Frequently Asked Questions

• What is UEY?
• Where is UEY?
• What information does UEY collect?
• What is the duration of each UEY initiative?
• How are UEY initiatives connected to their communities?
• How is UEY managed?
• What are the objectives of the Cumberland UEY initiative?
• How do I contact the Cumberland UEY Office?

UEY (Understanding the Early Years) is a research initiative sponsored by Human Resources and Social Development Canada. UEY works with schools, families, and communities to collect data on:

• kindergarten (Grade Primary in Nova Scotia) students' readiness to learn at school
• family and community factors that influence child development
• community resources available to support young children and their families

After data analysis is completed, UEY shares reports on students' readiness to learn at school with the community coalition and allied agencies. These reports are community-level reports and do not contain information on individual children. They are intended to provide community agencies with information that can be used for data-based decision-making, resource allocation, and advocacy on behalf of children and families.

UEY was introduced as a pilot project in North York, Ontario in 1999, and then expanded to include 11 additional pilots, including sites in Hampton, N.B. and Prince Edward Island.

Twenty-one new UEY communities were announced in fall, 2005:

• Nova Scotia: 3 sites - Cumberland County; Halifax West and Area; and Western Nova Scotia (Annapolis Valley)
• New Brunswick: 1 site - Greater Saint John
• Quebec: 2 sites - YALDEI, Montreal; Pointe-de- l'Ile, Montreal
• Ontario: 7 sites - Northumberland County; Milton; Lower Hamilton; Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton County; Northern Region of Ontario; Ottawa; and, Niagara Region
• Manitoba: 1 site - Lorette, Division scolaire franco-manitobaine
• Saskatchewan: 1 site - Northeast Saskatchewan
• British Columbia: 6 sites - North Shore; Campbell River; Sunshine Coast; Okanagan Similkameen; Mission; & Greater Victoria

UEY collects several types of information:

• Kindergarten teachers (Grade Primary in Nova Scotia) rate each child across 5 domains using a population-level checklist called the Early Development Instrument (EDI)*. The EDI assesses:
  • physical health and well-being
  • social competence
  • emotional health and maturity
  • language and cognitive development
  • communication skills and general knowledge
  The EDI is not intended for individual assessment; it is used to monitor the school preparedness of populations of children. It requires 10-20 minutes per child.
• An independent contractor conducts the Parent Interviews and Direct Assessments of Children Survey (PIDACS)*. They select a random sample of Grade Primary children, administer a brief assessment of the children, and conduct standardized phone interviews with their parents. The interview format is an adaptation of the parent questionnaire from the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth.
• Information is obtained on the physical and socio-economic characteristics of the neighbourhoods in which young children live & the types and locations of programs and services available for the children and their families. This information is used to develop a community mapping report.

*Confidentiality is respected

The duration is 3 years. The Cumberland UEY initiative began in November, 2005, and will end in October, 2008.

In each community, UEY is sponsored by a local non-profit agency with an interest in early child development. Each UEY initiative is also supported by a pre-existing community coalition comprised of agencies and individuals concerned with the well-being of families and young children. UEY also works closely with regional school boards.

The Cumberland UEY sponsor is Cumberland Mental Health Services (CMHS). CMHS operates under the auspices of the Cumberland Health Authority, and is responsible for delivery of a continuum of mental health services for families and children, including health promotion, community education, and advocacy. As the UEY sponsor, CMHS is responsible for administration of the contribution agreement, liaison with Human Resources and Social Development Canada, and the hiring and supervision of the UEY coordinator.

The Cumberland UEY community coalition is the Healthy Beginnings Working Group. Healthy Beginnings was initiated in April, 2003, to guide implementation of the Healthy Beginnings program in Cumberland County. This program is a component of the Early Childhood Initiative led by the Nova Scotia Department of Health: Public Health Promotion Division. The Healthy Beginnings community coalition is comprised of representatives from many agencies, including: Public Health, Early Intervention, Mental Health Services, Family and Children's Services, Department of Community Services, the Pediatric/Obstetrics unit of the Cumberland Regional Health Care Center, Maggie's Place Family Resource Center, Nova Scotia Community College, Addictions' Services, and preschool and daycare programs across Cumberland County. As the community coalition for the Cumberland UEY initiative, Healthy Beginnings facilitates liaison with community agencies, advises UEY staff, and provides ongoing support for the conduct of the UEY initiative.

The Chignecto Family of Schools includes thirteen elementary schools located in towns and rural communities across Cumberland County. The Chignecto Family is one of four families of schools operated by the Chignecto Central Regional School Board which administers 90 schools across four Nova Scotia counties. The Chignecto Family of Schools is a vital partner in the UEY initiative. Their administrators and teachers work in partnership with UEY staff to conduct student assessments, share results, and collaborate in the development of a community action plan.

Each UEY site is managed by a coordinator . The UEY coordinator is responsible for coordination of data collection, completion of a community mapping study, sharing and interpreting report information, collaborating with agencies on the development of a community action plan, and ensuring the timely completion of deliverables as outlined in the contribution agreement with the Government of Canada.

In Cumberland County, the coordinator position is shared by Joan Beswick, Research Coordinator (50%) and Carol Oram, Community Coordinator (50%).

In keeping with the UEY mandate, the main goals of the Cumberland UEY initiative are to:

• increase public awareness of the importance of the early years in ensuring children are ready to learn at school
• develop the understanding that improving outcomes for children requires attention not only to the skills and abilities of children, but also to their families, schools, and communities.
  
  Objectives to accomplish this task include:
  
  
  • assessing the skills of Grade Primary students in all Cumberland elementary schools
  • sharing and interpreting reports of students' readiness to learn at school
  • discerning strengths and weakness in students' readiness to learn at school
  • documenting existing services for families and young children
  • working with the community coalition to determine the adequacy of existing services
  • collaborating with the coalition and other community agencies to facilitate the development of a community action plan to address identified service needs
  • presenting to and educating multiple audiences on the critical impact of the early years on the academic and life trajectories of children
  • writing articles for local media and for more widely disseminated journals and magazines.

Carol Oram, M.Ed., Community Coordinator: carol.oram@cha.nshealth.ca

Joan Beswick, Ph.D., Research Coordinator: joan.beswick@cha.nshealth.ca