Journeys through Early Learning and Childcare: The Experience of Cultural Minority Families

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Journeys through Early Learning and Childcare:
The Experience of Cultural Minority Families
Written by Prime Ilumin (ECN Graduate Research Assistant)
What is the context of the project?
Early childhood experiences play a critical role in shaping
learning and behaviour, and physical and mental health. A
growth-promoting environment (i.e., adequate housing,
nutrition, supportive caregiving, and exposure to appropriate
social and emotional experiences) lays the foundation for
healthy functioning throughout the lifespan. Conversely, an
adverse environment can impede development (Center on the
Developing Child at Harvard University, 2016).
The Journeys project is exploring the needs, aspirations, and
experiences of cultural minority families with young children
birth to 5 years old in community-based early learning and
childcare (ELCC) in Edmonton. Through participation and a
blend of narrative and human-centered design approaches, the
project aims to provide rich information on the lived
experiences of families and to provide a space for them to voice
their hopes and struggles.
Key points
A BLEND OF APPROACHES
GIVES A HOLISTIC VIEW OF
EXPERIENCES OF CULTURAL
MINORITY FAMILIES
CULTURAL MINORITY
FAMILIES HAVE UNIQUE
STORIES AND EXPERIENCES
IN ELCC
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR
FAMILIES TO VOICE THEIR
HOPES, STRUGGLES, AND TO
SHAPE SOLUTIONS
CHANGE IS FACILITATED BY
DIALOGUE, DELIBERATION,
AND CO-LEARNING
The aim of the project is not only to gain a deeper
understanding of the “world as it is today” as it relates to ELCC
in Edmonton, but to build a vision of how the “world could be.”
The project goes beyond identifying gaps and barriers to
imagining solutions.
May 2022

Who are MCHB and ECELC?
The Journeys team is a partnership between the
Evaluation Capacity Network, Multicultural Health
Brokers Co-operative (MCHB) and the Edmonton
Council for Early Learning and Care (ECELC).
MCHB supports newcomers to Edmonton. Its
mission is to improve newcomer families’ health
and well-being, and to encourage communitybuilding
so they can thrive and actively contribute
to society. ECELC provides leadership in developing
an integrated system of high-quality ELCC services
in Edmonton that particularly focuses on the needs
of low-income and vulnerable families.
Where is the project at?
The Journeys team and its partners designed a
community-based process which included a
discussion around ethics and collecting stories.
They developed an interview guide with questions
about quality in ELCC, and have organized focus
groups and interviews with visible cultural minority
families to collect data.
The research is envisioned as a “change process”
that involves three strands of interwoven activity:
A) Engaging and Convening: This strand facilitates
dialogue, deliberation and intercultural encounters
with key partners and potential allies.
B) Listening and Learning: This strand draws on
participatory methodologies to develop rich case
studies of lived experiences and descriptions of
strengths and assets along with systemic
barriers. The project is currently at this stage.
C) Reflecting and Making Sense: This strand of
activity will use theme-weaving, journeymapping,
and other forms of co-analysis to
identify potential leverage points for change.
These streams of activity will be supported by
orientation and capacity-building sessions where
appropriate.
Why is the project
meaningful?
The engagement and research aim to provide
critical information on the context of ELCC in
Edmonton and on the lived experiences of
cultural minority families as they attempt to
access and receive childcare. The findings will
also provide insights on opportunities for
collective action to build on strengths, leverage
intercultural knowledge, and overcome gaps in
the current system.
Resources
ECELC - What We Heard: Educators
Supporting Newcomer Families
Intercultural Child & Family Centre
Reference
Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. (2016). From best practices to breakthrough impacts: A science-based approach to
building a more promising future for young children and families. Retrieved from www.developingchild.harvard.edu
Acknowledgment
The project is lead by Pieter de Vos (ECN), Yvonne Chiu (MCHB), Naheed Mukhi (MCHB), and Heather Raymond (ECELC). We thank the
Mount Royal University Bachelor of Child Studies students involved in this project for their contributions to this project.
May 2022