IT'S ALL
ABOUT THE
CHILDREN

STRATEGY FOR CHILDREN
FROM BIRTH TO AGE 8

In Québec, there are 800 000 children under the age of 8 and they make up one tenth of our population. Their names are Emma, William, Samira, Hubert, Justine. They are what their parents cherish most, their grandparents’ pride and joy. They are Québec’s future.

The Strategy

 

The It’s All About the Children strategy is a key part of the first ever Policy on Educational Success, aimed at providing Quebecers with support to help them learn, from early childhood through adulthood.

By 2022, the concrete measures outlined below are slated for implementation in all educational services in Québec:

Foster equal opportunity for all children

  • A range of organizations will offer a multitude of services to help parents stimulate their children’s development and prepare them for school.
  • More financial and human resources will be made available in educational services to help identify and assist children with particular difficulties.
  • Full-time kindergarten for four-year-olds will be available in disadvantaged areas throughout Québec.
  • Nearly 8 000 additional specialized resource persons will provide support to elementary schools throughout Québec.
  • Children’s basic needs will be met:
    • A daily nutritional breakfast will be provided to elementary school students from disadvantaged areas.
    • Preschoolers will be screened for vision problems.

Make sure that children up to age 8 transition smoothly from one educational setting to the next

  • Parents will be given an educational file to help them follow their child’s development, better identify the child’s difficulties and help the child smoothly transition between educational settings.
  • All four-year-olds in childcare will take part in orientation activities introducing them to their new school, which is key to ensuring successful school integration.
  • Children and parents will receive the necessary support during transitions to ensure intervention continuity and children’s well-being.

Support quality educational and pedagogical practices

  • All educational childcare centres will implement educational programs that satisfy the necessary requirements for fostering child development.
  • The quality of education in childcare services will be carefully assessed, and any necessary improvements made on an ongoing basis.
  • Small children will have access to better outdoor play areas, and four-year-olds to educational materials adapted to their needs.
  • Children in the new preschool cycle comprised of kindergarten for four-year-olds and kindergarten for five-year-olds will know their alphabet.
  • Educational childcare centre educators and school staff will have access to tools and training to assist them in their work.
  • There will be a special focus on helping immigrant children learn French.

Enable all children to acquire essential reading, writing and mathematics skills by the end of elementary 2

  • Preschoolers and Elementary Cycle One students will have access to more books suited to their different reading levels to help them learn.
  • Magazines for young children will be produced with input from Québec authors and illustrators of children’s literature to help children develop a love of reading.
  • Parents will have access to a digital platform to discuss and share educational content for developing children’s reading skills.
  • Parents of young children will be able to access family literacy programs in public libraries and emergent literacy programs in school libraries.
  • All children will develop solid reading skills by the end of Elementary Cycle One.

Support parents and foster the mobilization and cooperation of stakeholders in educational success

  • Interactive Web maps will permit families to readily locate the services designed for them.
  • Ongoing support will be provided to parents, especially those from immigrant backgrounds or in disadvantaged areas, to help them play an active role in their children’s educational success.
  • Family community organizations will be better equipped to support parents who need extra help to ensure their children realize their full potential.
  • Schools will be open to parents and the community, who will be actively involved in helping children succeed.