Richmond Early Child Development Community Framework

Richmond Early Child Development Community Framework

Developed by Richmond Children First to help guide public (government) organizations, community agencies and groups as they work together to make Richmond a city where all children are healthy, safe and thriving.

Helen Davidson Richmond Children First 2013

Table of Contents Introduction Purpose What is a Framework?

3 3 4

Asset-Based Community Capacity Building

5

Vision, Mission and Guiding Principles

6

Components of the Richmond ECD Community Framework

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Community Collaboration and Action Community Early Childhood Networks Child and Family Friendly Environments Child, Family and Community Connectedness

8 9 10 10

Programs and Services Healthy Pregnancies, Children and Families Parent and Family Support Early Care and Learning Recreation and Culture Early Intervention and Supports

11 11 12 13 13 14

Appendix 1: BC ECD Evaluation Project

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Appendix 2: Literature Review

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Appendix 3: References and Resources

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Acknowledgements

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With funding support from:

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INTRODUCTION One of the goals of Richmond Children First is to build on strengths in the community that enhance opportunities for children and families. In 2009, Richmond Children First began a process to develop an early childhood community framework that would support the capacity of public and community organizations to work together. The Richmond Early Child Development (ECD) Community Framework, developed by Richmond Children First, guides public (government) organizations, community agencies and groups as they work together to make Richmond a city where all children are healthy, safe and thriving. This framework is grounded in research that highlights the life-long importance of early childhood development.

Purpose Develop an early child development framework for Richmond that will: 

Provide a base from which community measures and indicators that support the well being of children can be developed

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Provide a common language to professionals in the community and outline ways in which they can work together

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Inspire organizations and community and provide actionable items

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Provide an opportunity to complement and link to other existing and emerging frameworks

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Strengthen the connections that can lead to collaborative practice and integration of services

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Hold each other accountable

Steps to building a Community ECD Outcomes Framework:      

Research existing ECD and community outcomes frameworks Review results of ECD Community Capacity Building Evaluation to inform outcomes framework Develop community outcomes framework in consultation with public and community organizations Community consultation process Learning Forum: Using the framework at a community level Implementation of framework

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Richmond Children First Richmond Children First brings together people and organizations who share a common vision and collective responsibility for the health and well being of all Richmond children. Funded by the Ministry for Children and Family Development and United Way of the Lower Mainland, the community initiative works to strengthen the capacity of the community to understand the needs of children and families and to foster innovative strategies that best support children.

What is a Community Framework? Drawing on research and expertise, this framework is an acknowledgement by community partners of the need for a coordinated approach to strengthen the systems that support young children and families. It is offered as a tool and is representative of ongoing partnership work towards a shared vision. This ECD Community Framework helps identify all the components of an inclusive ECD continuum that are required to support young children and their families. The framework provides an understanding programs and services; offers organizations and groups in the community a tool to use as they work together on behalf of Richmond children and families; and, the framework represents our commitment to improving outcomes for children.

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ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY CAPACITY BUILDING This framework is intended to take an asset-based approach to building community capacity to meet the needs of Richmond children and families. In this context, asset-building is defined as “the interaction of human capital, organizational resources, and social capital existing within a given community that can be leveraged to solve collective problems and improve or maintain the well-being of that community”. Asset-building focuses on building the ability of individuals, organizations, and networks to support the capacity of all children within the community to accumulate developmental assets in multiple contexts and across time.

Cultivating Community Readiness, Energy and Commitment A strong focus is on stimulating community passion, commitment, and capacity - to not only strengthen formal prevention programs but also to unite the whole community in supporting and contributing to the healthy development of all children. Components of creating this sustained commitment include: 

A shared vision that spans sectors, systems, policies, and leaders across political, ideological, religious, economic, and/or ethnic differences.

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Common purpose and commitment that allow for collaboration and synergy organizations and initiatives in the community.

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Collective efficacy in which people, organizations, and networks recognize and act upon their shared strengths and capacities to work together for common goals.

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Public will for adequate and sustainable investments in children’s lives and the policies, programs, and practices that support their healthy development.

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Social trust that comes from being in relationship with others and recognizing commonalities and mutual respect, even in the midst of ideological, cultural, or economic differences.

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Personal efficacy in which children, parents, neighbours, and nonparents recognize their own capacity and power to contribute to children’s healthy development and community life.

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Cultural identity through which individuals and groups, influenced through their belonging to a culture or group, provide cultural lenses that allow for understanding and shared direction.

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VISION, MISSION and GUIDING PRINCIPLES This framework incorporates the Vision, Mission and Guiding Principles of the Vancouver Coastal Early Years Framework:

Vision All children (in the region) thrive within an accessible, integrated, culturally responsive system.

Mission Richmond partners work together to enhance the well-being of all children.

Guiding Principles Participation and Decision Making   

Shared decision making In partnership with families and communities Capacity building, in learning environments

Strategic Vision    

Collaborative Child focused, family centred, community based Respectful of and responsive to diverse cultures and needs Building on strengths; working towards sustainability

Performance   

Coordinated Effective Efficient

Accountability  

Evidence-based Evaluated

Equity Systems that:    

Consider the factors that affect the health, well-being and development of young children and families; a population health approach Advocate for placing a child lens on policy decisions in all sectors Promote the delivery of culturally enriched services by Aboriginal agencies Provide an accessible spectrum of targeted and universal supports

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COMPONENTS OF THE RICHMOND ECD COMMUNITY FRAMEWORK A variety of outcomes can be pursued with the framework. Community partners are encouraged to identify, pursue and report on the outcomes that are meaningful to them. There are two streams of interconnected activity within the framework – 1. Initiatives to promote community collaboration and action 2. Programs and services

Richmond, a child friendly community where children thrive

Community Collaboration and Action

Programs and Services

Community Early Childhood Networks

Healthy Pregnancy, Children and Parents

Child and Family Community Connectedness

Parent and Caregiver Support

Child and Family Friendly Environments

Early Care and Learning

Recreation and Culture

Early Intervention Supports

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Community Collaboration and Action We are increasingly faced with complex issues requiring complex solutions. Issues can be difficult to frame, have interdependent cause-and-effect relationships, involve multiple and diverse stakeholders and, are constantly evolving. Strong and durable relationships between public sectors, social service organizations and community groups are necessary for effective action. Solutions can only be generated by working together to identify problems, share resources and evaluate outcomes. Intersectoral action requires synergy, coordination, sharing, participatory approaches, time, and long-term commitment to a shared vision.1 There is a general understanding that collaborative efforts will improve outcomes for children and families. Locally, the Human Early Learning Partnership at the University of British Columbia has been examining the factors that contribute to improved child outcomes. Their research shows that strong inter-sectoral collaboration strengthens, enhances and accelerates the momentum of ECD community coalition work as does the presence of leadership champions across all sectors and levels within the community.2

Decision Making/Funding

Community-Wide Initiatives

Collaborative Pracitioners

Examples:

Examples:

Examples:

- Richmond Public Agency Partners Group - Asset-Based Philosophy - Richmond Community Wellness Strategy

- Richmond Children's Charter - Helping Kids Succeed RichmondStyle - Profile of Children in Richmond - Growing Together Child Development Guide - Richmond City Centre Early Child Development Report

- Supporting Families with Parental Mental Illness - Richmond Early Intervention Network - Richmond Child Care Education Committee - Richmond Perinatal Advisory Council

A Shared Commitment to Children and Families in Richmond

1

10 Promising Practices to Guide Local Public Health Practice to Reduce Social Inequities in Health. Sudbury & District Health Unit (2011). 2

Hertzman, Dr. Clyde. Fall Research Expo, 2012.

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The diagram on the previous page shows how Richmond ECD community collaborations flow from decision-making/funders, through to community-wide initiatives, and extend to collaborative practitioners.

Community Early Childhood Networks Working together to create a community where children thrive Short Term Outcomes: 

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Increase in knowledge of best practices & evidence based research Increase in awareness of collaborative practices

Intermediate Term Outcomes:       

Increased service integration Improved relationships amongst community partners Increased collaboration Increase in programs/services using evidence based service delivery models Increase in interagency agreements & policies Increase in ECD resources Increase in community awareness of the importance of the early years

Longer Term Outcomes:  

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Improved Community Planning and Coordination Improved Community Awareness and Mobilization Improved Service Delivery

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Child, Family and Community Connectedness Working together to create environments where children and families can live, grow and learn Short Term Outcomes: 

Increased knowledge of how to improve community connectedness

Intermediate Term Outcomes:       

Increase in parent to parent outreach and support Increased connections between children and significant adult anchors Increased strong cultural and spiritual connectedness Increased community participation Improved community spirit Improved cultural identity Increased family, neighbourhood and inter-generational networking

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Improved access to easy and timely information and referrals

Longer Term Outcomes: 

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Families have strong and supportive connections in their community Families engage with one another in neighbourhood activities

Child and Family Friendly Environments Design and organize the community to nurture children and support families Short Term Outcomes:  

Increased knowledge of how to establish child and family friendly environments Increased motivation to devote resources to creating/maintaining child and family-friendly environments

Intermediate Term Outcomes: Increases in:  The number of innovations in outdoor spaces  The number of safe, accessible green spaces  The number of ECD amenities in residential and mixed use developments  The number of affordable, family friendly housing units  Community safety measures  Access to transportation  Opportunities for families to participate in community events


Improved child and family friendly environments

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Programs and Services Children and families require a range of supports and services that directly encourage and promote the healthy development of young children and families from pregnancy through to school entry. These supports and services should be user-friendly and family-centred – a seamless ECD continuum — one that children and families can access and move into, through, and out of as their needs evolve and change.3

Healthy Pregnancies, Children and Families Supporting positive pregnancy, birth and child physical and mental well-being outcomes Short Term Outcomes:  

Increase in knowledge of the needs of parents and young children Increased engagement in initiatives to support healthy pregnancy birth and child health

Intermediate Term Outcomes: Increased access to:  Pre- and post-natal care  Screening and early identification  Health care, including mental health services  Outreach and support for children and families with vulnerabilities  Food and food security  Sanitary living conditions


Mothers are healthy and give birth to healthy children Children experience healthy early child development

First Call: BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition. Early Childhood Development in BC: First Call’s Framework for Action. Revised 2008. 3

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Family and Caregiver Support Strengthening families through universal and targeted programs Short Term Outcomes:  

Increased knowledge of community resources and needs Increased engagement in supporting families

Intermediate Term Outcomes: Increase in:  Services and supports to develop skills, knowledge, confidence and resiliency  Positive, interactive, culturally relevant parenting styles  Easy and timely access to information and referrals  Support for immigrant families to develop bi-cultural parenting models  Healthy child-parent relationships  Support for grandparents, extended families, foster families and others who caregive their children

Longer Term Outcomes:   

Parents and families have the knowledge, resources and support they need to nurture and support their children Children thrive in strong, supported families Children have relationships with adults that promote bonding and attachment

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Early Care and Learning Providing children with developmentally and culturally appropriate, inclusive, play based programs Short Term Outcomes:  

Increased knowledge of community resources and needs Increased engagement in involving young children and families in early learning

Intermediate Term Outcomes: Improvements in:  A comprehensive range of affordable full-time, part-time and flexible early learning and care programs  A continuum of early learning opportunities  Optimized children’s development and their readiness for school  Promotion of and support for the development of emergent literacy and language skills  ESL supports for new immigrant and refugee children  Promotion of family literacy  Easy access to books, toys and early learning materials


Children experience optimal early learning and care Children make a successful transition into kindergarten

Recreation and Culture Encouraging involvement of young children and families in community recreation and culture and in unstructured play Short Term Outcomes:  

Increased knowledge of community resources and needs Increased engagement in involving young children and families in healthy lifestyles

Intermediate Term Outcomes:   

Increase in parent and child interactive play opportunities Increase in family-friendly and affordable community recreation opportunities Increased access to music, art, drama and other cultural activities


Increase in active lifestyles Safe, appropriate, accessible environments support the development of children

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Early Intervention and Supports Providing a range of targeted and clinical supports and therapies for all children, with specialized services for children needing additional supports Short Term Outcomes:  

Increased knowledge of community resources and needs Increased engagement in working together to provide a continuum of services

Intermediate Term Outcomes:     

Improved family development services Increase in assessment and services for children with special needs Increased support for children who have experienced violence and trauma Increase in outreach and access strategies for families with multiple barriers Increase in availability of screening services prior to preschool entry


Comprehensive family-centred support systems for children needing additional support and their families

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Appendix 1 BC ECD COMMUNITY CAPACITY BUILDING EVALUATION PROJECT The Richmond ECD Community Framework has incorporated information from a variety of regional and provincial ECD reports and frameworks. Of particular note are the outcomes that were developed as part of the BC - ECD Community Capacity Building Evaluation Project4. This project is a collaborative effort between BC funders and communities to create integrated evaluation and reporting systems for community initiatives supporting healthy early childhood development. The evaluation focuses on three outcomes:  Improved Community Driven Planning and Coordination  Improved Local Awareness and Mobilization  Improved Service Delivery Data is collected from community stakeholders and tabulated at a community and provincial level. Richmond Children First uses this evaluation tool to measure progress and better understand how young children and families are supported. Results of the evaluation are used to identify local successes and challenges, and to develop community action strategies.

4

BC ECD Evaluation Project

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Appendix 2 LITERATURE REVIEW Early Childhood Development Frameworks Lower Mainland Ministry of Children and Family Development, Vancouver Coastal Health, and United Way of the Lower Mainland Success by 6. Vancouver Coastal Region Early Years Report (2010) http://vancouver-coastal-early-yearsframework.org/EY_Annual_Report_2010_V3.0_Smallest_File_%20Size.pdf Ministry of Children and Family Development, Vancouver Coastal Health, and United Way of the Lower Mainland Success by 6. Vancouver Coastal Region Early Years Framework (2009) http://www.vancouver-coastal-early-yearsframework.org/files/VC_%20Early_Years_Framework_2009_Final.pdf Fraser Health and Ministry for Children and Family Development (Fraser Region). Making a Commitment to Early Childhood Development: The Fraser Region Strategic Framework (July 2006). http://www.llbc.leg.bc.ca/public/PubDocs/bcdocs/457047/FrameworkBookWeb2937.pdf

British Columbia First Call: BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition. Early Childhood Development in BC: First Call’s Framework for Action. (Revised, 2008). http://www.firstcallbc.org/pdfs/EarlyChildhood/1-framework%202008.pdf Success by 6 BC. Success by 6 Vision for Early Childhood Supports and Services in BC.

National The Calgary Children’s Initiative. A Framework for Action for Calgary’s Children and Youth (June 2004) Halton Our Kids Network. The Building Blocks: A Model for Positive Child and Youth Development (2007). http://www.ourkidsnetwork.ca/pdf/Bulletin1-2007.pdf North West Territories Culture and Employment. Framework for Action: Early Childhood Development (May 2001). http://www.ece.gov.nt.ca/Publications/PDF%20Publications%20Files/Early%20Childhood/Fram ework%20for%20Action.pdf Toronto Best Start Network. Best Start Plan: Toronto Vision for Children (January 2006). http://www.toronto.ca/children/bs/bsn_vision.pdf

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International Oregon Commission on Children and Families. Early Childhood Matters: Oregon’s Framework for a Statewide Birth-Through-Five Early Childhood System (2007). http://governor.oregon.gov/Gov/pdf/early_childhood_matters.pdf?ga=t Government of the United Kingdom. Every Child Matters Outcomes Framework (2003)

Other Related Early Childhood Development Papers Ministry of Education. British Columbia Early Learning Framework (2008). http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/early_learning/pdfs/early_learning_framework.pdf Ministry of Children and Family Development. Strong, Safe and Supported: A Commitment to BC’s Children and Youth (2008). http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/about_us/pdf/Strong_Safe_Supported.pdf Carol Munro for the BC ECD Funders Group. BC Evaluation Project Report: Can We Agree on Common Child Outcomes for BC? (2006). http://www.successby6bc.ca/sites/default/files/BC%20Evaluation%20Project%20Report%20200 6.pdf United Way of the Lower Mainland. ECD Theory of Change (2008) Ministry of Children and Family Development. Child and Family Support, Assessment, Planning and Practice (CAPP) (2010). http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/about_us/pdf/implementation_plan.pdf Representative for Children and Youth. Growing Up in BC (2010) http://www.rcybc.ca/Images/PDFs/Reports/RCY-GUiBC-web%20Nov%2025.pdf

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Appendix 3 References and Resources Early Childhood Theory of Change. United Way of the Lower Mainland (2008). Early Childhood Matters. State of Oregon. Best Practice Briefs: A Community System of Care for Very Young Children and Their Families. Michigan State University (1999). British Columbia Early Learning Framework. Government of British Columbia. Strong, Safe and Supported: A Commitment to BC`s Children and Youth. Government of BC. A Framework of Action for Calgary’s Children and Youth. Calgary Children`s Initiative (2004). Early Years Framework. Vancouver Coastal Region (2009). Becoming a Collaborative Community: Reflecting on and Transforming Our Work. Jennifer Mullett and Karen Jung (2002). The Building Blocks: A Model for Positive Child and Youth Development. Halton Our Kids Network (2007). Tapping the Power of Community: Building Assets to Strengthen Substance Abuse Prevention. Search Institute (2004). Communities That Care Youth Survey. Seattle Public Schools (2004). Total Environment Assessment Model for Early Childhood Development. Human Early Learning Partnership (2007). 10 Promising Practices to Guide Local Public Health Practice to Reduce Social Inequities in Health. Sudbury & District Health Unit (2011).

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Acknowledgements Richmond Children First ECD Community Framework Action Team Richmond Children First projects are coordinated through Action Teams, made up of staff and volunteers from Richmond organizations that support children and families. The ECD Community Framework Action Team provided leadership and guidance to the project.

ECD Community Framework Action Team Sue Graf Director of Children’s Services, Richmond Society for Community Living Dr. James Lu Medical Health Officer, Vancouver Coastal Health (Richmond) David Phillips Operations Manager/Regional Manager, ECD, Ministry of Children and Family Development Chris Salgado Manager, Community and Family Health, Richmond Public Health Kim Winchell Executive Director, Richmond Family Place

Richmond ECD Community Framework Focus Group In September 2011, Richmond Children First hosted a focus group, facilitated by Sharon Hoyland, to get feedback on development of the framework.

Richmond ECD Community Framework Focus Group Alexis Alblas Cambie Community Centre Ana Ayala Salmonbellies Preschool (Steveston) Nicky Byres Richmond Society for Children’s Centres Kate Dawson Grauer StrongStart Centre Andrea Gates Richmond Public Health, Speech and Language Georgie Hutchison Pacific Post Partum Society

Karen Jensen Richmond Society for Community Living, Supported Child Development Janice Lambert Richmond Family Place Jane Leung Touchstone Family Association (CAP-C) Margaret McColm Bethany Child Care Centre Karen Samson Richmond Public Health, Early Childhood Team Ileana Wong Touchstone Family Association (CAP-C)

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