Enhanced Supports for Child Care Discussed

Nova Scotia children and families can look forward to significant new supports for child care, said Community Services Minister David Morse following talks with the federal government.

Mr. Morse attended a meeting of his provincial and territorial counterparts and federal Social Development Minister Ken Dryden in Vancouver on Friday, Feb. 11, where a new five-year plan for child care was discussed.

"We addressed the main points of a new agreement that would provide significant new funding and maintain the flexibility we need to improve child care in our province," said Mr. Morse. "Helping families access quality care is a priority, and we want to provide child-care centres with the support they need to ensure this important service is available. One of our primary goals is to work, with long-term federal support, toward quality child care that is accessible to all Nova Scotia families, at an affordable cost."

The new agreement and funding details will be finalized following the federal budget in February.

Nova Scotia currently has a number of early learning and child- care programs in place that provide subsidies to low-income families, enhancements to salaries of child-care professionals and resources that help centres include children with special needs. New federal funding will complement and enhance existing provincial investments in regulated early learning and child-care programs for children under age six.

"We are now working with our partners in child care to help us achieve our goals and we look forward to building on our existing supports," said Mr. Morse.