What is Understanding the Early Years?
Understanding the Early Years (UEY) is a national initiative that enables communities across Canada to better understand the needs of their young children and families so that they can determine the best programs and services to meet those needs. To date, there are 37 UEY communities across Canada.
Objectives of UEY 
- Strengthen connections within the community by accessing and using quality information gained at the local level. Information gathered will help us make decisions that will enhance our children's lives.
- Encourage and enable community members to work together to address the needs of our children.
UEY in Our Community
Locally, the UEY project is operating in Pictou, Antigonish and Guysborough counties. Staff hired for the project includes a Community Coordinator and Researcher who work in partnership with early-years programs and services to explore and celebrate locally developed and delivered programs.
Kids First Association
 Kids First Association is the sponsoring organization for the UEY project. As a family resource centre, Kids First offers programs and services to families with children ages 0-6 years in Pictou, Antigonish and Guysborough Counties. With over 1000 families participating in programs, Kids First plays a significant role in service delivery to families and children in our communities.
Community Coalition
The Community Coordinator and the Sponsoring Organization report and receive feedback from a local advisory committee called the Regional Collaboration Team. Partners in support of the UEY Initiative represent: family resource programs, non-profit day care, private licensed day care, regional school boards, public health service, Network for Children and Youth, Nova Scotia Department of Community Services, public library, training institutions and Nova Scotia Early Intervention.
UEY Timelines
 Year One: Community Mapping
Using specialized computer software and GIS (Geographic Information Software) tools, local maps are created that represent the availability and distribution of community resources.
- Represented resources include but are not limited to; health centres, preschool programs, family resource centres and recreation facilities.
- We can visually see existing early-years resources and determine whether they meet the needs of families and children for which they were designed to support.
Year Two: Community Research
 Two main research tools will be used to collect information and gain insight into the early years. The research helps the community better understand how our children are developing.
Early Development Instrument (EDI):
- A teacher assessment tool developed by the Offord Centre for Child Studies at McMaster University.
- It measures outcomes of early development as influenced by five readiness to learn domains. They include: physical health & well being; emotional maturity; social competence; language &cognitive development; and communication skills &general knowledge.
Parent Interviews and Direct Assessments of Children Survey (PIDACS):
- A survey based on a representative community sample of children in grade primary. Direct assessments look at receptive vocabulary, early literacy skills and number knowledge.
- The parent or person most knowledgeable of the child is interviewed.
Year Three: Community Action Plan
The evidence-based Community Action Plan is one of the most important products for UEY Pictou, Antigonish, Guysborough - it serves as our blueprint for addressing the needs of the young children in our community.
- Using the mapping and research reports, the Action Plan is developed by the Community Coordinator, Community Coalition and the Sponsoring Organization.
- What kinds of programs and services are needed to enhance the lives of our future generation? With solid research, invested partners, and committed community we'll be providing the best for our children.
As a UEY Community We Can
Create Goodness
We want to find out more about how children develop in the first six years of life. We believe that the more we know, the better we can do. The information gathered on how children play, learn and develop during the early years creates a knowledge base in the community. With this knowledge, we all become more invested in the success of our children.
Empower Families
An early-years community works together with families to strengthen community. Keeping in mind that parents are the most influential teachers of young children, we want to collaborate with them as supportive partners and encouraging voices. We want to ensure that the services available are being promoted and utilized by the families for whom they are created. When parents feel strong, able and supported, the young children in those families feel the same and they bring forth their attitudes into the community.
Build it Better
Collecting data and acquiring information helps us to determine how well we are doing as an early-years community. Our successes can be celebrated and our weaknesses will be strengthened. As an Understanding the Early Years community, we can help the birth-to-six-years population reach their full potential. We'll strive to create change that will keep the goodness growing for all members in our community.
To learn more about the UEY Initiative in your area, contact:
Kim Perrin
Community Coordinator
Understanding the Early Years Pictou, Antigonish and Guysborough
Kids First Association
902.755.5437
902.759.0299
kperrin@paguey.ca
The Understanding the Early Years Initiative is funded by Human Resources and Social Development Canada. For more information, visit www.hrsdc.gc.ca
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