Organizations & Tools
Access links to early learning and child care resources and organizations.
National Early Childhood Education Organizations
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) is an independent, non-partisan research institute concerned with issues of social, economic and environmental justice. Founded in 1980, the CCPA is one of Canada’s leading progressive voices in public policy debates. The CCPA produces the research and analysis necessary for policymakers, activists, and everyday Canadians to make informed decisions and press for social change.
Provides information about the Federation, its activities, and access to a series of resources for parents and other care providers.
The CPS website is designed to provide both CPS members and other health care professionals with information they need to make informed decisions about child health care.
The CCAAC is dedicated to working together for the right of all children to access a publicly funded, inclusive, quality, non-profit child care system.
Child Care Now is dedicated to advocating for a publicly funded, inclusive, quality, non-profit child care system. Our organization is non-profit, membership-based and regionally representative.
The CRRU is a policy and research oriented facility that focuses on early childhood education and child care and family policy in Canada and internationally.
(IHD)
The aim of the Fraser Mustard Institute for Human Development (IHD) is to develop new interconnections that cut across disciplinary and professional boundaries to build evidence and understanding for the improvement of young lives and the promotion of human development in the real world.
HELP is an interdisciplinary research network from British Columbia's six major universities that facilitates the creation of new knowledge, and helps apply this knowledge by working directly with government and communities. Their website provides access to presentations, publications and online resources.
The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) leads the development and dissemination of innovative programs and tools to support the mental health and wellness of Canadians. Through its unique mandate from the Government of Canada, the MHCC supports federal, provincial, and territorial governments as well as organizations in the implementation of sound public policy.
The Offord Centre is dedicated to improving the life quality and life opportunities of children and youth by focusing on the biological factors and life circumstances that influence healthy child development. The website provides information on the Centre's work, including the Early Development Instrument (EDI).
3PO is a network of researchers studying the effects of policies and programs on health and health inequality using quasi-experimental and experimental methods. We aim to create a collaborative environment for training; produce rigorous, reproducible, and transparent research; and effectively communicate findings to inform evidence-based policy.
As Canada’s largest not-for-profit child care provider, we believe every family should have access to high-quality early learning and child care.
Provides information about Health Healing and Family Violence to Aboriginal communities in Ontario.
International Early Childhood Education Organizations
The NIEER conducts and communicates research to support high-quality, effective early childhood education for all young children.
UNICEF believes nurturing and caring for children are the cornerstones of human progress. UNICEF was created with this purpose in mind – to work with others to overcome the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease and discrimination place in a child’s path.
Free resources about children's development in the first three years of life are offered.
Cerebral palsy is a disability caused by brain damage that restricts normal movement and coordination. Each year, 10,000 children in the U.S. are diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Cerebral Palsy Guide provides free educational materials, financial options, and support to help those affected by this condition.
Unions for Early Childhood Educators
Additional Tools
Statistics Canada provides information about Families and Living arrangements in Canada.
Finding Quality Child Care is a great new resource for parents looking for quality child care that’s affordable and meets the needs of their families. Parents can find out about child care options in each province and territory, how to recognize quality and why it’s important, and how they can improve their chances of accessing high-quality child care. Includes a 20-minute video showing high-quality centre environments (in EN, FR, ASL and QSL), a list of “dos and don’ts”, a checklist to use when looking at child care settings, as well as detailed information about regulations, tools and other key information in each province/territory.
Members of an FDK teaching team document and share their experiences.
The Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development is produced by the Centre of Excellence for Early Childhood Development. It is intended for policy-makers, service planners and service providers and for parents. It brings together articles written by internationally renowned experts on topics having to do with the psychosocial development of young children, from conception to the age of five. Each of the 42 topics addressed is explored from three perspectives: development, services and policies. In addition, for each topic there is a synthesis that provides, in a simplified format, the key points that will be most useful to practitioners and planners. This synthesis addresses three questions: What is the importance of this topic? What are the most up-to-date and conclusive data available on this subject? And what can be done to improve services, policies and research?
In December 2009, all Australian Governments agreed to a new National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care. This means that all Australian children, regardless of their location, will get the best possible start in life through high quality early childhood education and care and school age care services. The Framework will help providers improve their services in the areas that impact on a child’s development and empower families to make informed choices about which service is best for their child. ACECQA, the new national body is responsible for overseeing the new system and ensuring consistency of approach.
The Science of Early Child Development is an interactive online curriculum resource that looks at: The new framework for understanding child development; how everyday experiences affect children’s biological pathways with long-term outcomes on health, learning and behaviour; why people who work with children and families should understand the science of early development; how what we do when children are little affects the long-term health and well-being of children and of entire populations; and how we can narrow the gap between research and practice.
