Cayley’s educational advocacy spans across many areas of social and environmental justice, including Indigenous and 2SLGBTQIA+ rights. Additionally, Cayley has worked with many non-profit organizations on projects aimed at demonstrating the need for inclusive childcare and support services for young people across BC.
Disability and neurodivergence
With AutismBC, Cayley led the research team that surveyed 1500 families across so-called British Columbia, culminating in a published report on proposed Family Connection Centres from participants’ perspectives. Mixed-method survey results were shared in the report contributing to the NDP government’s reversal of the proposed funding model, which families felt would jeopardize already carefully-arranged and difficult-to-obtain services for their children with various support needs.
To read a summary or the report in full, click here: https://www.autismbc.ca/fccreport/
Child care
With the Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC (CCCABC), Cayley’s research contributions culminated in another report directed at government policy on a universal child care system. Working with other advocates, including Sharon Gregson, Lynell Anderson, Aryanna Chartrand, and Eric Swanson, the report outlined 30 recommendations for implementing flexible, non-standard hours of child care in BC. For the $10aDay program to be meaningfully supported by government, more diverse child care options and updates to licensing are required to meet the needs of contemporary working families.
To read the report in full, click here: https://www.10aday.ca/flexible
Indigenous allyship
Cayley spent 2.5 years as an instructor, practicum supervisor, and Program Manager at Native Education College (NEC) in Vancouver, BC. During this time, Cayley taught and co-designed the curriculum and courses for pre-service Early Childhood Educators (ECEs), both in the Basic and Post-Basic programs (Infant Toddlers and Special Needs). Cayley is ever grateful for all the teachings they received from students like Shannon, as well as colleagues, mentors, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, friends, fellow ECEs, partnering Indigenous organizations, and community members while they worked in the NEC Longhouse.
Cayley is always vocal online and in-person about honouring Treaties and Indigenous rights to land, livelihood, and language. Moving between the unceded territories of BC and Treaty 7 land of Southern Alberta, Cayley recognizes that there is much left for them to re/un/learn within the settler-colonial context of so-called Canada, and maintains that Indigenous Peoples are the authorities on their own sovereignty and governance. Cayley also believes that it is important for all children to accept, reflect, and learn about these things with openness and criticality, too.
To read Cayley’s op-ed about the invasion of Wet’suwet’en territory, click here.
2SLGBTQIA+ rights
As a queer educator, Cayley’s work with children, families, and other teachers is centred on amplifying the voices and presence of those with rainbow identities. Along with grassroots advocacy through providing community support, attending marches, and guest speaking in university classrooms and on podcasts, Cayley has multiple publications that provide myriad ways for educators to disrupt gender binaries within their own teaching practices. To read these publications, please click here.
Cayley also offers a professional development workshop for teachers to think critically with 2SLGBTQIA+ picture books about gender nonconformity. To find out more about this workshop, or to register, please click here.
“Most recently I worked with Cayley on a multi-year child care research project. Cayley was initially responsible for conducting and summarizing key informant interviews. She went on to provide a review and suggest edits to the draft of the final project report. I found her to be thorough, conscientious, knowledgeable, and absolutely to deliver what she says she will, when she says she will. I would work with Cayley again anytime.”