Richmond Early Child Development Community Framework:

“Drawing on research and expertise, this framework is an acknowledgement by community partners of the need for a coordinated approach to strengthen the systems that support young children and families.”  The ECD Community Framework is designed to:

• Identify all the components of an inclusive ECD continuum required to support young children and their families.
• Provide an understanding of programs and services in the community.
• Provide a tool for local organizations and groups to use as they work together for young children and their families.
• Use an asset-based approach to building community capacity.

Richmond Children First projects are coordinated through Action Teams, made up of staff and volunteers from local organizations that support children and families.  The ECD Community Framework Action Team was composed of executive-level representatives from: Richmond Society for Community Living, Vancouver Coastal Health (Richmond), MCFD, Richmond Public Health (Community and Family Health) and Richmond Family Place.

The development of the framework was assisted by a focus group involving representative from a number of community organizations, including: Cambie Community Centre; Salmonbellies Preschool; Richmond Society for Children’s Centres, Grauer StrongStart Centre, Richmond Public Health (Speech and Language), Pacific Post Partum Society, Richmond Society for Community Living (Supported Child Development), Richmond Family Place, Touchstone Family Association (CAPC), Bethany Child Care Centre, and Richmond Public Health (Early Childhood Team).

The ECD Community Framework outlines the vision, mission and guiding principles, along with agreed Components of the Richmond ECD Community Framework for further collaborative community-based work to support young children and their families in the Richmond area.

Appendices include:

1. BC ECD Evaluation Project
2. Literature Review
3. References and Resources

The Face of Richmond Child Poverty Project:

The aim of this project has been to help the community understand what it means for children to live in poverty in Richmond and to act as a call to action to create a community in which all children have access to opportunities.  Over the last year, Richmond Children First worked with partner organizations to explore the impacts of poverty on children in their community, having conversations with parents, children and workers in child and family support organizations.  Despite “incredible stories of resilience and resourcefulness” the stories heard demonstrate that “poverty can impact children’s health, behaviour and self-esteem”.

Richmond Children First have produced three Fact Sheets highlighting their work so far, as part of the process of developing a detailed report on existing conditions and recommendations for moving forward to improve community capacity.  The Fact Sheets provide a useful model for communication of research findings in a language and format that is accessible for a wide range of participant stakeholders, and which clearly demonstrates recognition of community participation in the research process.

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Fact Sheet 1:  Common Assumptions About Richmond Families Living in Poverty

Based on conversations with parents, this fact sheet addresses a number of myths and common misconceptions about poverty in the community:  for example, poverty in this community is often hidden in mixed neighbourhoods, where low-income families tend to live in rental suites in detached houses.  Parents talk about the coping strategies they employ to help create opportunities for their children and the realities of trying to make ends meet for their families.

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Fact Sheet 2:  The Impact of Poverty on Children

“Staff with experience and expertise in working with families living in poverty sat down and talked with 75 Richmond parents about the impact of poverty on their children and families. We learned about the human condition of living in poverty in Richmond. And we were introduced to an amazing collective spirit, centred on wanting the best for their children. Parents were grateful that we wanted to hear their stories. They truly believe that our interest will help make a difference for their children. “  Centred on the Determinants of Health, this fact sheet reflects parents’ direct experience of the impacts of poverty on their children’s health, mental health, social networks, behaviour, education, and play & recreation. 

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Fact Sheet 3:  The Impact of Poverty on Parents

Referencing the Ontario Deprivation Index, this fact sheet looks at parents’ lived experience of poverty in a range of areas:

• The Challenge to Meet Basic Needs:  Nutritious Food; Housing; Transportation; Health Care
• Impact on Parenting
• Impact on Family Relationships
• Impact on Social Networks
• Impact on Inclusion
• Impact on Mental Health
• Increased Impacts for Newcomer Families:  Language and Culture; Trauma; Loneliness; Resourceful, Not Resilient; Shifting Roles

Visit the Richmond Children First website to access the Fact Sheets.