More Help for Families and Children

Community Services Minister Peter Christie today announced 70 new subsidized child care seats in 16 non-profit licensed centres across Nova Scotia.

"We are supporting parents in Nova Scotia by providing quality child care spaces," said Mr. Christie. "We have been able to focus on putting as many of these subsidized seats as possible in rural areas."

The minister receives advice on the allocation of subsidized child care seats from the Nova Scotia Round Table on Child Care. This ministerial advisory group comprises parents, child care teachers and operators and members of the community.

Studies indicate children who participate in quality child care go on to have greater success in school, are less likely to drop out and are less likely to be unemployed. Quality child care gives children valuable skills they carry with them for the rest of their lives.

Subsidized seats also provide options for low-income parents who are employed, looking for work or participating in training.

The total number of subsidized seats in Nova Scotia is now at 2,450. There are currently more than 10,000 licensed child care spaces in more than 370 centre-based child care programs across the province. These spaces serve more than 11,000 children either full-time or part-time.

Centres being allocated spaces are:
Lower South River Day Care, 5 spaces University College of Cape Breton, 5 spaces Playschool Day Care, 3 spaces Le Centre Prescholaire de Baie Ste. Marie, 5 spaces Canso & Area Day Care Centre, 5 spaces Kinder Village Child Care, proposed 7 spaces Garderie les Petits Poussins Day Care, 5 spaces Horton High School Child Care Centre, 2 spaces New Minas Children's Centre, 4 spaces Family Home Child Care of Pictou, 5 spaces New Glasgow Black Community Development, proposed 7 spaces Queens Day Care Association, 5 spaces Little People's Place of Shelburne Association, 2 spaces Colchester Community Day Care Centre, 2 spaces Colchester YMCA Co-operative Play School, 5 spaces Southwest Regional School Board Child Care Services, 3 spaces

kjd December 16, 1999 11:53