An open letter to Premier Dalton McGuinty
130+ prominent Ontarians
22 Sept 09
"The recommendations in the early learning report are interdependent parts for wholesale positive change. Implementing some changes (such as full day JK/SK and not others, such as enriching out-of-school options and holistic services for parents and preschoolers) will lessen their effectiveness, add to the fragmentation that now plagues education and family services and will fail to provide accountability for investments and results."
A transformational vision of early learning and care in Ontario
Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care, 28 Oct 08
"there is a need to ensure that this opportunity for expansion does not erode existing service delivery for families, nor provide opportunity for profit provision to expand in the sector."
Full-day learning for 4- and 5-year-old children: Building a stronger early learning and child care system in Ontario
Ontario Municipal Social Services Association (OMSSA), Oct 08
Forum on full-day early learning: An OMSSA member consultation (link removed)
OMSSA, 24 Apr 08
"the costs to the child care system of implementing full day JK/SK in the education system and removing it from the licensed child care sector are significant"
"it is critical that this initiative (full day learning) builds on and strengthens the current system, increasing options for children and their families."
Community Development and Recreation Committee. Item 14.4. Informing the development of a full day program for Junior and Senior Kindergarten (link removed)
City of Toronto (Resolution, Adopted by City Council July 15, 2008)
"That while we support the initiative of the full day learning program, City Council urge[s] the Province to ensure adequate funding to support the City's Child Care system, such that the City is able to meet the child care needs of its residents." Adopted by Council March 3, 2008.
"City Council [should] also adopt the principle that the success of full-day learning implementation requires that the City's child care system is adequately funded to meet the child care needs of its residents."
Immigrantchildren.ca
20 Sept 09
"The school - an institution universally recognized as the centre of a community - is the best place to act as a central (and a multiple-) point of entry to the world of health, educational and support services for immigrant families with young children."
CUPE Ontario commends Pascal report; community-based child care needs enhancement (link removed)
Canadian Union of Public Employees, 16 Jun 09
"CUPE Ontario is concerned that reorganizing existing funding streams could have the unintended consequence of jeopardizing already-fragile funding systems for community-based child care"
"The provincial government must ensure that existing community-based child care programs are not disadvantaged or destabilized as four- and five-year-olds move into all-day learning. Adequate funding must be provided to guarantee the stability of these programs."
Implications of full-day early learning: Moving forward (link removed)
Quality Early Childhood Network
"early analysis indicates that per diem rates for children remaining in the licensed child care system will increase by an average of 25% if the model for early learning results in children 3.8 to 5 leaving the licensed child care system to attend full day kindergarten in the school system."
"protect and secure existing space where child care and family supports are delivered".
Informing full day learning: Lessons from the Toronto First Duty research at the Bruce/WoodGreen Early Learning Centre (link removed)
Submission to the Early Learning Advisor on Full Day Learning
"blending child care and full day learning will be challenging; it is nevertheless critical. The promised outcomes of full day learning will not be realized unless non-parental care is offered not only for 4 and 5 year olds but for older and younger children as well. This approach requires the vertical integration of children's programming from birth through primary school as well as the horizontal integration of education, child care and parenting supports."
Important report on early learning signals direction Ontario must take for future prosperity (link removed)
Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), 15 Jun 09
"AMO is pleased that the report focuses municipal responsibility on managing and delivering early learning and child care while calling on the province for increased provincial investment. AMO and municipalities support the recommended direction for early learning and child care but are cognizant that successful implementation will require adequate resources".
Ontario Alert: Message to be sent to Premier and Ministers of Education and Children and Youth (link removed)
Campaign 2000, Oct 09
"I fear the risks if your government ‘cherry picks' and only implements full day learning for 4 and 5 year olds. This approach would build a system of early learning on a crumbling foundation. It would destabilize child care services for children under 4. Without government funding child care centres risk closing or charging remaining parents high fees to survive. Low income children under 4 could lose their subsidies. Child care workers could lose their jobs. Rural child care centres would be particularly vulnerable."