Following consultations with Nova Scotians over the summer, the provincial government released a report, "Giving Children the Best Start - The Early Years: Discussion Paper," summarizing findings. An advisory council will use the report formulate recommendations on priorities for the early years.
The Aboriginal Head Start Association of BC released Stepping Stones to School: AHS to Kindergarten Transition Toolkit, "an educational resource for all Early Childhood programs that include Aboriginal children... [that includes] a collection of tools and suggestions from AHS programs that help create a successful transition into school for Aboriginal children and their families."
The government of New Brunswick announced it would be "investing an additional $1 million in the Day Care Assistance program to increase childcare subsidies and to expand the program eligibility to help families with early learning and childcare costs." This funding is part of the government's $38-million three-year action plan Putting Children First.
The provincial government has "re-instated the wage enhancement of $2.75 per hour for early learning and childcare staff. The initiative supports the pay equity measures for early learning and childcare staff".
ADM Darryl Sturtevant, Ministry of Children and Youth Services and ADM Jim Grive, Ministry of Education circulated a memo to Directors of Education, Best Start Committees and Data Analysis Coordinator Host Agencies regarding a review of the current EDI and KPS.
The Premier of New Brunswick provided a progress report on its three-year action plan, Putting Children First: Positioning Early Childhood for the Future, unveiled last spring. Included in the plan are integrating early childhood and education services, realigning the boundaries for local early childhood services with school district boundaries and extending the definition of early childhood up to children 8-years-old.
The government announced additional professional development funding for staff and board members of child care centres. "Grants are provided to reimburse costs associated with attending professional development events such as workshops or conferences held in the province."
The government announces a commitment to fund 20 new preschool and 45 new school-age child care spaces.
The Department of Education has released a discussion paper Modernizing Child Care in Ontario, "to begin a conversation that will help move Ontario towards a high quality, accessible and co-ordinated early learning and care system for all children."
The provincial government has released a three-year, $38-million action plan, Putting Children First, that will integrate early childhood services into the school system.
The Manitoba Centre for Health Policy has released a new report on the Early Development Instrument results in Manitoba. The report focusses on: socioeconomic adversity and children’s vulnerability at age five; biological vulnerability at birth and children’s vulnerability at age five; and children’s vulnerability at age five in three at–risk subgroups of children.
The province will consult Nova Scotians on a new early years strategy. As part of the initiative, the government released a discussion paper and has appointed a nine-member advisory council.
