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The province announced funds to relocate and expand a child care centre in Vita. The funding is part of the government's Family Choices, the province’s five-year early learning and child-care initiative.

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development released the 2011-2012 Annual Report.

Excerpt: "Since launching the Families First Agenda, the BC government has had the opportunity to engage with British Columbians from across the province. Through the website, face-to-face meetings and by using social media, we have received thoughtful comments and practical, useful advice on how to improve our programs, refocus our planning, and better orient government so that our significant yearly investments of taxpayer money make a positive difference in the lives of British Columbians. In the Families First Agenda, we were clear that work to support British Columbia’s children is an essential part of our plan to support families."

Excerpt: "This year’s Service Plan sees the ministry moving forward to improve the quality of programs delivered to children and their families across key service areas: Early Years; Services for Children and Youth with Special Needs; Child and Youth Mental Health; Child Safety, Family Support and Children in Care Services; Adoption Services and Youth Justice Services."

Presented by Kerry McCuaig at the Aga Khan Foundation Canada's "Action Today for Results Tomorrow: Public Policy for a Child’s Health," February 20, 2013.

The NL Premier unveiled a ten-year provincial child care strategy.

Presented by Zeenat Janmohamed & Kerry McCuaig.

Excerpt: "The Parti Québécois government unveiled how it will distribute 15,000 new $7-a-day daycare spaces across the province."

Excerpt: "The Ontario Government has undertaken a review of the administration of the Early Development Instrument (EDI), including how data are collected, analyzed and reported. An external consulting firm, Malatest & Associates, conducted the review with a final report due in December 2012. The purpose of this paper is not to inform the consultant’s work but to use the occasion of a review to broaden the discussion about the EDI. Our interest lies in maximizing its benefits. Only by understanding the critical underlying principles of the EDI can we then address the issue of its administration."

Presented by Kerry McCuaig, Atkinson Centre, OISE/UT.
Presented at Early Childhood Instrument (EDI): From Data to Action event on February 1, 2013.

This one-day event provided an opportunity to share experiences and plans on how to optimize the dissemination and use of early childhood development data to promote change and action.

The objectives were: To increase our knowledge of the related scope, limits and opportunities in order to enhance use of early childhood development data by a range of stakeholders: the general public, local groups and coalitions, advocates, regional, provincial and national decision-makers and the media. To share examples of effective use of early childhood indicators that led to action and change. To explore how early childhood indicators can be used in conjunction with other sources of data to mobilize stakeholders around planning (situational and needs analysis, priority-setting), implementation and action, as well as monitoring and evaluation.

Excerpt: "The task of creating coherence out of the province’s early years services took a step forward on January 23, 2013 with the release of the Ontario Early Years Policy Framework. It’s not the kind of document that gets media attention or stirs attention deep in the sector. The framework is about governance and while that isn’t as exciting as money or legislative change it is an essential forerunner if the latter are to be accomplished effectively."

Excerpt: "The Ontario Early Years Policy Framework builds on our collective progress and provides a vision for the early years to ensure children, from birth to age six, have the best possible start in life."