10 Reasons to Choose Quality Early Learning and Child Care

Expert knowledge Early childhood educators are experts in child development and are trained to create inspiring learning environments!
Intentionality Early childhood educators provide your child the gift of time and attention. They will stop and explore the new flowers or jump in the mud puddles with your child.
Young at heart Early childhood educators know how to have fun! They’re not afraid to be silly and laugh with your child; all while nurturing your child’s creativity and helping to build their self-confidence.
Setting limits Every child needs reasonable boundaries, such as no playing ball inside. Early childhood educators set limits and support families in doing the same.
Love of literacy Early childhood educators read and tell stories, sing songs, and do puppet shows to inspire a love of language and to build early literacy skills.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Confidence boost Early childhood educators provide safe opportunities for your child to be independent and to become confident in their personality and decision making skills.
Inspired learning Early childhood educators ask open-ended questions to inspire creative thought and curiosity, to encourage children to explore, and to make learning fun.
Life skills Early childhood educators use their expertise to develop programs that use play as a tool for teaching math, literacy, science and essential life skills that last for life!
Making friends Early childhood educators are educated to appropriately support children to gain social skills, which are so important in making friends and developing positive relationships!
Helping hand Everyone gets stumped by parenting from time to time - juggling schedules, demands, and behaviours. When it gets tough and you need someone to talk to, reach out to your child’s early childhood educator!
Professional, Certified, Licensed.

Helping PEI families make the early years count
Français
Educators
Families
Handle with Care

News : Details

Update on National Child Care Program (via CCCF)

February 26th, 2016


The ECDA works closely and maintains frequent contact with our national counterparts through the Canadian Child Care Federation (CCCF). Here is a recent update:

 

CCCF Member Council and Affiliates:

News from the Federal-Provincial-Territorial (FPT) Minister’s meetings on February 4-5/16 in Edmonton has been relatively sparse since federal Minister Duclos announced, at the conclusion of the meetings, that they were on the fast track to building a national child care program.  Attempting to obtain more information and clarification as to what the Minster meant and what happened at the FPT meetings has taken some time. However, we were successful in getting some info on what is happening and how the FPT Ministers intend on moving forward on child care. Clearly, as you will read below, there are many questions still to be answered, but it is positive in that they are moving forward and are working towards federal policy and a framework for Canadian children.   

Below, are several items of information for you. As noted, there are many more questions to be answered and much clarification needed, but this will give you a sense of what is happening and how a possible national child care system is moving forward.

  • There has been a FPT working group on child care created with PEI Minister of Education, Early Learning and Culture, The Hon. Doug Currie taking the lead.Additionally, officials from the provinces and territories whose responsibility it is to work on FPT agreements and transfers are working on it from their level. At this time, we do not know who else is on the working group or what their specific time line for reporting is.
  • The Shared Framework, which all of the child care organizations would have received, is known to the FPT Minsters as it was in their briefing packages, but what impact or influence it will have on ongoing work and planning is not known. However, from the FPT Minister’s meetings it was clear that they are working towards broad policy principles rather than specific policies. Further, they want all provinces and territories included with no one left out, so the policies will be reflective of that inclusion. They also recognize that every jurisdiction in Canada has created child care policy and programs and want to be respectful of that work and evolution. 
  • To the point above, they want to create a policy framework in which all prov’s/terr’s see themselves in it and recognize that there has already been work done that reflects the broad based principles approach, namely 2005’s bi-lateral agreements based on the QUAD principles (as a reminder: Quality Universal Accessible Developmental). To be clear, this is not to say that they will simply rehash the bilateral agreements or that the QUAD principles will resurface, but they recognize that this approach worked then and a similar approach may work again.
  • There continues to be two ways that the federal government will move forward on child care. In the short-term, the social infrastructure fund could be used to immediately support the sector in some way. However, there is not a lot of information on this other than the fact that child care is a part of the fund. You will recall from earlier communication that the CCCF and the national partners (CRRU, CCAAC, Campaign 2000) recommended to Minister Duclos that this fund be used to immediately support the child care workforce and affordability issues for families. Our hope is that there will be funds for the same in this year’s federal budget. The longer-term work, which is what the FPT working group is tasked with, is the policy framework. Again, while we do not have a specific timeline, the feeling is that this work will be done sooner rather than later. The Minster’s all agreed that it is a priority to get this done as soon as they can. It is also felt that national orgs, such as the CCCF and the other national partners may be involved someway/somehow in this work. 

Moving forward, we will continue to work with all of you and our national partners in obtaining and passing on as much information as we can. I want to specifically thank Pat Wege from MCCA for her continued work, partnership and determination to help us all learn more.

If you learn anything further from any meetings or contact with your provincial/territorial officials and/or Ministers, please let us know.

I welcome your questions and comments.

Don Giesbrecht
CEO/PDG
Canadian Child Care Federation/
Fédération canadienne des services de garde à l’enfance
700 Industrial Ave, Suite 600
Ottawa, ON K1G 0Y9
Direct Ph: 613-729-5289 ext 220

Cell: 204-223-9369

Tags: families, government, national child care, policy, news

Archive

Tags