April 18, 2016
In 2012, Toronto City Council approved the Toronto Middle Childhood Strategy, which sets out the steps to build a system of high-quality, age-appropriate, out-of-school-time programs for children aged six to 12.
The middle childhood years are a critical period of development in the lives of children. This is the time when children develop important cognitive and social skills that will help them make the transition from childhood to adolescence. Quality after-school programs play a key role in helping children make these transitions as well as support children's health and well-being. More information about the middle childhood years is available at
http://ow.ly/4mKwV1.
With funding from Toronto Public Health's Healthy Communities Fund, a research project conducted by City of Toronto Children's Services resulted in the development of 10 quality standards, an inventory based on those standards and a support guide for after-school program operators. After a successful pilot in over 20 programs across the city, The School-age Quality Standards Inventory and Support Guide is now available at
http://www.toronto.ca/children/after-school. A TTC transit shelter campaign promoting this new tool runs from April 18 to May 15.
The quality standards include:
• sound leadership and staffing practices • quality interactions and relationships • a positive atmosphere • safe and healthy programming • well-being and healthy self-beliefs • quality programming • culturally responsive and inclusive approaches • well-integrated community partnerships • methods to evaluate effectiveness
"The School-age Quality Standards Inventory is just one more way that the City of Toronto demonstrates its leadership in advancing high quality in children's programming," said Councillor James Pasternak (Ward 10 York Centre), Chair of the Community Development and Recreation Committee. "These are at the forefront of research-based standards for school-age programs in Canada."
”One of the many benefits of this tool is that evaluation is integrated into each standard," said Elaine Baxter-Trahair, General Manager, Children's Services. "Program operators can identify their areas of strength and areas to improve, develop clear action plans, track their ongoing progress and then have an opportunity to reflect on any improvements they have made. This will allow anyone using the tool to continuously improve quality in their after-school programs."
Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can visit
http://www.toronto.ca, call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us @TorontoComms.
- 30 -
Media contact: Aggie Fortier, Strategic Communications, 416-397-5326, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
