From November 2011

Social and Emotional Development in Early Years

(From Healthy Families:)

The Early Years are a fascinating and often mysterious time. Copious amounts of information exists while much is still unknown. The process of deciphering, staying current and combining this knowledge into our daily practice can be challenging.

Social and Emotional Development in the Early Years is the title of a series of presentations and supporting resources produced by The BC Healthy Child Development Alliance. The aim of these workshops and accompanying resources is to promote a basic understanding of the social and emotional development of children in their early years, including signs that may indicate the need for additional support, strategies to promote mental health, and local resources. Topics such as attachment, building parent-child relationships, early brain development and how stress affects children are explored, supported by research from recognized organizations such as the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University and Zero to Three, among others.
 
Developed around a flexible model, the content can be delivered in 30, 60, 90 and 120 minute versions of the workshop, with accompanying handouts and references to allow the presenter to tailor their workshop to the audience. With versions of the presentation targeted to ECD and parent support providers, health care providers and child welfare workers, each with its own focus and material suited to that audience, there really is something for everyone.

(Karen’s note: link to powerpoint, webcast, and handouts here:  http://www.childhealthbc.ca/bchcdaevtinti)
 
Both Ruby Banga and myself attended the training on delivering these workshops, and would be happy to discuss with other agencies and programs about how this presentation could be beneficial for staff, or for parents who use your programs.
 
The BC Council for Families has also developed a number of workshops, trainings and presentations on how home visitors and family support workers can help parents develop healthy attachment with their children. If you are interested in one of these training please contact us.

UBC HELP Research EXPO Video link

From UBC Human Early Learning Partnership:

Thank you for attending HELP’s Fall Research Exposition: 10 Years of Insight – Connecting the Dots. This year’s event connected neuroscience, to child development in BC, to family policy. This cell to society perspective has significantly contributed to our understanding of the importance of the early years. The day’s presentations showcased this contribution and provided important information for how we can continue to move from research to action.

Posters and videos are now available. Please visit http://earlylearning.ubc.ca/blog/2011/nov/09/2011-fall-research-exposition-event-summary/ to download these items.

We continue to work on a number of new ways to communicate our research and we’re hoping for your feedback on what you have seen and heard.  We invite you to click on the link http://www.surveyfeedback.ca/surveys/wsb.dll/s/1g1339 and spend a few minutes helping us to better HELP you.  Your input is invaluable in helping us create and disseminate information that assists communities in helping children thrive.

Children and Play: How does Culture fit in?

How are our approaches to play influenced by culture, and how are they impacted by the experience of immigration? That’s the intriguing question that Maya Goldstein, an MA graduate in Human Development, Learning and Culture at the Faculty of Education at UBC, has been investigating through a study conducted with South Asian families at a Family Resource Place in Surrey, BC. 

Do families belonging to a particular cultural group approach play in similar ways? And how do parents change or adapt their approaches to play in a Canadian context? Because few North American studies of play have focused on immigrant families, there are as yet few definitive answers to questions like these, and the implications for child development are significant. In her study, Goldstein observed interactions between parents and children from South Asian families while they attended a Family Resource Program in Surrey, BC, and continued with follow-up observations and interviews in their homes.

The families involved differed in their approaches to play — whether the play was parent or child-directed, whether the child and parent were close to each other physically and in the kinds of play materials chosen. Parents expressed differing ideas about the value of play, and about play’s role in preparing their child for the future.

Yet families in the study also had much in common, including a deep appreciation of the social contact with other families they experienced at the Family Resource Program. As recent immigrants, the parents found it very different to be raising children in Canada than it is in India, particularly the greater freedom for children in India to play outside on their own and the greater involvement of friends, neighbours and family members in raising children. That support was really missed.

Reflecting on the study, Maya notes that “Culture has a great influence on the lives of children and their play. There is no one right way to play with children. We should be open and accept different approaches to play.” This research reminds us to be aware of the influence of culture on play, to accept a variety of approaches to play, to learn from and about the immigrant families we know and work with, and to remember that there will be very significant differences within any one cultural group.

(From Healthy Families:)

Early Childhood Conditions help shape DNA: Research

(From EYCDI:)

Early childhood living conditions provoke biological changes in genes leading to DNA “memory” that can last a lifetime, an international study has found.Experts have already noted that income, education and neighbourhood resources can have a dramatic effect on children’s health, and that a poor socio-economic environment in infancy can translate into a higher risk of adult disease and early mortality.But a study published online Thursday in the International Journal of Epidemiology suggests that early experience works changes that are far more than skin deep.The environment of early childhood influences brain and biological development and leaves a “memory” in the genetic code that affects the way genes function, say researchers from McGill University, the University of British Columbia and the UCL Institute of Child Health in London, England.”Biological embedding” may help explain why health disadvantages linked to a lower socio-economic origin — including obesity, mental health problems, heart disease, diabetes and other chronic illnesses — can last a lifetime even if living conditions improve later. Read more here.

Green Canning Workshop

When :   Tuesday, November 8th, 2011
Time:       6:15 – 8:15 PM
Where:  
St. Barnabas Church Kitchen  Located at 1010- 5th Ave. New Westminster
Cost:      $5.00 Per Family – payable  at the workshop

Come and learn how to preserve your own food. Learn up-to-date canning methods and sample some delicious jams, jellies and chutneys.  An expert  from Bernardin Canning Co. will be demonstrating the boiling water bath technique of canning and will speak about using a pressure canner.

No experience necessary!

You must pre-register register sending an email to

 ipenit@fsgv.ca  or leave a message at 604-836-1968

Please leave
1) Your name
2) Telephone number and Email address if you have one
3) How many people in your family are attending and if you require childcare – For how many children and ages – Child care provided for children 6 and under

 Space is limited Register Early! 

Offered by Family Services of Greater Vancouver

National Child Day Event-Participate!

The New Westminster ECD Committee invites you to another great FREE event for families with children aged 0-6 years…

Come Participate and Celebrate National Child Day!!

Meet people and organizations from your neighbourhood!  Fun activities, crafts, entertainment and snacks! Free resource bags for families who register to attend!

Date:              Sunday, November 20, 2011
Time:              2:30 to 4:30pm
Location:         Sapperton Pensioners Hall, 318 Keary St., New Westminster
To register:   please email info@kidsnewwest.ca       

Flyer: National child Day Participate 2011

Three New Videos from HELP

Watch the three new short videos of Clyde Hertzman, Tom Boyce and Paul Kershaw discussing their work and its importance.

Dr. Hertzman presents HELP’s cell to society research model used to explore early childhood development. Dr. Boyce discusses how the stresses and adversities of growing up in socio-economically disadvantaged environments get inside us and affect the biology that determines lifelong metal and physical illness. Finally, Dr. Kershaw explains why it is in everyone’s interest to shape public policy to support young families with children.

http://earlylearning.ubc.ca/blog/2011/oct/18/three-new-videos/