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Project Sites - Meadow Lake

MEADOW LAKE – Rural, First Nations, Low income, High risk

BASE: Meadow Lake Tribal Council First Nations Child Care Program

AGE: 0 - 5 years

ACTIVITIES: Developmental Screening Child Care Programs: You Make the Difference Come Read With Me Let’s be Social It Takes Two To Talk Bright Start Curriculum Parent Education Program: Nobody's Perfect Second Step (violence prevention) It Takes Two To Talk Parent Education Meetings Toy and book lending library

The Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC), the umbrella political and administrative structure of nine Dene and Cree First Nations, was the TLC³ site in rural northwestern Saskatchewan. The original plan for TLC³ was to fund programs at one already existing child care centre. However, just as TLC³ began, the MLTC launched a major plan to develop child care centres in all of their First Nations. The Meadow Lake Tribal Council felt it was important to include all the child care centres in TLC³. As a result, six child care centres that were in the process of being established over the period in which TLC³ was operating were included. One First Nation declined to participate, and another had a parent-run playschool.

The TLC³ program, called One Foot Forward, was developed in cooperation with the MLTC Child Care Program and played an essential role in helping establish the new child care centres and enhance the already existing centre. TLC³ funding was used to furnish the centres and purchase equipment, toys and books. TLC³ staff provided training to child care staff, developed curriculum, held workshops for parents, and made important links with relevant professionals, such as dentists.

The Aboriginal families served in these remote communities were mainly low income. A total of 165 children participated in TLC³ over the five years. The primary objective of TLC³ was to enhance the child care programs, by providing resource materials, training and advice to child care workers and parents. Four areas of early childhood development were targeted: language, cognition, social skills and literacy skills. Literacy skills were addressed as part of the MLTC economic development plan, and social skills were added in recognition of First Nations social justice issues. TLC³ core programs were:

• The Bright Start Cognitive Curriculum for promoting cognitive development, including an accompanying training program for day care workers and a handbook for parents;
• It Takes Two to Talk Program designed to promote social and linguistic development in young children based on the relationship between caregiver and child;
• You Make the Difference (First Nations edition) designed to promote early language development within important relationships;
• Come Read With Me Program promoting early child literacy; and
• Let's Be Social Program to help preschoolers learn pro-social skills.

- Site Final Report - Executive Summary