HALIFAX: Funding from the federal and provincial governments is aimed at opening up more child care opportunities.
In a press release issued on June 1, the governments of Canada and Nova Scotia announced that 1,500 new licensed early learning and child-care spaces will be created across the province by Dec. 31. This includes 1,250 through not-for-profit centres, with the remaining spaces through new home-care providers through seven licensed family home child care agencies, they noted.
The new spaces are funded through the $29-million invested this year in child-care space expansion under the Canada-Nova Scotia Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, the governments said, noting they are being created at 45 not-for-profit centres and seven family home child care agencies.
Lynette MacLeod, a spokesperson for the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, emailed The Reporter that the new Family Home Care spaces include the Cape Breton Family Place serving the counties of Richmond, Victoria and Inverness, and the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, as well as the Family Home Child Care Society which includes the counties of Pictou, Antigonish, Guysborough.
“The Cape Breton Family Place Family Home Child Care Agency will expand by 12 new home providers into regions across the island, including in Inverness, which is a first for that area for licensed care,” she wrote. “The Family Home Child Care Society is expanding to include 12 new home providers, including an expansion in Guysborough, which is a first for licensed care in the area. Other homes will be located in Pictou, Antigonish and Sheet Harbour.”
MacLeod explained that Family Home Child Care is operated in a home by a person who is approved and managed through a licensed family home child care agency.
“Essentially, it offers parents additional choice in who provides care for their child (or children) with the additional layer of benefits offered through licensing; for example, monitoring to ensure standards are met including health, safety, and wellbeing, and eligibility for subsidies and fee reductions,” she noted. “It also allows for licensed care to be established in communities where the population or needs of the community wouldn’t support a larger centre.”
As for new child care spaces, the Maritime Muslim Academy in Antigonish can create from 21 to 30 spaces, while the Nova Scotia Community College Strait Area Campus, is among the sites, according to MacLeod.
“The NSCC Nautical campus is opening a new site at its campus in Port Hawkesbury with 22 spaces, including 10 for infants.”
The governments said families using the new spaces will receive the 50 per cent reduction that will take effect by the end of 2022, as well as the same 25 per cent fee reduction as those using existing licensed child care. They explained that through the Canada-Nova Scotia Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, fees for licensed child-care spaces were reduced by 25 per cent, on average, retroactive to Jan. 1. They said the 25 per cent reduction is an initial step in reducing child care fees for Nova Scotian families by 50 per cent, on average, by the end of 2022, and in achieving an average of $10 per day child care by March 31, 2026.
“An increase in licensed child-care spaces means more child-care options that are high-quality, affordable and offer families peace of mind,” said Becky Druhan, Nova Scotia’s Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development.
The governments said that an expression of intent was issued in October to not-for-profit providers looking to expand, and projects were evaluated based on community need, population growth, organizational capacity, and the use of existing infrastructure and partnerships.
“Every child deserves the best start in life. These additional licensed child-care spaces will allow more Nova Scotia children and families across the province to access high-quality, affordable, flexible and inclusive early learning and child care,” added Karina Gould, federal Minister of Families, Children and Social Development.