Early childhood care and development programs as hook and hub for community development: Promising practices in first nations

Abstract

This report traces a year-long investigation into how Lil'wat Nation, Tl'azt'en Nation, and six First Nations of the Treaty 8 Tribal Association built their capacity to deliver early childhood care and development programs rooted in their own cultures and languages. Working with the University of Victoria's School of Child and Youth Care, these communities trained members through a two-year post-secondary program and went on to establish child-care and Aboriginal Head Start services on reserve. Four years after training ended, nearly all graduates were working in their home communities, and every program had grown, with waitlists and plans for expansion. The report follows what made these transitions succeed, from community-driven training design to long-term investment and strong governance. It also outlines the "hook and hub" model, where childcare draws families in and then connects them to wider health, cultural, and social supports, offering promising practices for other Indigenous communities pursuing similar goals.