The Yukon Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) funding program has been temporarily adjusted to support all families for the month of July, including those who voluntarily kept their children home from child care for two weeks to help reduce transmission of COVID-19.
Through the Department of Education, the Yukon ELCC contributes $700 per month, per child, as a direct subsidy to families with children attending licensed child care programs full-time. Funding will also be provided to the Watson Lake Daycare which currently subscribes to the Rural Sustainability program.
For July 2021, the subsidy will be based on enrolment rather than attendance.
The Government of Yukon is facilitating a full refund of all additional parent fees charged by child care operators above and beyond the usual subsidy for this month. This additional funding support will help to alleviate the financial pressures of child care for families. It also provides all licensed child care operators in the Yukon with the support they need to continue paying staff and providing critical and essential child care services.
With the outbreak in child care centres now under control and most people recovered, the Chief Medical Officer of Health has recommended child care centres and family day homes can reopen today to all children and not to just those of critical and essential workers.
While Yukoners pulled together to help contain transmission of COVID-19 among children, our licensed child care centres continued to provide valued, high-quality services to our community and essential workers during this exceptionally challenging time. We appreciate our early childhood educators and the families who were able to make extra efforts to keep their kids at home. The health and safety of children and families is always our first priority and we want to support Yukoners by ensuring all costs for licensed child care are fully covered for the month of July.
Minister of Education Jeanie McLean
The Yukon Early Learning and Child Care Funding Program contributes $700 per month per child as a direct subsidy to families with children attending licensed child care programs full-time, and the subsidy is pro-rated for children attending part-time.
The Government of Yukon is the legislated regulator for licensed child care centres in the Yukon and is not party to any agreements made or contracts signed between operators and parents, including any agreed upon requirements for parent fees that exceed the $700 subsidy.
The total amount of additional funding support to families and licensed child care operators in the Yukon for July 1 to 31, 2021, will be calculated based on refunds to families facilitated by operators, who will in turn be fully reimbursed by the Government of Yukon.
This funding will support families who have children enrolled in licensed child care in July 2021, as well as 72 licensed child care operators and up to 300 early childhood educators and staff. There were approximately 1,500 children registered in licensed child care for the month of July.
Matthew Cameron
Cabinet Communications
867-332-0615
matthew.cameron@yukon.ca
Krisandra Reid
Communications, Education
867-336-0653
krisandra.reid@yukon.ca