2024 First Nations Leadership Forum on Early Learning and Child Care
Overview
WHO
Hosted by BCACCS, with support from First Nations Leadership Council Co-Chairs Cheryl Casimer (?aq‡smaknik pi¢ak pa‡kiy) and Warner Adams.
239 Attendees | 105 First Nations Represented
First Nations represented includes:
- 18 First Nations Chiefs (including National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak)
- 48 First Nations Councillors
- 66 First Nations Band Administrators
- 107 FNELCC Technical Leads & Sector Representatives
WHY
The forum was designed to create space that would support delegates in three common objectives:
- explore critical questions, needs, and strategic priorities related to jurisdiction in First Nations ELCC;
- identify and confirm the resources, tools, and processes needed by First Nations leadership;
- learn more about upcoming funding opportunities available under the IELCC Transformation Initiative.
HOW & WHAT
The two-day forum included a range of scheduled activities, including:
- Information sharing and presentations, reflective questions and dialogue tables.
- Accountability and discussion of funding and systems-building work.
- Relationship building and networking.
WHEN & WHERE
May 16 and 17, 2024
Traditional territories of the Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ilwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh)
Hyatt Regency Vancouver, 655 Burrard Street
Backgrounder
In 2018, the BC Aboriginal Child Care Society (BCACCS) was mandated by the First Nations Leadership Council (Union of BC Indian Chiefs, First Nations Summit, and BC Assembly of First Nations) to be the regional coordinating structure for the implementation of the National First Nations Early Learning and Child Care Policy Framework in BC. Co-developed by the Assembly of First Nations and the government of Canada, the Framework is part of a 10-year, $1.1-billion investment by Canada to build and expand Early Learning and Child Care programs, supports, and services that are inclusive and accessible to all First Nations’ children (birth to age 6) and their families.
To begin the work, a First Nation Leadership Forum for Early Learning and Child Care was held in 2018. In this forum, Nations provided direction for the work and shared what was crucial to create a First Nations Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) system that holds the values, beliefs, and ways of First Nations communities.
In advance of the 2024 Leadership Forum on Early Learning and Child Care, BCACCS shared with participants the Forum Backgrounder, the First Nations ELCC Framework, the First Nation ELCC Framework Implementation in BC, and the ELCC Quality Statement documents. These documents are available for a review here, along with the Forum report.
