Families across Newfoundland and Labrador are benefiting from initiatives to increase access to early learning programs and more affordable child care. The Honourable Brian Warr, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development joined parents, children, staff and board members of the Training Wheels Family Resource Centre in Springdale today to outline the importance of access to early learning programs and assistance available for families to help reduce the cost of child care.
There are now almost 1,200 families receiving a subsidy under the Child Care Services Subsidy Program to attend regulated child care services. Of these, almost 600 families who attend a centre participating in the Operating Grant Program receive free child care, and a further 165 families attending operating grant centres pay less than $25 a day.
In addition to the assistance available to families through the Operating Grant Program and the Child Care Services Subsidy Program, the Provincial Government has raised the income threshold to receive a subsidy to $35,000. A partial subsidy is also available to many families who have a higher income.
For example, with the new threshold, a single parent family with a net family income of $40,000 needing child care for two infants would be eligible for a child care subsidy of approximately $1,725 a month. A two parent family with a net family income of $65,000 needing child care for two preschool-age children and one infant would be eligible for a child care subsidy of approximately $1,055 a month.
Supporting early learning and child development delivers on commitments in The Way Forward to strengthen the province’s economic foundation and deliver better services and better outcomes for residents. The Way Forward outlines all actions the Provincial Government is taking to achieve a strong, diversified province with a high standard of living, and can be viewed at www.thewayforward.gov.nl.ca
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“Access to early learning and affordable child care is extremely important for families across our province and it continues to be a priority for our government. Early learning and affordable child care programs help build our communities and make it easier for parents to return to the workforce. Since last year, there are approximately 1,000 more affordable child care spaces now available.”
Honourable Brian Warr
Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development
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Learn more
Early Learning and Child Care Directory
Child Care Services Subsidy Program
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Tina Coffey
Education and Early Childhood Development
709-729-1906, 687-9903
tcoffey@gov.nl.ca