The Spark Resource Hub connects child care workers with resources to better serve Alberta children and families from diverse cultural backgrounds
Affordable, accessible child care is critical for supporting Alberta’s families. In 2021, the Governments of Canada and Alberta signed a groundbreaking agreement to reduce child care fees for families. By 2026, the plan is for parents and caregivers to pay an average of $10 per day.
To meet this goal, both governments have made significant investments to increase the number of child care spaces and reduce fees for families. A cornerstone of this agreement is developing a high-quality child care system. This includes professional development for early childhood educators, such as training in culturally appropriate care to better serve Alberta’s diverse population.
Serving Children from Diverse Cultural Backgrounds
In Alberta, children come from many different cultural backgrounds. These unique cultural identities, in turn, shape their growth. Recognizing the importance of culture in a child’s development, Alberta’s Ministry of Jobs, Economy and Trade funded PolicyWise for Children & Families to create culturally responsive resources for early learning and child care professionals.
On October 8, 2024, the PolicyWise team launched Spark: A Guide to Culturally Responsive Early Learning and Child Care in Alberta. This comprehensive guide was created to provide Alberta’s early learning and child care professionals with practical strategies, training, and resources to better serve children from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Cultural identity, encompassing language, family structure, and traditions, is vital to a child’s development and well-being. The PolicyWise team created the guide and resources to help early learning educators and programs integrate cultural identity into daily practices. They place special emphasis on supporting Indigenous, racialized, and Francophone communities, which were identified as priority groups.
Finding Resources and Events for Culturally Responsive Practices
Designed with early childhood educators and program leaders in mind, the Spark Resource Hub offers a wealth of resources to promote culturally responsive practices in child care. The resources provide timely, relevant information and practical tools to enhance culturally responsive care throughout Alberta.
Organized using the five Spark strategies, the Spark Resource Hub helps educators foster inclusive care environments where every child feels valued and supported. Through the included resources, it encourages reflective practice as a pathway for professional growth, urging educators to consider their own biases and experiences. The resources emphasize engaging families by building partnerships based on curiosity and mutual respect.
The Resource Hub provides practical resources for incorporating cultural responsiveness into daily routines. It can also help educators to create inclusive physical spaces and materials that reflect diverse cultural identities. Additionally, it addresses organizational foundations, offering insights into fostering leadership and policies that sustain culturally responsive workplaces.
Who is Spark for?
The Spark Guide is designed for all Alberta early learning and child care providers, from family day home operators to program leaders in large centres. If you’re a frontline educator or a decision maker shaping program policies, Spark offers tools and strategies to transform your practice.
The resources are easy to use, and you can revisit them at any stage of your journey. Whether you’re just starting to explore culturally responsive care or looking for new ideas to enhance your work, Spark meets you where you are.
Visit SparkGuide.ca to explore the guide and resources and start making culturally responsive child care a reality for Alberta’s families.
Project Partners & Collaborators
Many organizations made Spark possible, including:
Project Sponsor
This project was funded by the Government of Alberta.
