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The Minister of Education’s Early Learning and Child Care Advisory Committee held its first meeting since an expansion of membership to ensure greater representation from the early learning and child care sector throughout the province, first announced in June 2023.
Minister Howell met all members of the committee this week, who discussed multiple important topics related to early learning and child care, including space creation and early childhood educator recruitment and retention efforts. The committee was also provided an update on the status of multiple consultations and engagement sessions with early childhood educators, parents and child care licensees.
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Members of the advisory committee contribute to the development and implementation of the provincial Early Learning Action Plan. The committee provides advice to the Minister of Education respecting early learning and child care, programs and services, and funding and activities that support early learning and child care and ensure a high quality, accessible and inclusive system. The next meeting for the committee will take place in October 2023.
The Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Action Plan is increasing access to regulated child care through the creation of approximately 6,000 spaces by 2025-26, as well as improving affordability, inclusivity and the quality of early learning and child care programming in Newfoundland and Labrador. This plan is made possible by federal investments in the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care system. These include $306 million for the 2021-22 to 2025-26 Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Agreement, a one-time investment of nearly $6.5 million in 2021-22 to support the early childhood workforce, as well as over $34 million for the 2021-22 to 2024-25 Early Learning and Child Care Extension Agreement.
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