Westbank First Nation is currently conducting a child care needs assessment, which is designed to better understand our early years programming and child care space needs. We know that within our community, there is a need for affordable, safe, and culturally appropriate child care as it supports early childhood health and education, which can greatly impact overall well-being and success of children throughout their lives. It also helps to provide the support that many parents need to return to work, pursue educational opportunities, or thrive in their communities.

Through community engagement and research, the assessment will provide a strong foundation for the future of early years programming within our community. This work is expected to be complete in the first half of 2021.

Background

In 2020, a Child Care Assessment and Action Plan was completed for the Central Okanagan and included participation from several municipalities including Kelowna, Lake Country, Peachland and West Kelowna. The action plan, called Care for Our Kids, outlined space creation targets for local communities over the next ten years and identified regional steps to achieve space creation goals.

The Westbank First Nation child care assessment has been designed to better understand Westbank First Nation’s child care needs, and to add the community’s perspective to the Care for Our Kids action plan.

What to Expect

There are several ways for the community to get involved in this process. Stay tuned for more information and to provide your feedback.

1. Complete the Survey

The survey (available here) will be open until February 16th. It will help us gather important information about the current needs of the community and the perspectives on different types of child care.

2. Join a Family Sharing Circle

We will be hosting a series of sharing circles to bring elders, parents, and other caregivers in the community together to understand their experiences and ideas about the future of child care for Westbank First Nation.

3. One-on-One Interviews

We will be interviewing current providers and parents to better understand the local child care system and its capacity. We will also be connecting with those who work with children on a regular basis.