The Early Words program supports healthcare practitioners by facilitating the selection and distribution of culturally reflective and developmentally appropriate high-quality children’s books to families. This program provides healthcare professionals with linguistically and culturally reflective resources to share with families in their care, as well as an opportunity to connect families to additional community resources to deepen their at-home early literacy practices. Since 2020, Early Words has trained over 1,000 healthcare providers across Canada, providing foundational and customized early literacy training, training modules and professional development, as well as online tools and resources for healthcare providers and families. By September 2024, Early Words is positioned to reach 44,000 children through 95 clinics across Canada. Provincial and territorial public health units have expressed interest in working with the Canadian Children’s Literacy Foundation (CCLF) to support Early Words. In order to support jurisdictional programs, SRDC has been commissioned by CCLF to conduct an environmental scan on national strategic public health priorities relating to early literacy and broader health domains such as mental health, socio-emotional development, positive parenting, and social inclusion.
Published: December 2023
Capability: Policy Research
Policy Area: P-12 Education - Preschool
Population: Children