Critical Lens
As you read through the readings for this week, and using your critical thinking skills, what did you notice was missing, included, centered, or ignored?
For example, consider the role of the community in this stage of life. Beyond the biological parents, many Indigenous communities view child rearing more collectively and place significant value in the roles of grandparent, auntie and uncle. These roles all play a critical role in early childhood.
Young Indigenous children experience many health disparities, which can largely be attributed to the socio-economic, environmental, political and historical conditions in which they live. Many Indigenous leaders and childhood educators have recognized the need for culturally-based, community driven programs that incorporate the values and principles that Indigenous people consider important for fostering healthy, happy and resilient children across the Lifespan. These interventions must be rooted in Indigenous notions of resilience, including connections to family, community and the environment; the importance of collective history; revitalization of Indigenous languages and cultures; and individual and collective agency (Halseth & Greenwood, 2019).
Investing in quality early childhood development and care programs for Indigenous children is critical to closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada. Culturally appropriate programs that foster children’s social, emotional, physical, mental and cognitive development and provide a strong foundation that prepares them for a lifetime. Culturally significant programs can also contribute, in turn to higher levels of school achievement, higher skills and expectations, lower levels of unemployment and higher earnings, as well as lowered rates of antisocial behaviour, substance abuse and mental health issues (Adamson, 2013).
Relationships, community and family are central to Indigenous culture. Culturally significant early childhood programs incorporate these relationships in their design and help to buffer the effects many deficits experienced by Indigenous children.
In the past decade there has been a resurgence of Indigenous language programs for youth resulting in a significant jump in the number of children who are now fluent or have emerging fluency in their Indigenous language. As of 2022, due to government funding, there were an estimated “2,417 children are learning an Indigenous language in early childhood facilities” (Hamilton, 2022).
The graphic below shows the importance of strengthening programs for Indigenous children by addressing each layer of society. Addressing childhood indicators such as food, nutrition and shelter is only one layer of ensuring vibrant, resilient and healthy Indigenous children. Programs and initiatives that address each layer of society, including family, community, systemic and structural influences is critical to meaningful support for Indigenous children and communities.
(Halseth & Greenwood, 2019)
