Excerpt: "A stronger emphasis on math and literacy in the early grades is one of the initiatives parents and students will see next September from a new five-year education action plan."
Excerpt: "Child-care providers throughout B.C. can now apply for the second phase of major capital funding under the B.C. Early Years Strategy, which will create 1,000 new licensed child-care spaces in 2015-16. These spaces are in addition to the 1,006 new child-care spaces government announced Nov. 2014."
Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Karen Casey announced Jan. 20, the government will address four key areas of early intervention to improve services to children and their families. The four areas are: improving access to early intervention for families; strengthening early intervention programs across the province; supporting and developing the early intervention workforce; aligning early intervention programs with the early years system and the public school system.
Starting January 2015, Ontario is implementing a wage increase of $1 per hour for eligible child care workers in the licensed child care sector. Another wage increase is set for next year.
The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development wants to ensure Nova Scotia child-care operators have quality programs in place that meet the needs of all children to help them reach their full potential," said Education and Early Childhood Development Karen Casey.
To help make child care more affordable for parents, the Provincial Government is launching a voluntary Operating Grant Program. Through a total investment of $9.7 million, an annual operating grant will be given to eligible licensed child care centres to help offset some of the costs associated with providing child care.
Excerpt: "[December 2], Bill 10, the Child Care Modernization Act, 2014, passed third reading in the Ontario legislature. The legislation will strengthen oversight of the province's unlicensed child care sector and increase access to licensed child care options for families. In addition, it will allow the province to immediately shut down a child care provider when a child's safety is at risk."
A snapshot of children鈥檚 developmental health at school entry.
Excerpt: "鈥淚 am extremely pleased to expand our existing newborn screening program to ensure the early detection of even more conditions, including cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anemia,鈥 said the Minister. 鈥淚t will also mean better support and follow-up service will be in place for the improved health of Island children.鈥"
Excerpt: "鈥淥ur government has been building one of the best early learning and child-care systems in Canada. Today, I am happy to announce our government is continuing to build on that system by supporting a child-care expansion of up to 6,000 sq. ft. at Harrow School,鈥 said Bjornson. 鈥淓arly childhood education is critical for laying the foundation for Manitoba鈥檚 children to get a good start in life and child care gives parents the option to go back to work or return to school.鈥"
There are six key differences in the new act from the existing legislation. They are: The definitions of a 鈥渃hild care service鈥 and a 鈥渃hild care provider鈥 have been clarified and strengthened to outline specific exemptions to each definition; The capacity limit on a regulated child care licence has been removed which allows licensees to determine the scope of their service but does not impact quality of service for children; An appeals process for a licensing decision has been defined; The Minister, rather than the Lieutenant Governor in Council, will now appoint the Provincial Director of Child Care. The normal public service competition process will apply to that position; Regional managers will not be appointed as inspectors, providing transparency in the inspection process; and A statutory review will be required every five years, including a public consultation.
Excerpt: "Manitoba Government Introduces Important Legislation that Would Help Students Succeed in Early Years. The Manitoba government is investing $10 million this year and 64 per cent of classes have met the target of 20 students or fewer, Minister Bjornson said. Under the proposed legislation, Manitoba parents would also be able to go online to see class size number in kindergarten to Grade 3 in every school."
