Every child deserves the opportunity to learn, develop and reach their full potential. But for some children in the Cayman Islands, the foundations needed to achieve that are not being established early enough.
That is the message behind the second annual LIFE Literacy Conference, taking place at Hotel Indigo, Grand Cayman on Saturday, 7 November.
The event, organised by non-profit organisation LIFE Cayman, will bring together educators, parents, health professionals, businesses and community leaders to examine the importance of early childhood development and how the wider community can help improve literacy levels.
This year’s theme is ‘Early childhood: Shared responsibility. Shared success.’
A year of progress – and continuing challenges
A key part of the conference programme will be a new discussion paper examining developments in early childhood education over the past year, identifying progress made as well as challenges that continue to affect children and families.
At the inaugural event in November 2025, KPMG presented ‘From play to progress: Strengthening early childhood education in the Cayman Islands’, a report commissioned by LIFE that examined the sector and identified opportunities for improvement.
One year on, LIFE has brought together stakeholders from education, early childhood provision, specialist services and other sectors to revisit the report’s findings.
The resulting paper, ‘From play to progress: One year on’, will be presented by LIFE executive director Erica Dell’Oglio.
It highlights reported improvements in practitioner training, local qualifications, developmental screening and collaboration, but also identifies continuing concerns around affordability, workforce retention, access to specialist services and coordination of support for children and families.
Dell’Oglio said the conference was intended to turn greater understanding of early childhood development into practical action.
“We know how important the early years are in shaping a child’s future, but understanding that is only the starting point,” she said in a press release.
“This conference is about what we do with that knowledge, how we support families and educators, how we address gaps in services and how we work together to give every child the opportunity to thrive.”
Building the foundations for lifelong learning
Founded in 2012, LIFE – which stands for Literacy Is For Everyone – works to improve literacy levels across the Cayman Islands, with a particular focus on early childhood.
While the 2021 Census reported that 98.6% of people aged 10 and older in the Cayman Islands could read and write, LIFE says national figures can mask the challenges facing children who are falling behind.
The organisation points to the period from birth to age eight as crucial in establishing the foundations of literacy, warning that children who fall behind during these formative years can struggle to catch up without timely and targeted support.
Improving literacy, it argues, is about more than academic achievement. Strong literacy skills can strengthen family relationships, widen future opportunities and help children reach their potential, while failing to address early difficulties risks perpetuating cycles of disadvantage.
Why businesses have a role to play
This year’s conference aims to broaden the discussion beyond education, with Dell’Oglio emphasising the importance of involving businesses and the wider community.
“Early childhood development matters to everyone, including our business community,” she said.
“The children we invest in today are Cayman’s future workforce, leaders and parents.”
She said there was already good work taking place across the community, but the conference would provide an opportunity to have honest conversations about remaining challenges and establish a stronger sense of shared responsibility.
Actor and author Grace Byers to deliver keynote address
The programme will feature award-winning Caymanian-American actor, advocate and No 1 New York Times bestselling author Grace Byers, who will deliver a keynote address titled ‘Every child has a voice’.
Other speakers include Dr Laurence van Hanswijck de Jonge of KidsAbility, presenting ‘Building the brain: Why the earliest years shape a lifetime’; Paul Byles of FTS Cayman Islands, exploring the economic case for early intervention in ‘Investing early: The economics of opportunity’; and minister for education and training Rolston Anglin, who will share the government’s perspective on early childhood education and development.
Two panel discussions, meanwhile, will explore the consequences of unmet early childhood needs and the responsibilities of different sectors in supporting children.
LIFE’s work beyond the conference
For LIFE, improving literacy requires action well beyond a single conference.
The organisation runs several programmes aimed at supporting children and families at different stages of their development.
This includes, Thrive by Five, which builds early literacy foundations through classroom libraries, educator training and parent workshops, and Paired Reading, where children receive one-to-one reading support from volunteers.
LIFE also raises awareness through community partnerships, events and waiting-room libraries, and provides professional development for educators.
Closing the literacy gap through community support
As a non-profit organisation, LIFE relies on donations, volunteers, sponsors and community partnerships to sustain and expand this work.
Members of the public can support its mission by donating books, volunteering their time or making financial contributions. Businesses and organisations are also encouraged to explore partnerships with LIFE.
The LIFE Literacy Conference is free to attend, thanks to the support of sponsors including the Ministry of Education and Training, Charles and Sian Jennings, Health City Cayman Islands, Cayman Independent Ltd, CG Britcay, Heritage Holdings Group of Companies and Merrill Lynch Bank and Trust Cayman Islands.
Registration for this year’s event has closed following a strong response.
More information about LIFE’s programmes and ways to support its work is available at life.org.ky
