🌈 Offering an inclusive welcome to all children: our daycare center at the heart of the Quebec government's pilot project

Yasmine
Oct 21
3 min read

In September 2023, the Lachine Multi-Resource Centre (CMRL) had the privilege of being selected to participate in the Quebec government's pilot project aimed at encouraging the participation of children with specific needs in community daycare activities .

Since then, our daycare has transformed into a true laboratory of inclusion and social innovation, serving the children and families of Lachine.

🧩 Multiple needs, tailored welcome

Our project is aimed at four main profiles of children:

new arrivals ;
children who grew up in homes exposed to violence ;
children living in a situation of economic insecurity ;
and children with developmental disabilities .

To meet these needs, we have implemented:

a cycle of eight specialized training courses for the entire family team;
human support (a facilitator one day/week and an educator two days/week);
a multi-sensory room ;
and a strengthened partnership with the CLSC and several community organizations.

Welcoming and supporting newcomer children

More than 60% of the children we welcome come from asylum-seeking families. Their migratory journey, often marked by instability and disruption, makes integration more difficult. Thanks to funding from the call for projects, we received training on the intercultural approach and inclusion of children from immigrant backgrounds , which enabled us to:

make integrations more gradual;
integrate the cultural codes of children and parents into our routine;
and offer more time for discussion with families , in order to better understand their realities.

Our family worker also supports families in their procedures: social assistance, housing, registration at school or daycare, medical appointments, etc. These exchanges strengthen the relationship of trust , essential for welcoming children.

Stimulate language and the desire to learn

The majority of children grow up in a non-French-speaking environment. We have therefore developed new strategies to stimulate language and reading/writing , drawing inspiration from recognized training and resources:

increased reading time;
use of multilingual books to support multilingualism;
implementation of the “sandwich” method , alternating French and mother tongue;
creating an environment rich in writing and fun writing activities.

We also collaborate with GRAME as part of the Lecteurs en herbe program, which raises children's awareness of environmental protection through reading. These actions not only promote learning French, but also awaken curiosity and the pleasure of reading.

💜 Supporting children exposed to domestic violence

Another key training focused on the impact of domestic violence on children's development . We learned to:

make integrations more gradual;
adopt more benevolent reactions to crises;
and more accurately identify signs of distress.

Our partnership with Le Parados , an organization that helps women who are victims of domestic violence, has also been strengthened. Together, we now welcome children housed in a reception center, with appropriate and supportive support.

Supporting families in precarious situations

Thanks to the project's funding, 375 free respite care sessions were offered between January 2024 and January 2025. We kept the cost very low at $2.50 per half-day , while still providing healthy, homemade snacks every day. Our team also visited food banks to raise awareness of the daycare and reach more families.

Human support for personalized support

The addition of new professionals, including Marisol , our super educator, has allowed:

to reduce the educator/child ratio;
to offer individualized support ;
and to accommodate children with more significant developmental disabilities .

We have adapted our practices: pictograms, noise-cancelling headphones, “teepee” tents, emotion management equipment, etc. This personalized support has enabled several families to regain balance , by reducing fatigue and psychological distress.

A solid partnership with the CLSC

Our ties with the CLSC de Lachine have been considerably strengthened.

The intellectual disability, ASD and physical disability teams now work closely with us: they participate in integrations, come to observe the children and advise us on how to adapt our approaches.

This interdisciplinary collaboration guarantees better monitoring of children and consistency in interventions.