Excerpts from the executive summary:
Nova Scotia's share of the new federal program amounts to about $137 million over five years, about 40% more than what has been spent on regulated child care over the last five years. The infusion of new money presents an opportunity for Nova Scotia to make major improvements in our child care system.
However, to take full advantage of this opportunity the provincial government must provide leadership and commitment to developing a child care system that will provide immediate benefits to parents and children while contributing to a brighter future for all Nova Scotians.
- The government needs to recognize that investment in good child care will bring a return to the province as a whole, but that poor child care will have a negative effect on our future;
- The government must ensure that new federal funding is used to strengthen and expand the community-based, non-profit child care as the basis for a universal system;
- Provincial policy must acknowledge the critical role of the early childhood educators, whose daily interactions with children shape the quality of the child care experience.