Publications
Click here to download a BC ACCS Publications Order Form.
BC Aboriginal Child Care Society Responds to Ministry of Education Draft Early Learning Framework
BC ACCS has written a response address to the Ministry of Education on their recently issued Draft Framework for Early Learning. Please click here to view our response paper.
To view the Ministry of Education Draft Framework for Early Learning, please click here.
Quality Care: It's In Our Hands. BC Aboriginal Child Care Society and NCCAH-UNBC Annual Provincial Training Conference Report
This conference booklet includes highlights and summaries of workshops related to Aboriginal health held at BC ACCS Provincial Training Conference in 2006. Please click here to view the publication.
Steps in the Right Direction: Connecting and Collaborating in Early Intervention Therapy with Aboriginal Families and Communities in BC
New handbook July 2007. This early intervention therapy guide was prepared for BC ACCS by Alison Gerlach, MSc, OT (C). Please click here to view our latest publication.
BC Aboriginal Child Care Society Presents Annual Report 2005/06
Please click here to read the report.
ACCS Publications Before 2006
You will find ACCS resources published Before 2006 below. Please contact us if you wish to obtain hard copies of any of our resources.
CARING FOR
OUR CHILDREN: A RESOURCE & TRAINING KIT FOR ABORIGINAL CHILDREN'S
PROGRAMS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA
This kit has fourteen chapters that
walk through the development of a child care program that is
culturally focused for Aboriginal children, families, and communities.
Many of the chapters also apply to other types of early childhood
programs. Chapters focus on assessing community needs, program
governance, funding, facilities, policies and procedures, programming,
staffing and program evaluation.
The kit has been carefully designed with input
from child care program staff and coordinators, parents, Elders,
band council members, and a licensing officer. The chapters
include sample forms, budgets and job descriptions. Each chapter
also contains a list of useful references and resources.
If you have any questions or concerns as you
read through the kit, please contact a staff member at the
BC Aboriginal Child Care Society. Once you have finished reading
the kit, please take a few minutes to complete the feedback
form. Your feedback will help us improve the next edition
of the kit.
Table of Contents
(11 pages, 270 KB) DOWNLOAD PDF
Introduction (9
pages, 387 KB) DOWNLOAD PDF
Chapter 1: Your Community
(27 pages, 861 KB) DOWNLOAD PDF
This chapter outlines steps for raising
community awareness about early childhood education, finding
out what kind of early childhood services are needed in your
community, and involving community members. Appendices include
a community questionnaire, community capacity assessment checklist
and a list of Aboriginal child care programs in BC.
Chapter
2: Governance (12 pages, 433 KB) DOWNLOAD
PDF
Governance refers to the structure and
organization used to manage a program’s activities.
This chapter provides guidelines for developing a governance
structure for your program (e.g. non-profit society, policy
and parent circles). Appendices include Terms of Reference
for a Parent Advisory Committee and a Daycare Centre Constitution.
Chapter 3: Educational
Philosophy (11 pages, 379 KB) DOWNLOAD
PDFThis
chapter encourages the reader to think about what it means
to offer a quality early childhood program for Aboriginal
children. The chapter also lists the components of an educational
philosophy. Two sample philosophies are included as appendices.
Chapter 4: Funding &
Finance (34 pages, 1.7 MB) DOWNLOAD
PDF
This chapter outlines some basic strategies
and sources for funding an early childhood program. Federal,
provincial and private sources are listed, but these programs
change often. It is a good idea to consult with individual
funders and to seek out new funding opportunities through
local networks. Appendices include provincial grant application
and subsidy information, a sample donation application form
and sample budgets and financial statements.
Chapter 5: Facilities
(39 pages, 2.14 MB) DOWNLOAD PDF
This chapter helps the reader make decisions about the program
facility. It covers site selection, types of buildings and
ways to organize indoor and outdoor space. Appendices include
licensing and child care resource and referral contact lists,
sample floor plans, inspection checklists and a sample supply
list.
Chapter 6: Licensing &
Liability (15 pages, 725 KB) DOWNLOAD
PDF
This chapter describes licensing requirements,
the licensing officer, the law and liability. It also contains
a section on program records and a sample licensing application
form.
Chapter 7: Health & Safety (14
pages, 456 KB) DOWNLOAD PDF
This chapter discusses health and safety
precautions, policies and procedures. A sample list of First
Aid supplies is included in the appendix.
Chapter 8: Program Policies
(32 pages, 1.11 MB) DOWNLOAD PDF
This chapter provides suggestions for developing
operational policies. It includes a list of common policies
and discusses in detail policies for health and safety, children’s
files and consents, filed trips, release of children, abuse,
behavioural guidance, fees and payment and parent communication.
Appendices include a sample registration form, emergency information
card, reportable incident form and attendance forms.
Chapter 9: Child Development
& Culturally Relevant Creative Learning (25 pages,
1.08 MB) DOWNLOAD PDF
This chapter addresses child development
and discusses some ways to incorporate culturally focused
creative learning into an early childhood education program.
Sample daily and weekly plans are included. Appendices include
a sample program and menu planner.
Chapter 10: Family Child
Care Programs (13 pages, 521 KB) DOWNLOAD
PDF
Family Child Care is the most commonly
used form of child care in Canada. Much of the information
in this resource kit applies to both group child care programs
and family child care. This chapter provides specific information
about operating a family child care program. It outlines the
legal requirements and suggests ways to ensure quality in
a home-based program. Appendices include a budget template
and steps to licensing a family child care program.
Chapter 11: Staffing &
Supervision (52 pages, 2.45 MB) DOWNLOAD
PDF
This chapter addresses issues pertaining
to staffing and supervision. It refers to cultural standards
for educators, hiring policies and procedures, staff qualifications,
salaries and benefits, and termination. Appendices include
sample job descriptions, a sample staff evaluation form and
a sample grievance procedure.
Chapter 12: Program Management (8 pages, 261 KB) DOWNLOAD
PDF
This chapter covers some of the basic elements
in program management: accountability, transparency, leadership
and monitoring.
Chapter 13: Program Evaluation
(11 pages, 328 KB) DOWNLOAD
PDF
This chapter outlines the basics of
program evaluation: Why, when, what, who, and how. Evaluation
principles, ethics and sample questions are also discussed.
A sample program evaluation form is included in the appendix.
Chapter 14: Resources
(8 pages, 369 KB) DOWNLOAD
PDF
Where applicable, this list includes addresses,
telephone numbers and web site addresses of government agencies
and early childhood support organizations. A list of resources
available from Westcoast Childcare INFORM is included in the
appendix.
Glossary (4 pages,
121 KB) DOWNLOAD PDF
DEVELOPING CULTURALLY
FOCUSED ABORIGINAL EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAMS: A HANDBOOK
The BC Aboriginal Child Care Society is pleased
to announce our new publication Developing Culturally Focused
Aboriginal Early Childhood Education Programs: A Handbook,
by Darrel McLeod. Production of the handbook was funded by
Human Resources Development Canada. I have enclosed a complementary
copy of the handbook for your organization.
| “Culture is a way of being of a group of people
that is passed on that grows and changes from one generation
to the next. This way of being is all inclusive….
Culture includes a way of seeing the world – a set
of values and beliefs about the world around us and how
we should relate to it.” (2002: 03) |
The 23-page handbook is essential reading or
educators who want to integrate Aboriginal culture into early
childhood programs. The author emphasizes that culture must
be considered in all aspects of a program, including governance,
policies, personnel selection, facility design, and budget
planning. The handbook explains each of these aspects in detail,
using examples of books and songs that educators can use.
| “If a program is to truly be effective in validating,
strengthening, and transmitting the culture of an Aboriginal
group, then there must be a multi-layered and multi-faceted
approach to the cultural aspect of an education program.”(2002:
05) |
Please help us spread the word about this important
resource. If your colleagues, partners, programs, members
and clients would like their own copies, please have them
contact us. The cost for the handbook is $4.00 for members
of the BC Aboriginal Child Care Society and $5.00 for non-members.
Thank you for working with us to enhance culturally
meaningful early childhood programs for Aboriginal children
in BC.
Click here to download a BC ACCS Publications Order Form. |
