50 New, Portable Child-care Spaces for Nova Scotians

COMMUNITY SERVICES--50 New, Portable Child-care Spaces for Nova Scotians

More Nova Scotians will have access to help with their child-care costs thanks to 50 new, subsidized child-care spaces announced today, Oct. 28, by Community Services Minister David Morse.

The minister made the announcement at the Nova Scotia Community College, Akerley Campus Child Care Centre, a centre for students, staff and community members that was recently enhanced with support from the Early Childhood Development Initiative(ECDI).

"Quality child care is an essential part of Nova Scotia's Early Childhood Development Initiative," said Mr. Morse. "These 50 new, portable, child-care spaces, combined with the ECDI's other beneficial and important programs, such as child-care resource and referral centres, were created to enhance the support for families across the province."

A portable space means a family can choose to use any licensed child-care centre that provides full-day services. Parents can take the subsidy with them if they move to another area of the province. These spaces are designated for children up to 12 years of age and are being distributed in areas across the province. There are now more than 2,700 subsidized spaces in Nova Scotia.

"Through the Early Childhood Development Initiative, we are focusing on family and parenting supports, healthy pregnancies, births and infancy, and enhanced learning and care for children so we can enrich opportunities for healthy development," said the minister.

"We, at St. Joseph's College of Early Childhood Education, are delighted to hear about the new subsidy spaces being made available for the children of Nova Scotia," said Jane Cawley, executive director, St. Joseph's College of Early Childhood Education. "This is a positive step towards the goal of providing quality child care to all families who need it."

The Early Childhood Development Initiative is a jointly funded program that was developed through the federal-provincial- territorial Agreement on Early Childhood Development. In September 2000, the federal, provincial and territorial governments committed to improve and expand early childhood development supports and services. The province of Nova Scotia has already invested more than $12 million in the Early Childhood Development Initiative.