Learning from International Contacts
Part of our blog assignment for my current course at Walden University involves making professional contacts with early childhood professionals outside of the United States in order to assist with connecting and understanding issues in this field in different parts of the world. I have been very fortunate to establish contact with Mr. Don Giesbrecht, CEO of the Canadian Child Care Federation (CCCF). Mr. Giesbrecht is involved with finances, strategic planning and focus, government and media relations, member/affiliate organization relations, social media, technology, board development and recruitment, Human Resources, Resource management, and National Partner relationships in his role as CEO of the CCCF (D. Giesbrecht, personal communication, July 7, 2014).
Through our correspondence, Mr. Giesbrecht reinforced that high-quality early childhood care and education are key elements to positively impacting children’s poverty. He points out that while family members work or go to school, leaving their children in safe, high-quality and caring environments gives children experiences that promote positive development. Mr. Giesbrecht passionately states that this access to high quality care and education is foundational in providing supports for eliminating child poverty. Mr. Giesbrecht informed me that although the CCCF has been involved in projects specifically focused on child poverty in the past, they are not currently involved in any projects of this nature. The unfortunate reason for CCCF’s current situation with poverty projects is a lack of funding. However, through joint efforts, the CCCF is interconnected with several anti-poverty groups. Mr. Giesbrecht directed me to their website as a possible way of finding these connections or previous projects by the CCCF directed at child poverty (D. Giesbrecht, personal communication, July 15, 2014).
Linked from the CCCF’s website at http://www.cccf-fcsge.ca/, I was able to connect to the Let’s Rethink Child Care Website at http://rethinkchildcare.ca/learn/. This website reinforces Mr. Giesbrecht’s expression of the need for high quality care for struggling Canadian families. According to Let’s Rethink Child Care, many Canadian families are currently on long waiting lists in an attempt to find quality care that promotes a healthy development for their children. Care is extremely expensive and often puts pressures on an already tight family budget. However, putting their children in childcare is a necessity if parents are to work or go to school to enhance their skills for better employment opportunities. Let’s Rethink Child Care believes that high quality programs are necessary in order to support and provide the much need resources required by many struggling families.
Let’s Rethink Child Care is critical towards the federal government’s cancellation of the early learning and childcare agreement. In 2006, instead of funding the program, Stephen Harper’s government cancelled this agreement and began distributing $100 per child directly to families on a monthly basis (Ballentyne, 2008). Let’s Rethink Child Care believes that this funding is such a little amount that it has little benefit to families. They continue to advocate for an increased investment in early learning and childcare as a means to reducing poverty and increasing employment for Canadian families.
As we began researching and studying the reality of poverty in our communities this week, I was unsure of what I could do to assist families. After receiving feedback from Mr. Giesbrecht and reflecting on his comments and the initiatives of Let’s Rethink Child Care, I have come to realize that I am already a part of creating change for families. My early learning community of educators is passionate about providing a safe, caring, family-oriented, strength-based approach, high-quality environment for children every day. This week’s study has created an awareness for me on the impact that these environments have on not just children, but their families and their futures as well.
Resources
Ballentyne, M. (2008). Harper and child care. Retrieved from
Canadian Child Care Federation. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.cccf-fcsge.ca/
Rethink Child Care. (n.d.). Learn the issues. Retrieved from http://rethinkchildcare.ca/learn/
Early Childhood Studies 
Hi Sandra, I was also not sure of what I could do to help children and families in poverty before I read your post. I am so touch about what you said, “I have come to realize that I am already a part of creating change for families. My early learning community of educators is passionate about providing a safe, caring, family-oriented, strength-based approach, high-quality environment for children every day.” This makes me more passionated about and responsible for becoming an early childcare professional to help children and their families. Thank you for sharing the resources about the CCCF and Let’s Rethink Child Care.
Excellent post Sandra! Its looks like you make a great connection for this assignment; as I am sure you will learn a lot from Mr.Giesbrecht. I was floored when I read that the government cut childcare subsidies for families to just $100.00! Such funding cuts communicates that the Canadian government doesn’t appreciate and or understand the value of investing in quality early childhood care. The impact of such investments have been recorded for a number of years by multiple sectors including, economists and business owners. I am hopeful along with you that the, Let’s Rethink Childcare campaign will be successful in getting this most critical funding reinstated to help support Canadian families and their children’s positive growth and development.
Sandra,
You contact has given you such a lot of valuable information and provided lots of interesting details. I was surprised that there are long waiting lists for quality child care and can imagine how this can affect securing jobs for parents. The subsidy of just $100.00 would not even cover a week of child care costs and speaks volumes about government priorities and how they value early childhood. Policy affects practice in such a huge way and it is so critical to campaign for the rights of children and their families.
Congratulations on snagging such a great contact!
Carol
Sandra, great post and lots of valuable information. I too believe that high quality programs are necessary. I enjoyed learning so much from your post. Good contact. Diana
What a great post, Sandra. I am glad to know that you have had success at contact with an international early childcare professional. It is so true that in order for a parent to be successful on the job, that they are confident about the care for their child. I had not thought about the fact that it is important for the adults’ productivity as well as the children’s development. Thanks for sharing!
Bonnie
It is so ironic that some work dealing with the issue of poverty is not able to be accomplished because of a lack of funding. I think that is the root of what has to change. As a society we need to realize that to help others out of poverty we need to invest in them and that the benefits will turn out greater benefits for all.