ELCC legislative complexities for on reserve early childhood programs and First Nations children
CHILD, YOUTH, AND FAMILY HEALTH Across Canada, provinces and territories (P/T) regulate minimum standards for early learning and child care (ELCC) programs.
How ELCC programs on First Nations reserves are regulated depends on provincial and territorial ELCC legislation
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Programs that meet these standards are typically eligible for licensing and funding by the P/T.
12 P/T
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* 12 P/T are included, as this study does not include Nunavut.
12 P/T
regulate on-reserve ELCC programs directly under their legislation *
regulate on-reserve ELCC programs through a special agreement in their legislation
12 P/T
regulate onreserve ELCC programs through arrangements made outside of their legislation
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does not regulate on‑reserve programs
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12 P/T
Different approaches by P/T to regulate on-reserve ELCC programs for First Nations children means program standards and licensing and funding opportunities may be inconsistent across the country.
2 of 12 P/T regulate and fund both early learning and child care programs in their ELCC legislation
P/T share similarities in how they regulate common quality components of ELCC programs
12 of 12 P/T
12 of 12 P/T
require staff‑child ratios of at least 1:10 for school‑aged children
require food and beverages at ELCC programs
11 of 12 P/T
8 of 12 P/T
require staff-child ratios of 1:3 or 1:4 when caring for infants
regulate staff qualifications using leveling schemes based on education and experience
The consistencies in how these program components are regulated in ELCC legislation suggests that strengths and gaps in these areas are likely to be consistent across the country.
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Distinctions between early learning and child care programs matter in P/T ELCC legislation. Early learning programs tend to focus on children’s wholistic development and involve their families. Child care programs focus on child supervision, outside the presence of parents.
The remaining P/T regulate child care programs, only. Early learning programs in these P/T will instead borrow from ELCC legislation to standardize their practice.
Feasting at ELCC programs contributes to quality programming and may be linked to food requirements. Meanwhile, ELCC staff shortages may be linked to the rigidity of staff qualification requirements.