Decolonize policies and regulations in early childhood education to ensure access to culturally appropriate programming. This must include expanded access to land-based programming for Indigenous children.

Association of Early Childhood Educators, College of the North Atlantic, Operating Grant Program & First Light: Making progress on training

Increases in Indigenous-focused antiracism training (see Call for Change 2) are important first steps in decolonizing policies and regulations in early childhood education. As proposed sector-specific training and resources are developed and launched, ECEs will have greater knowledge and access to programming resources that will help facilitate culturally appropriate ECE programming, including land-based programming for Indigenous children. The Association of Early Childhood Educators of Newfoundland and Labrador (AECENL), College of the North Atlantic, and the Department of Education’s requirement for annual anti-bias training under the Operating Grant Program will support future action on this Call for Change.

Sector-specific training is also needed for regulators who may or may not understand enough about culturally appropriate programming to meaningfully consider the role of Indigenous cultures during regulatory visits to regulated ECE settings.

Cloudberry Forest School, Jimmy Pratt Foundation & Lawson Foundation: Held symposium on outdoor programming in early learning and child care

The Supporting Outdoor Play and Learning in Early Learning and Child Care Symposium was held in June 2024, convening members from Government of NL Departments of Education and Digital Government and Service, the College of the North Atlantic, AECENL, local Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) programs, Indigenous communities, and parents of children in outdoor programs. Discussions included the importance for training in Indigenous land-based learning, the need for specific legislation on outdoor-based ELCC programs, and the lack of regulations around outdoor play in conventional ELCC programs.

Barrier: Access to green spaces for land-based programming in St. John’s

Indigenous stewardship of public green spaces will be an important step in expanding access to land-based programming for Indigenous children, particularly in St. John’s. As such, Call for Change 23 may be a prerequisite for this aspect of Call for Change 26.

For the Department of Education:

• Mandate training on Indigenous cultures for inspectors of regulated child care settings. This will provide a foundation for the implementation of revised policies and will serve as an interim measure while efforts continue to decolonize policies and regulations in ECE.