Topic One: The importance of Ensuring Quality in ELC

Research has strongly identified the correlation between positive outcomes for young children and the quality of the Early Learning and Care program they attend. It has also been clear that poor quality programs can have a negative influence on young children’s growth, health and learning outcomes. (Doherty, 2000)

This research provides clear evidence that the early years are critical in maximizing the potential of young children as the overall development and learning that occurs during this time will influence what is possible across the lifespan. It is important that Early Learning and Care programs recognize what is at stake for the young children attending their programs and also how to ensure that the elements of quality are evaluated and supported.

Your article “A literature review evaluating early childhood programs”, by Kopf-Johnson and Ferris, identifies the negative impacts of poor quality ELC centres as, “children having more behavioural problems, poorer social skills, decreased independence and poorer academic performance than their peers in elementary school” (p. 1).

ELC Programs identified as high quality created positive outcomes in young children including: “higher levels of language development than their peers, demonstrated greater social competency, were better able to regulate their own behaviour and performed better in all school subjects. (Doherty, G & Derkowski, 1995)

Kopf-Johnson and Ferris describe the Multilateral Framework on Early Learning and Child Care that was initiated by the Canadian federal  liberal government in 2003 to “promote quality in early learning programs” (p.1). This worthy goal has not been realized as the Harper conservative government which came into power in 2006, has not expanded Canadian families’ access to quality ELC programs.

 In 2008, an international report card completed for UNICEF by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) ranked Canada at the bottom of the list of 25 industrialized market economy countries. This report card identifies the countries’ track record in meeting a collection of minimum standards and benchmarks that were developed to protect the rights of the youngest children. You can access this entire report.

Countries that spend at least 1% of the gross national product (GDP) are at the top of the list but Harper’s government has consistently spent .3% and much of that goes to Quebec leaving very little tangible support to the rest of Canada. As a result the OECD report found that Canada had a patchwork of ELC programs with varying quality and little assurance for families and children.

Despite the fact that as a field ELC is underfunded and there is a lack of cohesive supports at the local, provincial and federal levels, within the field, there is a will and passion to create positive, quality environments for young children.

Research completed on quality in Early Learning and Care both in Canada and internationally have identified specific indicators that were present in programs with positive outcomes for children. These indicators include:

• Physical setting that protects children’s health and safety
• Staff with two or more years of training in early childhood education
• A centre director who has formal training in early childhood education and in administration
• Higher remuneration (leads to less turn over and more stability)
• Staff with high moral and high job satisfaction
• In-service education related to child development and child care
• A group size that does not overwhelm the children (varies with the ages of the children)
• A responsible adult/child ratio that allows the educator to provide individual attention to the children

Adapted from Doherty, G. (2000) Issues on Canadian Child Care: What does the research tell us?

I am always amazed and inspired by the passion and energy within the field of ELC to recognize the need to create excellent, quality programs and to find ways to improve our practice and our programs despite low wages and very few tangible benefits. There are many rewards and benefits at the heart level as we see young children blossoming in our care and it is important to hold on to this and at the same time to continue to advocate for more sustainable support for a system of early learning and care that would support children, families, communities and indeed the country to remain strong into the future.

Now that we are clear about why we must work towards quality programs we will turn our focus to the ‘how’. There are a variety of approaches to striving for quality and we will look at these in topic two of Module Thirteen.