

Getting from Chaos to Coherence

• Starting new programs easier than joining up existing ones.

• Hardening of the categories, in governments and in communities.

• Top-down AND bottom-up essential. • Change through pressure and support. • Partnerships and creativity are

essential

What is a neighbourhood centre for early child development?

• A place or collection of places…..• in a neighbourhood….• where all children can get the

supports they need to develop their minds, their bodies and their spirits.

• An integration of child care, early child development and family strengthening programs.

• They integrate the direct provision of at least two services, but provide seamless access to the entire web of services for young children in a community.

From the Centre Outwards

There is no “one size fits all”

• They look different from one neighbourhood to the next.

• Service mix, infrastructure and location will reflect the character and needs of the community.

• A community development component provides a mechanism for service design to be responsive to local need.

Build on community strengths

• They make use of available space. They can be located in community centres, schools, child care centres, public housing, or the local mall.

• They evolve from existing local partnerships.

• They enhance collaborative efforts, not create duplication or competition.

They are accessible

• Provide universal access to services. • The only target is the neighbourhood.• Address local barriers that may limit

the accessibility of services …. affordability, lack of transportation, hours of operation, language and cultural barriers.

Based on research

• Service mix is based on what is known about the neighbourhood

• Parent voice,• Socio-economic character,• EDI • Existing assets.

COUNCIL FOR EARLY CHILD DEVELOPMENT

UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL

Aesop, 600 BC

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