Activity 3.1 | Provincial Programs
| Site: | RRU Open Educational Resources |
| Course: | Connecting Deeply for an Inclusive ECE Environment |
| Book: | Activity 3.1 | Provincial Programs |
| Printed by: | Guest user |
| Date: | Tuesday, 13 May 2025, 4:52 PM |
Provincial Programs
Children have a right to access childcare programs, and if they need support, they should be able to get the needed support. The Government of BC has launched an Inclusive Child Care Strategy to help childcare programs develop the resources and ability to welcome diverse children and families.
The Provincial toolkit for inclusioncan provide useful information.
Across British Columbia, there continues to be funding for including all children. The funding for supported child development varies; sometimes families must wait to get the funds needed for a support worker.
You have been reflecting on and writing your intentions and goals for inclusion in your journal. Reflecting and resisting your reflections can help articulate and guide your process.
Keeping a list of resources can also be helpful, so when a family or child joins your program who might need either extra help from a support worker or extra funding or information, you will have suggestions. It can also help you find information that will provide ideas for working with a child.
References
Government of British Columbia. (2025). Inclusive child care resources and supports. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/family-social-supports/caring-for-young-children/information-for-partners-providers/inclusive-child-care
Government of British Columbia. (2024). Inclusive child care toolkit: Supporting children of all abilities. Ministry of Education and Child Care. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/family-and-social-supports/child-care/info-partners-prov/inclusive-child-care/inclusive_child_care_toolkit.pdf
Programs and Services
What supportive programs and services are in your community? How might you reach out to them?
There are two such programs on the island in B.C. The Aboriginal Supported Child Development (ASCD) program and the Supported Child Development (SCD) program offer consulting, mentorship, training, resources, funding and consultation.
The ASCD program works to share professional development opportunities to support Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal educators who work alongside Aboriginal families and communities. There is access to professional development funds for training opportunities.
As an example, on Vancouver Island, several resources include the Supported Child Development program (SCD) mentors model in Nanaimo, B.C. which supports child care educators in their own centres. There is also the Victoria-based SCD program that is situated in the Queen Alexandra (QA) Centre for Children’s Health. QA provides services with their therapy team, funding for support workers, training and centre visits. The Child Care Resource and Referral (CCRR) program in Victoria, B.C. is supported by the Ministry of Education and Child Care. Erin Waddel is involved in an inclusion environment project offered to educators working in child care programs. These are some of the many support programs offered to educators, children and families in the child care community.
The SCD program in Nanaimo refers to the Pyramid Model (Leadership Team Welcome Letter for Families (Early Intervention). Familiarize yourself with the pyramid model.
Silvey (2023) states ECE programs are working hard to be inclusive to all children and families in their care. It is an ongoing challenge to balance all the roles ECEs need to meet with all the needs in their profession. Educators are striving to work alongside their support to create seamless integrative care. What started as an evening professional development opportunity grew into a much needed coaching model. Soon the SCD consultants started to train educators in their programs. They create goals collaboratively which are then put into practice. Educators are in need of effective strategies that they can implement in their program with children.
- How might you begin to critique your program and begin to explore some of the tools together as a team?
- Which programs may you seek out in your community?
- Are there such SCE programs in your community?
- How might you advocate for a program in your area?
- Is there a Child Care and Resource and Referral in your area?
- What type of programs are available to child care centres?
Reference
Aboriginal Supported Child Development. (2025). Aboriginal Supported Child Development mandate. Province of British Columbia. https://www.ascdp.bc.ca
National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations. (2024, October). Leadership team welcome letter for families (early intervention). https://challengingbehavior.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/welcome_letter_ei_leadership_team.pdf
Silvey, K. (2023). Positive
Behavioral Supports Mentor Model in Nanaimo: Supporting ECEs through
Training, Coaching, and Mentoring. Journal of Early Childhood Educators of British Columbia (ECEBC), 38 (3), 11-13.
Reflection
After developing a list of resources for children and families, consider:
- Do you have a contact for someone in that program?
- How is that program available on a local basis in your community? What is the contact?
- What is one idea that you would like to imagine in your child care centre?
Set at least one goal for you and your program.