Schools as Integrated Hubs for Young Children and Families

A Canadian Experiment in Community Readiness: The Toronto First Duty Project
  • Tomoko N. Arimura
  • Carl Corter
  • Janette Pelletier
  • Zeenat Janmohamed
  • Sejal Patel
  • Palmina Ioannone
  • Saba Mir
Chapter
First Online:
Part of the Educating the Young Child book series (EDYC, volume 4)

Abstract

Canadian strategies for supporting young children and families increasingly begin with the question of what needs to happen at the community level and how schools can lead the transformation. These strategies draw from a “population health” perspective, which views healthy child development and educational successes as growing out of universal supports for all children and their families rather than programs targeted to at-risk groups or isolated transition strategies. This chapter reviews studies of a universal Canadian model in which schools become community hubs for integrated preschool services, including kindergarten, child care, and family support. In this service integration model, community outreach and family support, beginning in the preschool period, play critical roles in contributing to healthy child development and learning, seamless transitions, and parental engagement with the education system.

Keywords

Community readiness School hubs Integrated early childhood services Universal access Integrated staff team Parent engagement Toronto first duty project 
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Notes

Acknowledgments

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Atkinson Charitable Foundation provided major funding support for Toronto First Duty research, along with the City of Toronto. The City of Toronto and the Toronto District School Board also provided assistance in data gathering. We thank all the participants and the other members of the TFD research team for their generous contributions.

The opinions and interpretations in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the sponsors.

References

  1. Arimura, T. N. (2008). Daily routines, parenting hassles, and social support: The role that early childhood services play in parents’ and children’s daily life. Unpublished master’s thesis, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.Google Scholar
  2. Arnold, C., Bartlett, K., Gowani, S., & Shallwani, S. (2008). Transition to school: Reflections on readiness. Journal of Developmental Processes, 3(2), 26–38.Google Scholar
  3. Barnett, W. S., Brown, K., & Shore, R. (2004). The universal vs. targeted debate: Should the United States have preschool for all? Preschool Policy Matters. New Brunswick, NJ: National Institute for Early Education Research.Google Scholar
  4. Carpiano, R. M., Lloyd, J. E. V., & Hertzman, C. (2009). Concentrated affluence, concentrated disadvantage, and children’s readiness for school: A population-based, multi-level investigation. Social Science & Medicine, 69, 420–432.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  5. Colley, S. (2006). Policy papers: How can integration of services for kindergarten-aged children be achieved? Toronto, ON: Integration Network Project.Google Scholar
  6. Corter, C., Bertrand, J., Griffin, T., Endler, M., Pelletier, J., & McKay, D. (2002). Toronto First Duty Starting Gate report: Implementing integrated foundations for early childhood. Toronto, ON: Atkinson Charitable Foundation. http://www.toronto.ca/firstduty/sg_report.pdf
  7. Corter, C., Bertrand, J., Pelletier, J., Griffin, T., McKay, D., Patel, S., et al. (2007). Toronto First Duty phase 1 final report: Evidence-based understanding of integrated foundations for early childhood.Toronto, ON: Atkinson Centre for Society and Child Development. http://www.toronto.ca/firstduty/tfd_phase1_finalreport.pdf
  8. Corter, C., Patel, S., Pelletier, J., & Bertrand, J. (2008). The early development instrument as an evaluation and improvement tool for school-based, integrated services for young children and parents: The Toronto First Duty project. Early Education and Development, 19(5), 773–794.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  9. Corter, C., Pelletier, J., Jamohamed, Z., Bertrand, J., Arimura, T., Patel, S., et al. (2009). Toronto First Duty phase 2, 2006–2008: Final research report. Toronto, ON: Atkinson Centre for Society and Child Development. http://www.toronto.ca/firstduty/TFD_phase2_final.pdf
  10. Desimone, L., Finn-Stevenson, M., & Henrich, C. (2000). Whole school reform in a low-income African American community: The effects of the CoZi Model on teachers, parents, and students. Urban Education, 35(3), 269–323.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  11. Desimone, L., Payne, B., Fedoravicius, N., Henrich, C., & Finn-Stevenson, M. (2004). Comprehensive school reform: An implementation study of preschool programs in elementary schools. The Elementary School Journal, 104(5), 369–389.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  12. Dockett, S., & Perry, B. (2007). The role of school and communities in children’s school transition. In R. E. Tremblay, R. G. Barr, R. D. Peters, & M. Boivin (Eds.), Encyclopedia on early childhood development (pp. 1–8). Montreal: Centre of Excellence for Early Childhood Development.Google Scholar
  13. Dryfoos, J. J., Quinn, J., & Barkin, C. (Eds.). (2005). Community schools in action: Lessons from a decade of practice. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
  14. Farkas, G., & Hibel, J. (2008). Being unready for school: Factors affecting risk and resilience. In A. Booth & A. C. Crouter (Eds.), Disparities in school readiness: How families contribute to transitions into school (pp. 3–30). New York, NY: Erlbaum.Google Scholar
  15. Finn-Stevenson, M., & Zigler, E. (1999). Schools of the 21st century: Linking child care and education. Boulder, CO: Westview.Google Scholar
  16. Finn-Stevenson, M., & Zigler, E. (2006). What the schools of the 21st century can teach us about universal preschool. In E. Zigler, W. Gilliam, & S. M. Jones (Eds.), A vision for universal preschool education (pp. 194–215). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  17. Finn-Stevenson, M., Desimone, L., & Chung, A. (1998). Linking child care and support services with the school: Pilot evaluation of the school of the 21st century. Children and Youth Services Review, 20(3), 177–205.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  18. Fullan, M., & Levin, B. (2009). The fundamentals of whole-system reform. Education Week, 28(35), 30–31. http://www.michaelfullan.ca/Articles_09/WholeSystemReform.pdf Google Scholar
  19. Government of British Columbia, Ministry of Children and Family Development. (2002). BC early childhood development action plan: A work in progress. Victoria, BC: Government of British Columbia, Ministry of Children and Family Development. http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/early_childhood/pdf/ecd_action_plan_revised_june02.pdf
  20. Harms, T., Clifford, R. M., & Cryer, D. (1998). Early childhood environmental rating scale—revised. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.Google Scholar
  21. Henrich, C., Ginicola, M., Finn-Stevenson, M., & Zigler, E. (2006). The school of the 21st century is making a difference: Findings from two evaluations (issue brief). New Haven, CT: Yale University, Zigler Center in Child Development and Social Policy.Google Scholar
  22. Hertzman, C. (1994). The lifelong impact of childhood experiences: A population health perspective. Daedalus, 123(4), 167–180.Google Scholar
  23. Hertzman, C., & Keating, D. P. (Eds.). (1999). Developmental health and the wealth of nations: Social, biological, and educational dynamics. New York, NY: Guilford.Google Scholar
  24. Hertzman, C., & Wiens, M. (1996). Child development and long-term outcomes: A population health perspective and summary of successful interventions. Social Science & Medicine, 43(7), 1083–1095.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  25. Human Resources and Social Development Canada. (2004). A Canada fit for children: Canada’s plan for action in response to the May 2002 United Nations special session on children. Ottawa, ON: Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada. http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/cs/sp/sdc/socpol/publications/2002-002483/canadafite.pdf
  26. James-Burdumy, S., Dynarski, M., Moore, M., Deke, J., Mansfield, W., Pistorino, C., et al. (2005). When schools stay open late: The national evaluation of the 21st century community learning centers program—final report. Washington, DC: US Department of Education.Google Scholar
  27. Janus, M., Brinkman, S., Duku, E., Hertzman, C., Santos, R., Sayers, M., et al. (2008). The early development instrument: A population-based measure for communities. A handbook on development, properties, and use. Hamilton, ON: McMaster University Press.Google Scholar
  28. Johnson, L. C., & Mathien, J. (1998). Early childhood services for kindergarten-age children in four Canadian provinces: Scope, nature and models for the future. Ottawa, ON: Caledon Institute of Social Policy.Google Scholar
  29. La Paro, K. M., & Pianta, R. C. (2000). Predicting children’s competence in the early school years: A meta-analytic review. Review of Educational Research, 70(4), 443–484.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  30. Lloyd, J. E. V., & Hertzman, C. (2009). From kindergarten readiness to fourth-grade assessment: Longitudinal analysis with linked population data. Social Science & Medicine, 68, 111–123.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  31. Low, M. D., Low, B. J., Baumler, E. R., & Huynh, P. T. (2005). Can education policy be health policy? Implications of research on the social determinants of health. Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law, 30(6), 1131–1162.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  32. Mashburn, A. J., & Pianta, R. C. (2006). Social relationships and school readiness. Early Education & Development, 17(1), 151–176.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  33. McCain, M. N., & Mustard, J. F. (1999). The early years study: Reversing the real brain drain. Toronto, ON: Ontario Children’s Secretariat.Google Scholar
  34. McCain, M. N., Mustard, J. F., & Shanker, S. (2007). Early years study 2: Putting science into action. Toronto, ON: Council for Early Child Development.Google Scholar
  35. Melhuish, E., Belsky, J., Leyland, A. H., & Barnes, J. (2008). Effects of fully-established Sure Start local programmes on 3-year-old children and their families living in England: A quasi-experimental observational study. The Lancet, 372(9650), 1641–1647.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  36. Offord Centre for Child Studies. (2008). Early Development Instrument: A population-based measure for communities 2007/2008. Hamilton, ON: McMaster University Press. http://www.offordcentre.com/readiness/files/EDI_2008_General_CON.PDF
  37. Offord Centre for Child Studies. (2009). Early Development Instrument guide 2008/2009. Hamilton, ON: McMaster University Press.Google Scholar
  38. Oliver, L. N., Dunn, J. R., Kohen, D. E., & Hertzman, C. (2007). Do neighbourhoods influence the readiness to learn of kindergarten children in Vancouver? A multilevel analysis of neighbourhood effects. Environment and Planning, 39, 848–868.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  39. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (2006). Starting strong II: Early childhood education and care. Paris: OECD.Google Scholar
  40. Patel, S. (2004). Parents, services integration, and engagement in early childhood. Unpublished master’s thesis, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.Google Scholar
  41. Patel, S. (2009). Integrated early childhood program participation, parenting, and child development outcomes: The Toronto First Duty project. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.Google Scholar
  42. Patel, S., & Corter, C. (2006). Parent-school involvement, diversity, and school-based preschool services hubs. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Francisco, CA, USA.Google Scholar
  43. Patel, S., Corter, C., & Pelletier, J. (2008). What do families want? Understanding their goals for early childhood services. In M. M. Cornish (Ed.), Promising practices for partnering with families in the early years (pp. 103–123). Charlotte, NC: Information Age.Google Scholar
  44. Pelletier, J., & Corter, C. (2002). Competing “world views” on early childhood care, education and development in the Canadian context. In L. Chan & E. Mellor (Eds.), International developments in early childhood services (pp. 29–52). New York, NY: Lang.Google Scholar
  45. Pelletier, J., & Corter, C. (2006). Integration, innovation, and evaluation in school-based early childhood services. In B. Spodek & O. N. Saracho (Eds.), Handbook of research on the education of young children (2nd ed., pp. 477–496). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.Google Scholar
  46. Pianta, R. C., Kraft-Sayre, M., Rimm-Kaufman, S., Gercke, N., & Higgins, T. (2001). Collaboration in building partnerships between families and schools: The National Center for Early Development and Learning’s kindergarten transition intervention. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 16(1), 117–132.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  47. Rimm-Kaufman, S. E., & Pianta, R. C. (2000). An ecological perspective on the transition to kindergarten. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 21(5), 491–511.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  48. Sameroff, A. J. (1975). Early influences on development: Fact of fancy? Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 21, 267–294.Google Scholar
  49. Schulman, K., & Barnett, W. S. (2005). The benefits of prekindergarten for middle-income children. New Brunswick, NJ: National Institute for Early Education Research.Google Scholar
  50. Shore, R. (1998). Ready schools: A report of the Goal 1 Ready School Resource Group. Washington, DC: National Education Goals Panel.Google Scholar
  51. Snow, K. L. (2006). Measuring school readiness: Conceptual and practical considerations. Early Education & Development, 17(1), 7–41.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  52. Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. (2007). Promoting equality in the early years. Report to the equalities review. http://archive.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/equalitiesreview/publications.html
  53. TDSB. (2007). Working together for children’s success: An early years integration strategy. Toronto, ON: TDSB. http://www.tdsb.on.ca/wwwdocuments/programs/early_years/docs/WorkingTogether.pdf
  54. Toronto First Duty Research Team. (2005). First duty indicators of change. Toronto, ON: Atkinson Charitable Foundation. http://www.toronto.ca/firstduty/indicators_oct2005.pdf
  55. Willms, J. D. (2002). Socioeconomic gradients for childhood vulnerability. In J. D. Willms (Ed.), Vulnerable children (pp. 71–102). Edmonton, AB: The University of Alberta Press.Google Scholar
  56. Zigler, E., & Finn-Stevenson, M. (2006). The school of the 21st century. In M. A. Constas & R. J. Sternberg (Eds.), Translating theory and research into educational practice: Developments in content domains, large-scale reform, and intellectual capacity (pp. 173–195). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.Google Scholar
  57. Zigler, E., & Finn-Stevenson, M. (2007). From research to policy and practice: The school of the 21st century. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 77(2), 175–181.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  58. Zigler, E., Finn-Stevenson, M., & Marsland, K. W. (1995). Child day care in the schools: The school of the 21st century. Child Welfare, 74(6), 1301–1326.Google Scholar
  59. Zigler, E., Gilliam, W. S., & Jones, S. M. (2006). A vision for universal preschool education. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2011

Authors and Affiliations

  • Tomoko N. Arimura
    • 1
  • Carl Corter
    • 2
  • Janette Pelletier
    • 2
  • Zeenat Janmohamed
    • 1
    • 3
  • Sejal Patel
    • 4
  • Palmina Ioannone
    • 5
  • Saba Mir
    • 1
  1. 1.Ontario Institute for Studies in EducationUniversity of TorontoTorontoCanada
  2. 2.Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study Ontario Institute for Studies in EducationUniversity of TorontoTorontoCanada
  3. 3.School of Early Childhood EducationGeorge Brown CollegeTorontoCanada
  4. 4.Centre for Research on Inner City HealthSt. Michael’s HospitalTorontoCanada
  5. 5.Hincks-Dellcrest CentreTorontoCanada

Personalised recommendations