Today the Honourable Tom Osborne, Minister of Education, provided details of a new Early Learning and Child Care Quality Enhancement Program, which enhance the quality of regulated child care across the province through consultant services and grant support.
Through this program, all regulated child care services can gain access to dedicated Quality Child Care Consultants who will provide guidance and consultation in areas such as program design, learning processes, interactions with children and their families and enhancements to physical environments.
Child care services participating in the Operating Grant Program will automatically be part of the program. In working with the services, the consultants will provide support including (but not limited to):
- Enhancing program quality of early learning and child care;
- Identifying professional learning opportunities;
- Structural aspects of the learning environment;
- Facilitating access to tools and services; and
- Mentorship and dialogue.
Providers can also work with the program consultants to access Quality Enhancement Grants that support a range of quality improvements, including:
- Professional learning for early childhood educators and parents, including associated in-province travel costs and resources;
- Program outings and community engagement activities (as per COVID-19 guidance);
- Program design enhancement, technology and materials;
- Equipment, furniture and material upgrades; and
- Mentorship affiliated in-province travel, materials and substitute staff costs.
Information on eligible enhancement initiative categories and funding percentages can be found in the backgrounder below.
Quote
“Our government prioritizes investments in child care because we see the early learning and child care sector as a paramount part of a modern economy and we recognize that quality early learning and care benefits lifelong learning. The Quality Enhancement Program provides consultant and financial support that will allow the sector to reach its full potential in support of the children of Newfoundland and Labrador.”
Honourable Tom Osborne
Minister of Education
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Media contact
Tina Coffey
Education and Early Childhood Development
709-729-1906, 687-9903
tcoffey@gov.nl.ca
BACKGROUNDER
Eligible Funding Categories and Percentage Amounts
| Eligible Quality Enhancement Initiative Categories | Eligible Funding Percentage |
| Local multi-service professional learning, early childhood educators and parents | 90 per cent |
| Professional learning travel (in province), accommodations and registration | 75 per cent |
| Local single service professional learning, early childhood educators and parents | 75 per cent |
| Professional learning resources | 75 per cent |
| Indoor equipment/furniture/materials | 80 per cent |
| Outdoor equipment/furniture/materials | 80 per cent |
| Program outing/community engagement | 90 per cent |
| Program design enhancement, technology and materials | 75 per cent |
| Mentorship affiliated travel (in province) and materials | 90 per cent |
| Mentorship affiliated supply teacher | 90 per cent |