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Children's independent mobility (CIM) is the freedom of children to move around their neighbourhood or community without adult supervision. The aim of this study was to explore experiences with CIM from the perspectives of children and their parents living in rural and remote areas of British Columbia, Canada. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 parent–child dyads or triads (45 participants). Child participants aged 7–12 were invited to create and describe drawings, maps, or take images of their independent mobility. Artwork and interview transcripts were analysed following an inductive thematic approach and mapped to the social-ecological model. We developed four themes to describe rural and remote family perspectives on CIM: (1) natural places, spaces, and forces; (2) embracing informal and unstructured play destinations; (3) decision-making and knowing when they are ready; (4) neighbourhood and community environments. Children identified several environmental characteristics impacting their independent mobility including wildlife, seasonal weather patterns, and lack of destinations. Parents reported the environment of rural communities, including neighbourhood cohesiveness and people looking out for each other, as being supportive of CIM. To promote CIM in rural and remote areas, efforts should focus on providing education on wildlife encounters, creating safe and interesting destinations for play, and consider children's safety and connectivity in road design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about changes to the lives of families with young children. It has been associated with physical and psychological risk, yet the impact on younger children is poorly examined. The aim of this qualitative study was to examine how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the day-to-day life of parents of young children living in a small northern city in British Columbia, Canada. Ten mothers with children aged 0–5 years participated in a six-week longitudinal study between November 2020 and March 2021. This article presents data from entry and exit interviews that were analysed using Todorov's narrative theory. Three key themes were identified: (1) gaps in health services; (2) gaps in early childhood education and programs; and (3) changes to/lost social interactions. Limited opportunities to engage with providers caused frustration and left parents feeling disempowered or dissatisfied. Family support and well-being were negatively impacted by a loss in social connectivity. Despite unpredictability and worries about child development, most of the mothers found ways to cherish the time to 'stop and refocus'. Overall, the families evidenced resilience, despite a loss in relational habits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early childhood is a critical period of development for infants, young children, and their families. An array of services, programs, and interventions exist to support families during this life stage, often delivered by a diverse range of professionals. Overlap in early years services exists between healthcare, social care, childcare, education, and not-for-profit organizations. Such diversity in services has the potential to add a rich experience to early childhood development, or without collaboration, widen service gaps, risking providers' ability to meet the needs of families. Methods: In northern British Columbia (BC), Canada, a group of individuals came together to approach building relationships and engagement across sectors in early years services using compassionate systems leadership (CSL). A virtual summit was hosted with early childhood service providers including peer support workers and parents/caregivers using a hybrid model of pre-recorded asynchronous sessions combined with a live workshop. The purpose of the event was to find common ground, celebrate local success, and build understanding of how to work collaboratively across the region to identify and address early years priorities. Results: The event was successful in engaging 121 providers across early years services from a broad geographic region. Applying CSL principles for engagement allowed the team to examine how all partners could address silos in early years services across northern BC. Using a reflexive thematic approach, four key themes were identified at the Summit: (1) early years services are a patchwork but there are dreams of weaving a new blanket together, (2) an ideal model of service is family-centred and inclusive, (3) all sectors are needed at the table, and (4) compassion is the thread that weaves this work together. Conclusions: The application of CSL principles can be used to guide engagement and develop supportive spaces for open conversation about creating systems change. In facilitating a space that allowed for vulnerability and relational ways of engaging across sectors we discovered commitment and a willingness for those present to consider new ideas and partnerships that would allow for greater integration of early years services in northern BC. Plain English summary: For children aged zero to eight years old there are a wide range of community services geared to supporting health, pre-school education, and parenting skills and knowledge. Getting the right services at the right time in early childhood can make a major difference to a child's health and development and influence their physical and mental health outcomes into adulthood. We know there are individuals from a wide range of sectors working with families during early childhood. Sectors include the health system, education, government ministries, childcare centres, and community programs. Despite working with many of the same families, each sector's services are often seen as separate which means that the opportunity to develop shared, family centred goals can be missed. In northern British Columbia, Canada we hosted a virtual event with 121 people who work in roles that support children between the ages of zero to eight and their families living in smaller, more rural communities. Using a blend of pre-recorded videos and a live online workshop we drew together a community of providers to learn about the work they are doing. Specifically, we were interested in exploring ways in which we can improve working together to support positive early childhood experiences for children and their families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The early years (ages 0-8) is a critical stage of childhood development, supporting families during this time requires collective efforts across sectors. Siloed streams limit our ability to meet families' needs thereby missing opportunities to positively influence childhood outcomes. In northern British Columbia a small group of professionals completed training in Compassionate Systems Leadership (CSL). The CSL approach focuses on developing shared knowledge and cultural awareness to strengthen capacity to effectively progress systems change initiatives. Applying CSL with a wider community across northern BC allowed the team to examine how all partners could address silos in early years services. Aims Objectives Theory or Methods: A first step in applying CSL is to be culturally sensitive and actively relational with professionals working within early years services. In February 2021 we hosted a summit in northern BC, bringing together professionals across child and family serving sectors. The objectives were to find common ground, celebrate local work supporting children, and build on understanding priorities in the early years. Our five day event wove together Indigenous and western pedagogies, highlighting northern First Nation voices and cultural practices. The event used a hybrid model of pre-recorded asynchronous sessions with a concluding full day virtual workshop. Highlights or Results or Key Findings: Early years services were described as patchy and inconsistent. Critically, the burden of weaving together supports falls to primary caregivers, and across sectors it was acknowledged this created gaps in comprehensive early years services. Many communities worked hard to lessen fragmentation and participants described how relational ways of being helped co-create partnered supports. Participants acknowledged that working compassionately facilitated local initiatives which positively impacted the early years, yet gaps remained including the absence of health's engagement in work across the region. There was consensus that a holistic, culturally respectful, multidisciplinary team, which includes primary health care was needed to support the health and development needs of young children. Discussion focused on expanding hub models of care which exist in select northern communities. A clear message from the summit was a willingness for crosssector collaboration, and the development of an integrated approach to support families in the early years is required. Conclusions: In facilitating a safe space that allowed for vulnerability and relational ways of engaging across sectors we discovered commitment, interest, and a willingness for those present to consider new ideas and partnerships that would allow for greater integration of early years services in northern BC's rural contexts. Implications for applicability/transferability sustainability and limitations: Shifting from siloed work to integration across services is complex. Relational ways of being helped providers with this complexity, creating space to learn from each other, begin co-creation, and enhance partnerships. This was evident in early years services but is likely to apply in other service areas seeking integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Canada, the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives requires baccalaureate registered nurse education programs to deliver a generalist curriculum meeting entry-level competencies. To fulfill this requirement, nursing programs ensure the provision of practice opportunities for hands-on experience with patients of all ages through practicum. Current literature suggests the limited availability of clinical placement opportunities in pediatric settings. This may reduce the opportunity for nursing students to become acquainted with the unique needs of infants, children, and adolescents as part of their nursing education., Aim: This study aimed to explore students' and new graduates' experiences of acute and community pediatric clinical practicum as part of their British Columbia nursing education program., Settings, Participants, and Methods: This study utilized a qualitative descriptive approach. Fifteen online semi-structured interviews were conducted with thirteen undergraduate nursing students and two recent graduates. Participants in this study were distributed across the province of British Columbia, representing the North, the Interior, and the Lower Mainland. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis., Results: The key themes of relational practice and exposure to lived experiences (and their related subthemes) are explored in detail. Both themes encapsulate the importance that nursing students ascribe to the pediatric practicum experience as part of their nursing education., Conclusion: The result of this study deduced that the pediatric practicum experience provided nursing students with learning opportunities they may not get elsewhere such as: building relationships with children, adolescents, and their families within the context of care and developing awareness of the lived experiences of health and illness with each patient encounters. This unique perspective of nursing students may prove valuable for the planning and delivery of clinical learning in nursing education programs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Children's independent mobility (CIM) is the freedom of children to move around their neighbourhood without adult supervision and is closely related to overall physical activity participation. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted movement behaviours for children, with evidence indicating a decrease in physical activity. The aim of this study was to explore experiences of CIM and physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic from the perspectives of children and their parents. We completed 21 family (at least one parent and one child aged 7-12) semi-structured interviews with 45 participants living in small urban and rural areas of British Columbia, Canada. Three themes were identified through a reflexive thematic analysis: (1) keeping everyone safe from COVID-19; (2) change in pattern and types of activity; (3) social impacts with family, friends, and community. Participants expressed a perceived increase in unstructured activity and a decrease in structured physical activity during the pandemic, which many parents viewed as a positive change. Parents and children indicated negative feelings due to spending less time with peers and reflected positively about spending more time with family. Parents and children expressed fear and anxiety in trying to keep their families safe from virus spread and creativity in adapting play behaviours. Findings highlight the impact of the pandemic on social friendship networks for families and a shift in activity patterns for children toward unstructured play.