Fewer than 1 in 4 children in Canada have access to early education programs.
Although research suggested that early childhood education and care provides children with fundamental foundations for future learning by fostering the development of cognitive and non-cognitive skills, a 2015 report on child care and early education, notes that fewer than 1 in 4 children in Canada have access to early education programs in child care spaces. The spaces that do exist are often unaffordable.
5 Developmental Domains to add to the Early Childhood & Prevention piece:
- Physical Health & Well-Being
- Social Competence
- Emotional Maturity
- Language & Thinking Skills
- Communication Skills & General Knowledge
Early intervention or school preparedness is important for all children to ensure they are reaching the appropriate grade or age-level standards. Statistics Canada reports that 3.2% of Canadian children have a learning disability—increasing the importance of learning intervention and strategy development.
Our Early Childhood programs provide support and programing to families to support children prepare for school readiness; as 29% of kindergarten-aged children in Alberta are experiencing great difficulty in two or more developmental areas.
92% of our Home-Start families reported an improved sense of wellbeing for parents and children, resulting in an overall improved home environment.
Our Impact
- We supported 420 families to help their kids get a great start in life through our early childhood programs
- 99% of parents believe that their child has gained new knowledge and skills since joining Ready Set Go
- 100% of parents believe that their child has developed stronger social skills in the program