Our philosophy for early childhood development is centred on the Early Learning Framework.  We emphasize a holistic approach that encompasses the whole child and recognizes the importance of the child’s individuality, cultural background, and unique strengths. We intentionally incorporate a collaborative approach that includes educators, families, and communities in the support of children’s learning and development.

Berry Family Child Care Society establishes meaningful, collaborative relationships within our community, through shared knowledge, in order to create an inclusive program where all children are accepted and celebrated, and their unique characteristics are honoured.  These successful relationships provide the foundation to observe, collaborate, and grow as educators in order to maintain a high-quality early year learning program.  

We are committed to incorporating play as a crucial medium for children’s exploration, creativity, and problem-solving.  We create play-based learning environments to provide opportunities for children to engage in hands-on activities, make choices, and interact with peers, fostering their social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development.  We value a child’s innate curiosity and encourage the use of open, flexible materials.  We observe, document, and share children’s experiences daily. This inquiry practice promotes collaboration between children, educators, and parents, and values the child as a competent and active participant in their own learning.

We provide a setting and activities for children to explore their interests, ask open ended questions, and seek answers through investigation and discovery. This approach supports critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and a deep understanding of concepts by allowing children to actively engage with their environment and construct their own knowledge.  Using open-ended questions, we invite children to go deeper in their exploration and we respond to their interests with further opportunities to learn about themselves, others, and the world around them.

We recognize and celebrate that all children have unique strengths, abilities, and interests. We provide opportunities for children to excel in areas that they are passionate about. This pursuit of personal interests and passions fosters self-esteem, confidence, and nurtures a positive self-identity.

We welcome and intentionally integrate cultural diversity within our program, as we believe that children and their families benefit from learning about one another.  We believe community members with culturally diverse backgrounds, their children, and families are integral participants in early childhood development.  We incorporate culturally responsive practices which include valuing cultural perspectives, traditions, and languages, and creating inclusive learning environments that celebrate diversity.  We invite family members to share their cultural heritage through storytelling, music, art, and dance. We value and respect the Indigenous communities of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Na​tion and Tsleil-Waututh Nation on which our Berry Family Child Care Centres reside. We believe in the First Peoples Principles of Learning and the wisdom of knowledge keepers and incorporate them into our programming and conversations with our children and families to establish a deeper understanding of Indigenous values and culture.

We believe that strong and positive relationships with caregivers, educators, and peers are fundamental to a child’s development. Fostering secure attachments, empathy, and effective communication skills lays the foundation for emotional well-being, social competence, and a sense of belonging in children.