CCL Home > Research Activities > Funded Research
June 2009
Full Report (PDF, 5 MB)
Brochure (PDF, 1.6 MB)
This study addresses the question of whether targeted community-based initiatives can reduce vulnerabilities, as identified by the Early Development Instrument (EDI), prior to school entry.
The study investigates neighbourhoods and/or communities in 10 school districts where EDI results have identified reduced vulnerabilities. These school districts applied to be part of the study, as each believed that newly-implemented early childhood development (ECD) programs were responsible for the improved EDI results.
The study uses narrative to document promising program practices and their perceived impact on families, child development and social issues; it provides evidence of effective practice through participatory and reflective methodologies resulting in new insights for policy makers in school districts and communities.
Since the Early Development Instrument (EDI) was implemented in British Columbia in 2001, many early learning initiatives have been undertaken with significant financial investment and intersectoral coalition effort.
School districts have become involved in community coalitions by co-operatively planning and implementing new programs.
Government has funded innovative school initiatives and extended the education mandate to include children from birth to age five.