Quality childcare is about more than making sure the kids are kept busy while parents are at work
Nelson Daily News
April 16, 2008
By: Hannah Wright

Having children is supposed to be one of the great joys in life right?

We all know it's not going to be smooth sailing, but when the maternity leave is spent and it's time to go back to work, the last thing parents want is a dilemma.

However in the West Kootenay, as the current situation stands, you can pretty much guarantee facing a big fat problem.

It's the opinion of many experts and frontline parents and workers in our community that the B.C. childcare system is in crisis.

Research has shown that there is a distinct lack of spaces available for children whose parents need childcare, this problem being most evident in the infant and toddler stages.

The existence and availability of good quality childcare in a community affects everybody -- whether you're a parent or not; and without it, detrimental effects spread throughout both the social and economical threads of society.

Here in Nelson there are many that are concerned that these affects are already being seen in our community and will have some serious long-term outcomes if nothing is done….

The evidence for the effects that Early Childhood Education has on a child's development has been described by experts as "compelling."

Toni Hoyland, president of the Early Childhood Educators of BC (ECEBC) has called early childhood education "one of the best kept secrets" in terms of the huge benefits it has on a child's development.

The work of well known national childcare advocate, Dr. Fraser Mustard and others have demonstrated that in a scientific sense, there is a very strong correlation between a focus on early childhood development and brain development.

"I heard a wonderful quote at a conference recently that said the scientific evidence on early childhood development is now every bit as compelling as the scientific evidence on climate change," said Regional Coordinator for early years' initiatives, Kim Adamson.

Although many people think that a child's education starts from Kindergarten age, actually the most significant period of time for a child's learning and development is proven to be the first five to six years - leading up to entrance into Kindergarten.

It is during these years that a child will develop the social and emotional skills to be successful both at school and later on in life.

PLAY NICE...

Interaction in the early years of a child's life is key. Without it, some much needed life skills and behavioural lessons are lost.

"Childcare is going to provide an opportunity for children to interact with other children, to learn within an appropriate environment geared to their age in a very play based way which is quite different form school. They, in a very hands-on exploratory fashion, construct their own understanding of the world and through that process, all aspects of their development are progressing," said Hoyland.

Hence why having available, quality childcare spaces is so important to the rest of a child's life.

"Interaction with other kids teaches a child how to play nice in the sand box," said Nelson psychologist and childcare advocate Todd Kettner.

"It also teaches them how to deal with conflict, and provides them with an acceptance of diversity as well," he said.

As director of Care to Learn Children's Centre in Nelson, Michelle Cushway says everyday she sees the effects that integration has on young children.

"Children need to be able to learn to be part of a group within society and that's one of the most important things - if they can be successful in carrying that out, then when they enter school they've got all the building blocks of social responsibility and awareness" she said.

"Often when we take on young children that haven't had any integration with other children yet, it does take time for them to settle into the program and to follow directions and to learn to be part of the group, so I can defiantly see the advantages," she said.

Some reports have suggested that quality childcare results in huge long term benefits for both the life of the child and the society that child will contribute to.

Evidence suggests quality early childhood education results in a lower school drop-out rate, higher success in school, and increased chance of a higher paying job after education.

KEY TO HEALTH

According to area Medical Health Officer Nelson Ames, quality early childhood education is also key to a child's physical health later on in life.

"As well as the obvious neurological developments that are effected by a child's exposure to quality early childhood education, their resistance and resiliency to a number of chronic diseases including diabetes and heart disease and so on are much reduced if you have a healthy early start," said Ames.

"So in a world where a lot of parents are working, or at least working part time - having a place where their children can be not just child minded and babysat but actually stimulated in these important areas of development, is the key issue," he said.

A report completed in 2006 by the Canadian Centre for Knowledge Mobilisation on the impact of child care on children's development, showed that quality childcare is directly related to development, in particular language, and cognitive development.

In addition, according to the report, children develop best in publicly-funded centres due to a higher level of monitoring and professional standards, as opposed to home-based daycares.

Some experts have suggested however that whether child care takes place in a home-based day care or a public group centre, the positive influences on development still occur.

"Whether it's at home with a biological parent, or whether it's in home care with a friend or private setting, or public childcare - just having that good quality ongoing connection between kids and a consistent caregiver, and the stimulation of the quality activities that are provided, and the stimulation of interactions is just invaluable," said Kettner.

"The information out there right now is that the development that is going on in the early years is going to impact each child for the rest of their lives because the connections in the brain are developing - they learn the social skills that are so important in school and on into work," said Hoyland.

BRIDGING THE GAP...

Experts and advocates agree that with all this evidence for the benefits of early childhood education, policy makers need to apply this knowledge in order to bridge the gap between what we know and what we do.

"There's so much research now, but we haven't been able to sway the policy makers to take action on early childhood development and childcare," said Adamson.

Others are worried too many children are being left in the wrong environment at a young age leading to stunted or incomplete development.

"We really need to influence folks to understand that this period of development is probably more important, if not as important as any time a child sends in school - it shouldn't just be left to chance or whoever happens to want to open up a childminding service," said Ames.

… As well as all the benefits discussed and proposed as a result of early childhood education, Kettner believes there is one big reason why policy makers and parents should get on board with priorities early childhood education.

"I think part of this childcare equation gets lost in the mix - we talk about the economic benefits, we talk about the academic benefits, we talk about the psychological and neurological benefits and those are all true, but also I think there is a philosophical or moral benefit in that we should give our kids the highest quality early childhood education simply because its right," said Kettner….