Excerpted from introduction
Nova Scotia is preparing for a Canada-wide early learning and child care system.
There is sound research that shows a direct link between a child’s success and time spent with highly educated and trained early childhood educators (ECEs).
Nova Scotia’s workforce development strategy “Excellence in Early Childhood Education” will ensure a strong, qualified, and stable workforce in early learning and child care now and in the future. This will ensure our children are learning and growing with the support of trained professionals with education and expertise in early childhood education, resulting in positive outcomes for young children now and in the years to come.
Excellence in Early Childhood Education builds on our success to date in providing more education opportunities and increasing diversity in the early childhood education workforce since 2017. The eleven actions outlined in the strategy will keep our currently working ECEs engaged and committed to the field while attracting new people to the exciting opportunities for ECEs in the province. The strategy is based on best practice and research from Canada and around the world, and feedback from ECEs practicing across Nova Scotia.
In November 2019, at the direction of the Minister, the Early Childhood Educators Working Group (ECEWG) was formed. The purpose of the ECEWG was to give ECEs an opportunity to directly engage in discussions that are meaningful and relevant to their work in regulated childcare. The ECEWG identified several key areas impacting ECEs, especially those working in regulated childcare: wages and benefits, workforce qualifications and training, and the existing classification system. The Excellence in Early Childhood Education strategy aims to address these key issues.