Year: 2018 – Province: British Columbia
Certificate of Excellence Recipient
Qualicum First Nation Child Care Centre
303 Salish Way
Qualicum Beach, BC V9K 1Z5
Telephone: 250-757-8092
Website: Qualicum Child Care Centre
Type of setting: Child care centre for children ages 2 to 6 years
In the field for more than 30 years, Pam Moore has played all the roles there are to play in early childhood education. Now, she manages an on-reserve program for a First Nation, having built it up so attendance is near capacity and ensuring quality care by hiring more staff and professional resources.
Philosophy of care
Pam forms warm, caring and responsive relationships with children to help them develop trusting bonds with safe adults and learn to express emotions appropriately. Through her Aboriginal Culture in the Community program, Pam encourages all children's interest in and participation with Aboriginal culture, and teaches respect for difference.
Support of child development
- Shares Aboriginal culture using handmade kits that include toys, books, felt stories and activities on Aboriginal themes (Coast Salish; Music, Dance and Circle); acts as cultural advisor to schools, daycares and family programs that borrow the kits for a month at a time to share with children
- Secured access to Aboriginal speech and language therapist who works with the children at the centre once a week and connects with parents to help them continue improvements at home; engaged an outreach worker and elder to bolster culture content in centre programs
- Excels in helping children improve their behaviour and in supporting parents as they work to overcome obstacles and provide a consistent approach
- Pilot tested Aboriginal speech therapy program and is featured in its training videos; these have been used in four provinces for more than 15 years
Involvement with parents, families and the community
- Is tireless in her efforts to bring Aboriginal culture to the community by attending countless events and working with community groups to share cultural and art activities
- Responds to needs of families: the Words on Wheels bus now brings early years programs to two Aboriginal communities each week; the after-school care centre Pam is spearheading—including securing $500,000 in government funding—will provide 24 new spaces for working families
- Created a network for early childhood educators interested in incorporating Aboriginal content into their programs; holds annual professional development workshop on this topic at centre
- Received 2010 Child Care Award of Excellence from the B.C. Aboriginal Child Care Society
Rave reviews
"Because of her passion and dedication to sharing Aboriginal culture, thousands of children—both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal—are more accepting and feeling more accepted, are more knowledgeable of their own culture and the culture of their peers, have more understanding and have a positive sense of self."