EXCERPTS
The Province is providing support to help with child care costs for parents and families impacted by hurricane Fiona.
“This has been a tough time for many Island families and we recognize the increased burden families faced when schools or early learning and child care centres were not safe to reopen after the hurricane.Today we are announcing additional supports for families through a Fiona Child Care Allowance Program and covering parent fees at child care centres when facilities had extended closures,” said Minister of Education and Lifelong Learning Natalie Jameson.
Parents or guardians of school aged children, who had to find alternate child care because of the extended closure of their child’s school between October 3-7, will get help through the Fiona Child Care Allowance Program. If parents accessed care through a licensed centre, the centre will be paid directly to cover up to $20 per day per child. Parents who accessed private care, such as a babysitter or non-licensed program, can apply for funding at Fiona Child Care Allowance Program.
The Province will also cover the parent-fees for all families with children in licensed early learning and child care centres, if the centre was not able to open between October 3-7 due to damages from hurricane Fiona. Parents do not need to apply for this, it will be automatically paid to their centre.
“Providing a safe and caring environment for our children is so important. We are grateful for the many early learning and child care centres which were able to open in the early days after Fiona, and all of the work done to safely open our schools across the province,” said Minister Jameson. “No one could have predicted the impact, or response and recovery needed after hurricane Fiona. We understand the inconvenience parents faced from having schools and child care centres closed; however, the safety of children and youth has always been, and will continue to be our top priority and at the forefront of our decisions.”
For more information or to apply, visit Fiona Child Care Allowance Program.