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“Research tells us that children’s positive experiences in the first five years of life will have a lasting impact on later success in school, the workplace and many other aspects of life,” said Premier Pat Binns. “In order for Prince Edward Island to benefit from a community of productive and caring adults tomorrow, we must invest in nurturing our young minds and supporting their families today.”

The four key areas targeted by this investment will include:

1. Better Access and Affordability for child care programs - Beginning April 1, more low and middle income families will be eligible for child care subsidy, and families currently getting the subsidy will see a reduction in their (parent) contribution to child care.

2. Quality Licensed Child Care and Early Learning Environments - Government will support greater stability in the licensed child care sector by providing predictable, on-going funding.

3. Early Years Information Campaign - A campaign will be launched with a focus on the importance of the early years and how parents, care givers and communities can be actively involved in learning activities and programs (at home and in the community).

4. Research and Evaluation - Resources will be committed to collect and report data to measure how well our children are doing in areas of development and learning.

“This plan focuses on priorities identified by our early learning and education sectors as well as by parents - quality, affordable child care and learning environments and success in early learning,” said Social Services and Seniors Minister Chester Gillan.

Sonya Corrigan, Executive Director of the Early Childhood Development Association of Prince Edward Island, noted that board members and staff have been working on behalf of the sector toward this announcement for many years. “It is very exciting. With this investment, all licensed child centres who are eligible will now receive grant funding. Recognizing how early childhood centres provide developmentally appropriate learning environments by linking funding to quality is a wise investment,” she added.

Prince Edward Island will allocate $4.2 million in funding held in trust as part of the Early Learning and Child Care Agreements of 2005 to support these strategic investments in early learning. Beginning in 2009, the Province will also increase its annual contributions to early learning by $1.8 million, building upon current annual funding levels of $8 million to support early learning initiatives.

BACKGROUNDER

Investments in Early Learning for Preschool Children and Families of Prince Edward Island

A. Child Care Subsidy Program:

• Designed to assist families with the cost of licensed child care. The program is administered by the Department of Social Services and Seniors.

• Subsidy is available when a family demonstrates a need for child care services. It pays for all or part of the cost based on a family’s annual net income and family size using income thresholds.

• Licensed early childhood centres that are considered include day care centres, kindergarten, day care home and before or after school programs.

• In 2005/06, subsidy was provided for over 1,900 children and 1,300 families.

• Parents can apply by contacting an office of the Department of Social Services and Seniors.

B. Direct Funding Grants to Licensed Child Care Programs:

• Direct funding grants will be available immediately to licensed centres. This will mean that 76 early childhood centres will begin receiving new funding immediately at an approximate cost of $1,000,000 annually.

• The baseline for direct funding to early childhood centres will continue to be no less than $0.91 per space per day for full day centres, and the 2006/07 flat rate for family day home, nursery and after school programs.

• Beginning April 1, 2007 centres may earn more than this base amount by meeting quality criteria. This revised system is being developed in partnership with the Early Childhood Development Association, Early Learning Operators of PEI and La Federation de Parents de l’IPE.

C. Early Learning Information:

• Funding to support a campaign focused on the importance of the early years and early childhood learning targeted to parents, care givers and communities.

FACT SHEET

• There are approximately 8,500 children age 0-5 in PEI.

• There are 140 licensed Early Childhood Centres in PEI.

• There are 4,800 licensed child care spaces in these centres.

• 83 per cent of these spaces are for children, aged 0 to five; 17 per cent are for school-aged children.

• There are licensed child care spaces for 47 per cent of children aged 0-5.

• 82 per cent of the child care spaces are occupied.

• 80 per cent of mothers with children age 0-5 are in the labor force; the highest in Canada.

• Parent fees for full-day licensed child care range

- $22 to $44 per day for infants

- $16 to $32 per day for two to five year-olds

• 30 per cent of regulated child care spaces are used by children whose families receive child care subsidy.

• In December 2005, daily rates paid for child care subsidy were increased from

- $24 to $30 for infants

- $20 to $23 for two year-olds

- $19 to $22 for three to five year-olds

• There are approximately 440 people employed in licensed early childhood centres; 280 are certified educators.

• In December 2005, the average hourly wage for a certified educator was:

- certified educator in full day program: $10.49

- certified educator in kindergarten program: $13.13

- certified director of full day program: $12.58

• During province-wide consultations, parents reported a need for information and support about child development, dealing with challenging behaviours, dealing with family crisis, balancing the demands of family and work life as well as finding and affording quality child care. (1999)

Sources:

Early Childhood Services, Dept. of Social Services & Seniors, Jan 07, 368-6513: www.gov.pe.ca/hcd

Early Childhood Development Association of PEI (ECDA): 368-1866: www.ecda.pe.ca

Child Care Resource and Research Unit (CRRU): www.childcarecanada.org

Starting Strong: Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development: www.oecd.org