October 14, 1999
To: Community Services Committee
From: Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services
Subject: Exemplary International Models of Early Childhood Education
And Development and their impact on Toronto's Children's Strategy
Purpose:
This report provides a brief synopsis of the attached Background Paper entitled "Towards a Framework for Integrating
Early Childhood Development and Family Support Programs" and discusses the implications of the theoretical and
practical research it contains on the City's Children's Strategy.
Recommendations:
(1) the background paper entitled "Towards a Framework for Integrating Early Childhood Development and Family
Support Programs" attached as Appendix I of this report be received for information and distributed broadly within the
City's children's services community;
(2) the City's Children's Strategy described in this report be adopted and used to guide the more detailed action planning
and service planning required for the year 2000 in response to the "Toronto Report Card on Children, 1999";
(3) a Steering Committee of Commissioners and General Managers having operating responsibility for services to children
within the City be established to ensure the co-ordination of service planning activities and other city-wide initiatives
undertaken on behalf of children and to provide advice regarding future benchmark setting activities associated with the
annual Children's Report Card process; and that
(4) the appropriate City Officials take the necessary action to give effect thereto.
Council Reference/Background/History:
In 1998 the Council of the newly amalgamated City of Toronto adopted the recommendations contained in "The First
Duty", a report prepared by the Metro Toronto Task Force on Services to Young Children and Families and used these
recommendations as the foundation for the development of a Children's Strategy for the new City. Council also appointed a
Children's Advocate to provide leadership and a Children's and Youth Action Committee, CYAC, to provide cross-sectoral
and community advice to the development of the Children's Strategy. In June 1999, the CYAC directed city officials to
"develop a comprehensive city strategy for early childhood education and development taking into account the best
practices from international jurisdictions and recent findings published or reported in Canada". The background paper
entitled "Towards a Framework for Integrating Early Childhood Development and Family Support programs in Toronto"
attached to this report as Appendix 1 was commissioned to review and summarize current thinking in the theoretical and
research literature concerning the optimal organization and delivery of services to young children and to highlight specific
positive experiences from various national and international jurisdictions.
The themes that emerged and the lessons learned from this review were analyzed in the context of the City's Strategy for
Children, which is also outlined in the report. Toronto's Children's Strategy flows from the original recommendations of
"First Duty" but has been clarified and incrementally enriched by this Council's policy and funding decisions respecting
children. The Children's Strategy outlines the general ways and means by which Toronto will implement its Children's
Charter and achieve the vision for children outlined in the "Toronto Report Card on Children, 1999" officially released on
October 7, 1999. That vision states that "regardless of the socio-economic status of his/her family and community, every
child has the right to childhood experiences which promote the chances of developing into a healthy, well adjusted and
productive adult". Toronto's Children's Strategy provides the framework for the more detailed action plans needed to
achieve the benchmarks identified in the first Annual Report of the Children's Advocate and reinforced by the CYAC's call
for action in response to the release of the "Toronto Report Card on Children, 1999".
Synopsis of the Background Paper
"Towards a Framework for Integrating Early Childhood Development and Family Support Programs in Toronto" discusses
the dramatic shift in thinking that has been occurring throughout the world concerning the organization and delivery of
services to young children and families. To illustrate what the paper describes as a profound paradigm shift from an insular
and sectoral approach to an ecological or holistic approach, exemplary models of service delivery drawn from various
international and national jurisdictions are described. International examples include: Denmark, Sweden, France, Reggio
Emilio (Northern Italy), and School of the 21st Century (United States). Canadian examples include: Quebec, Alberta,
Vancouver, B.C., and Markdale, Ontario. The paper cautions that the shift in thinking and practice exemplified by these
models occurred slowly and incrementally, over time. There are no "quick fixes". The paper also emphasizes that there is
not
just one "right " model; each jurisdiction reviewed has customized its approach to best suit its own contextual realities.
Despite these differences, the background paper is able to draw some common themes from the review and to begin to
identify implications for Toronto as it strives to create its own framework for a comprehensive early childhood education
and development strategy.
The City's Strategy for Children
The City's Children's Strategy is based on the belief that society shares with families responsibility for their children and
therefore that efforts to improve children's wellbeing are legitimately part of the City's public service agenda. It is also
generally well recognized that all families will likely require some measure of public support during their children's
developmental years. The City's Children's Strategy recognizes that a universal albeit scaled municipal response to this
need is required.
The key components of Toronto's Children's Strategy may be summarized as follows:
(1) The City demands a holistic as opposed to a sectoral or program response to issues affecting children's wellbeing.
(2) The City sets aggressive but achievable annual benchmarks to secure progress towards desired outcomes for children.
(3) The City demonstrates public accountability for improvement in children's well-being by publishing an annual report
card on the state of this City's children.
(4) The City promotes both equity of access and responsive service approaches to children through integrated service
planning at the neighbourhood level.
(5) The City's plans and investments in children are actively informed and supported by the most current theory and
research
(6) The City promotes innovation and aggressively pursues improvements in policy and programs based on best practices
(7) The City uses its influence and resource base to broaden commitment for a children's agenda and lever contribution
from other government and community partners.
(8) The City builds and strengthens local community partnerships and negotiates the fullest and most prudent use of shared
community resources.
(9) The City actively focuses media attention on children's issues and advocates publicly for needed change.
(10) The City highlights and celebrates achievements in the children's services field and uses each incremental success to
help achieve its broader vision for children.
Next Steps
The City's Children's Strategy provides the framework that will assist in the planning of all future children's initiatives
within the City in the areas of policy, program and services. Detailed action plans in response to the "Toronto Report Card
on Children, 1999" for inclusion in the year 2000 budget and workplan as well as the corporation's multi-year business
plans are currently being developed at Council's request. These service plans will require neighbourhood based discussion
and negotiation to address local needs and priorities and to secure local support and success. This report recommends
establishing a Steering Committee of Commissioners and General Managers with operational responsibilities for children's
programs and services to ensure an integrated approach to service planning and the development of future benchmarks and
targets.
Conclusions:
This report provides a brief synopsis of the Background Paper on Integrated Models of Early Childhood Education and
Development originally commissioned by the Children and Youth Action Committee. The findings from the review of both
the theoretical literature and successful models of service integration in selected jurisdictions validate the basic elements of
the Children's Strategy developed here in Toronto. The importance of the Children's Strategy as a framework for both short
term and longer term action planning on behalf of young children and families is highlighted. A cross departmental
Steering Committee of senior staff is proposed to ensure the co-ordination of any such action or service plan being
developed.
Contact Name:
Marna Ramsden (phone 392-8134, fax 392-4576)
General Manager of Children's Services
Commissioner, Community and Neighbourhood Services
