The Spark Guide describes five guiding principles of culturally responsive child care.
The principles can apply to culturally responsive child care in Alberta-based programs, including those serving racialized and Francophone children and families. The exception is early learning and child care systems and programs for Indigenous children and families, which follow distinct principles as described in the Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework. In addition, are four more principles that apply to culturally responsive child care for Francophone families and children. These highlight the essential nature of French language-only programs and systems and linguistic security, identities, and cultural safety for Francophone families and children.
Guiding principles are fundamental beliefs, values, or shared truths that shape how we act and make decisions. We can use these principles to inform and direct decisions, practices, and ongoing development in our efforts to provide culturally
responsive child care.
The five principles of culturally responsive child care are:
Ongoing learning
Culturally responsive child care programs commit to ongoing learning such as through self-reflection, formal and informal training, and engagement with ethnocultural and multilingual families.
Family-centred relationships
Culturally responsive child care programs build strong and authentic relationships with families. They are the experts in their own cultures and the unique meanings that culture holds for them and their children.
Cultural safety
Culturally responsive child care programs promote cultural safety. Note that cultural safety is a personal experience of feeling safe, respected, understood, and valued. It is particularly important to build a sense of cultural safety for people who have experienced systemic exclusion or discrimination, or who do not share the dominant culture or language.
Diversity and equity
Culturally responsive child care programs support diversity and equity, including recognizing, respecting, and appreciating the uniqueness of every educator, child, and family member.
Sector accountability
Culturally responsive child care programs integrate cultural responsiveness across all aspects of child care—including policies, curriculum, pedagogy, hiring, training, service delivery, and physical spaces.
To learn more about these guiding principals download the guide!