19th Annual Summer Institute on Early Childhood Development
Ensuring equity and inclusion in early learning and child care
The Summer Institute is an annual collaboration between the School of Early Childhood at George Brown College and the Atkinson Centre for Society and Child Development at the 91±¬ÁĎ/University of Toronto. The Institute strives to offer timely information to inform early childhood research, policy and practice. As we pass the half-way mark in the development of the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care strategy, the Institute examines the unintended consequences of governments’ rush to lower parent fees and the impact on equity of access, inclusion and program quality.
Join experts in this important forum discussing how to meet the equity goals in the CWELCC plan along with great examples from across Canada of how to scale-up of proven programs and innovations.
Keynote Speakers
Armine Yalnizyan
Feminist, Economist, Toronto Star Columnist, Atkinson Fellow on the Future of Work
Building a quality, equitable child care system can help yoke the strengths of a powerful new cohort of young workers to address population aging, extreme climate events and the crisis in care systems. In doing so, we can make every job a good job, the foundation of equity and tackling everything else.
Presentation Resources
Dr. Jessie-Lee McIsaac
Assistant Professor, Mount Saint Vincent University, Canada Research Chair in Early Childhood Diversity and Transitions
Dr. McIsaac brings her experiences working for and with marginalized families, from documenting the child care experiences of Black children and educators, identifying promising early learning and child care partnerships that respond to the unique needs of newcomer children and families and ensuring equity training for educators provides lessons they can readily apply in their programs.
Presentation Resources
Panel One: Who's in and Who is Out? CWELCC and Equity
We enter a period of great opportunities for early learning and child care and equally great challenges. As governments move at warp-speed towards $10-a-day parent fees, getting pushed aside are families marginalized by class, race, culture, immigration status and geography.
Michal Perlman
Applied Psychology and Human Development, 91±¬ÁĎ, University of Toronto
Dr. Jessie-Lee McIsaac
Assistant Professor, Mount Saint Vincent University Canada Research Chair in Early Childhood Diversity and Transitions
Stefany Hansen
Manager, Service System Planning and Policy Development, City of Toronto
Panel Two: Equity for the ELCC Workforce
Thanks to Ottawa’s $10-a-day plan parent demand for child care has rocketed. Every child care spot -- and more -- could be filled but they sit unused without educators to staff them. Educators vacated the field during the pandemic and governments are not offering the incentives needed to get them back. Payouts for training are not a replacement for decent wages, benefits, adequate staffing levels and the respect needed to build an inclusive ELCC workforce.
Panelists
Dr. Emis Akbari
School of Early Childhood, George Brown College, Atkinson Centre for Society and Child Development
Kelly Emery
Director, Children’s Services Chatham-Kent
Presentation Resources
Workshops: Creating Inclusive Environments
Race and Disabled Childhoods
Alison Smith
Professor, Humber College, PhD Student, 91±¬ÁĎ
This workshop will explore understanding the intersection of disability and race, and strategies that will support inclusive play of diverse children. Attendees will consider a systems level understanding of how racism and ableism affect children and families, and implications for policy making.
Bringing Equity to Early Learning
Dr. Carl James
York University Faculty of Education, Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora, York University
Why does equity not exist for all in our educational systems, particularly for young Black and racialized children and how can we right these wrongs to achieve a strong start for all children?
CWELCC: Impact on Indigenous Children and Families
Joe Rock
Indigenous Consultant
EarlyON Child and Family Centres - Toronto Children’s Services
Panel Three: What Success Looks Like and How to Get There
Investments in early learning and child care are a good start but building an equitable and inclusive system requires constant attention from policymakers, operators, educators and parents. There are promising practices from Ontario and beyond which are ready to use in laying the foundation for success.
Panelists
Bernice Cipparrone, RECE
Professor, School of Early Childhood, George Brown College
Dr. Shawnee Hardware
Professor, School of Early Childhood, George Brown College
Gail Hunter
Professor and Program Coordinator, School of Early Childhood, George Brown College
Dr. Carl James
York University Faculty of Education, Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora, York University
ECE Award of Excellence
Karen Gray
Director, Service System Planning and Policy, Toronto Children's Services
Join us in recognizing the contributions of Karen Gray to early childhood education. Karen is an outspoken advocate who uses research to guide effective policy and practice, to influence change and address inequity.
The Annual Summer Institute on Early Childhood Development is presented by:
