The Government of Yukon is pleased to introduce Yukon’s Action Plan for over $7 million in early learning and child care funding. This funding stems from the new Early Learning and Child Care agreement with the Government of Canada, signed February 7.
One of the main areas that funding will be provided for is improving quality through training. $60,000 will be allocated to an annual two-day professional development-training event to provide an opportunity for early childhood educators across Yukon to share best practices and access training and professional development opportunities.
Another $100,000 will be utilized to support students enrolled in recognized early childhood education courses with the cost of their education. $270,000 will be allocated to support education for early childhood educators in the communities through Yukon College and $220,000 will be allotted to developing and implementing culturally appropriate programming for early childhood development and education from ages 0-5.
Funding will also be allocated to three other main areas of early learning and childcare: improving affordability and accessibility; innovation; and providing inclusive child care programs.
This funding complements the previously announced increase to the Direct Operating Grant.
Investing in children is a priority for our government. We are excited to announce the plans for this funding and we look forward to working with childcare operators, early childhood educators, Yukon College, the French community, and other community partners to ensure that we are creating the best possible learning environment for children.
Minister of Health and Social Services Pauline Frost
This investment will enable Yukon College to better meet the needs of students by providing flexible delivery of Early Learning and Child Care courses in Yukon communities beyond Whitehorse.
Yukon College Dean of Applied Arts Dr. Andrew Richardson
Improving affordability and accessibility of early learning and child care
- $450,000 in financial support will be made available to licensed child care programs for playground development and to ensure regulatory requirements for health and safety continue to be met.
- $280,000 in one-time funding will be made available to licensed child care programs to purchase culturally and developmentally appropriate toys and equipment.
- $30,000 in funding will be provided to conduct a feasibility study to review Yukon’s capacity to serve its French language communities’ child care needs and make recommendations to address any deficiencies in those capacities.
- $75,000 in supplementary funding will increase financial support for a grant program to assist grandparents who are the primary care givers for their grandchildren with child care costs.
- $210,000 in funding will be made available to Yukon First Nation’s governments to review current child care needs within their communities and develop recommendations that can be used to guide future investments.
- $60,000 in funding will be made available to support the development of new licensed child care programs in underserved Yukon areas and rural communities.
Innovation
- $222,200 will be used to create child care spaces for children whose parents are accessing addiction treatment programs.
- $210,000 of the funds will be available to support expanded training for early childhood educators and parents in the Handle with Care program, particularly in rural Yukon. Handle with Care is a simple interactive program to help early childhood educators and parents to promote the mental health of young children from birth to 6 years.
Providing inclusive child care programs
- Funds will be made available to provide support for children with special needs ($900,000), including children with specific behavioural problems in licensed day cares ($210,000).
- $40,000 will be used to provide training for early childhood educators and parents in the Ages and Stages measurement tool that helps in identifying developmental delays at early benchmarks in a child’s life.
Sunny Patch
Cabinet Communications
867-393-7478
sunny.patch@gov.yk.ca
Clarissa Wall
Communications, Health and Social Services
867-667-3010
clarissa.wall@gov.yk.ca