children playing

Extended hours, overnight child-care pilot for healthcare workers in Sydney

Printer-friendly versionSend by emailPDF version
Author: 
Government of Nova Scotia
Format: 
Article
Publication Date: 
6 Oct 2023
AVAILABILITY

Excerpts

The Province is partnering with a child-care centre in Sydney to provide evening, weekend and overnight child-care options to healthcare workers at Cape Breton Regional Hospital.

The demonstration project at Health Park Early Learning Centre, located near the hospital, will launch this fall once appropriate policies, procedures and staff are in place. It will be evaluated after six months.

“We know that finding child care outside of regular operating hours is a challenge for many healthcare workers,” said Becky Druhan, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development. 

...

When the demonstration project launches, Health Park Early Learning Centre will be able to offer 12 spaces for overnight care and run at full capacity (66 spaces) on weekends and for extended hours on weekdays. The centre is working with interested families to identify participants with a focus on children four years of age and younger.

...

Recruiting and retaining healthcare workers and improving the workplace are part of Action for Health, the Province’s strategic plan to improve healthcare.

"Families, no matter where they live, should have access to high-quality, affordable early learning and child care. Today’s announcement is a prime example of the flexible, family-focused approach to child care that the Canada-wide early learning and child care system is built to support. I congratulate everyone involved in this demonstration project, and I am eager to see the difference this makes in the lives of the regional hospital family."
- Jenna Sudds, federal Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

...

Quick Facts:

  • the Canada-Nova Scotia Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement 2021-2026 supports investment in innovative programs and activities to test new approaches to providing non-traditional hours of child care

...

Region: