For Early Learning &
Childcare Centres
GRIT Programs
Connecting Canada
Connecting Canada by GRIT strengthens the early learning and care workforce across the country to deliver high-quality, multilingual inclusive programs promoting the social and emotional well-being of all children.
Access, Support and Participation
ASaP (Access, Support and Participation) partners with licensed childcare programs to implement inclusive practices across their entire site. Teams engage in professional learning, coaching and leadership development to create high-quality, inclusive environments for all children.
ICC by GRIT provides intensive coaching and brief supports for early childhood educators (ECE’s) and program leadership teams (directors, supervisors, staff) to build skill, capacity and confidence for successfully supporting meaningful participation and engagement in everyday life for children in early learning and care.
Coaching & Support for up to 6 months
ICC by GRIT uses an evidence-based social emotional framework to provide early learning and child-care programs with short-term coaching and professional learning to strengthen the educator’s skills and confidence to support the meaningful participation and inclusion of children with disabilities in their care.
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How it works:
The ICC program provides a range of short-term, intensive resources and supports to licensed child care programs that include:
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access to on-site, evidence-based consultation to support inclusive program delivery and/or guidance for individualized strategies
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training and professional development delivered with coaching supports to promote capacity building of inclusive practices
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access to funding for short-term engagement supports and resources to support knowledge and skill development
*ICC by GRIT serves ELCCs in Edmonton and North Central Alberta
*ICC is funded by the Government of Alberta’s Ministry of Jobs, Economy and Trade
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ASaP (Access, Support and Participation) partners with licensed childcare programs to implement inclusive practices across their entire site. Teams engage in professional learning, coaching and leadership development to create high-quality, inclusive environments for all children.
Coaching & Support for up to two years
Programs commit to becoming a long-term learning partner, with support offered for up to two years.
How it works:
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ASaP uses a professional learning series and on-site coaching for educators and program leadership teams to adopt the Pyramid Model Framework and learn new professional practices.
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Teams are introduced to data-based decision making with evidence-informed tools. Site leadership teams engage in professional learning, coaching and professional development.
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Teams will intentionally target social-emotional learning, embedded curriculum frameworks, cultural recognition and trauma-informed care. ASaP's framework brings together all of the inclusive practices, from universal to individualized, to ensure that all children are meaningfully included.
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These inclusive practices include nurturing children’s social and emotional development, how to prevent and respond to challenging behaviour, and leadership development to create an inclusive policy to guide the creation of a high-quality inclusive Early Learning and Childcare program and to sustain change over time.
ASaP is administered by GRIT in Edmonton, Alberta and is available for ELCCs across Alberta.
For more information about ASaP program activities including professional learning opportunities, coaching, leadership development and research outcomes visit
*ASaP is funded by the Government of Alberta’s Ministry of Jobs, Economy and Trade
Learn more about the Pyramid Model Framework
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GRIT supports leaders within the early learning sector to address the urgent need to strengthen the workforce. Our guidance helps fill in the gaps when it comes to providing inclusive child care for children with disabilities.
GRIT helps early childhood educators across Canada connect through shared knowledge and practices to promote inclusion and the social and emotional well-being of children.
Professional development on evidence-informed frameworks provided by GRIT helps organizations explore new ways of working with early childhood educators to build their knowledge, skills and confidence to better serve children with disabilities and their families.
How it works:
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GRIT partners with organizations in twelve provinces and territories and provides professional learning on the evidence-based Pyramid Model (Version Française) and Practice-Based Coaching frameworks.
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GRIT provides walk-along support to organizations partnering with early learning centres in their region to co-create high-quality, inclusive environments that meet the diverse needs of all children.
*Connecting Canada is funded by the Government of Canada’s Early Learning and Childcare Innovation Program