The MCCA Central Region has planned a professional development for Oct. 10th. For more information and to register, click on the link below:
https://mccahouse.org/central-region/
Categories: News
Posted by Karen K at 1:46 pm
The MCCA Thompson region is inviting you to attend their fall conference. Click on the link to take you to the Thompson Region page for more information on workshops and registering.
https://mccahouse.org/thompson-region/
Categories: News
Posted by Karen K at 1:39 pm
The Province of Manitoba has partnered with KPMG to “to develop a comprehensive and sustainable wage and benefits framework that attracts and retains professionals in the early learning and child care sector, ensuring competitive salaries and equitable funding approaches.” The results of this project are anticipated in the near future.
The first research-based Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale (MCSGS) was published by MCCA in 2007. MCCA has been indexing the scale for over 15 years. This year, in anticipation of KPMG’s findings, MCCA has been proactive and expedited the annual indexing. We consulted and considered published data of 2024 predicted increases within the not-for-profit industry, and have indexed the 2024 MCSGS by 3%. As a “market competitive” scale, each level increases by 5%. The target for an ECE II/III is $28.63/hr.
Unlike previous scales, we have released this scale for only 2024. A full review and update of the MCSGS may be imminent, depending on the results presented by KPMG.
Categories: News
Posted by Kayla Mauricio at 1:51 pm
The 2025 MCCA conference committee is now seeking proposals for workshops at the 2025 Early Learning and Child Care Conference which will be held May 22 & 23, 2025. Click on the link to take you to the conference page where you can submit your proposal via our fillable application form.
Categories: News
Posted by Karen K at 12:55 pm
A call for applications to MCCA’s Provincial Board of Directors and Resolutions for AGM 2023 were included in the Winter Volume 4 issue of Child Care Bridges. Applications were evaluated to ensure collective experiences and perspectives reflect the diversity of MCCA’s membership, including that of Child Care Assistant, Early Childhood Educator, Supervisor, Inclusion Facilitator, Executive Director, Family Child Care Provider, Nursery School, Educator/Instructor. MCCA strives to ensure diversity and inclusion are embedded and reflected in the mission and vision of MCCA of MCCA in all aspects.
Nominees to Board of Directors 2024-2025 can be found here.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 1:35 pm
MCCA attended lock up yesterday at the Manitoba Legislature on Provincial Budget Day. Highlights of the budget specific to early learning and child care include:
MCCA’s takeaways:
Direct Quote from CJOB April 2nd by Jodie Kehl, Executive Director of MCCA -> “Those new 1000 health care workers may very well need child care, who is going to provide that child care if we don’t have ECEs?”
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 9:08 am
MCCA has recommended an investment of $110M in the 2024 provincial budget to support the salaries of Early Childhood Educators. This is an excellent opportunity for our recently elected government to make child care a priority. At the heart of building a high quality system are ECEs.
MCCA looks forward to seeing the Provincial Budget on April 2nd, 2024.
MCCA Provincial Budget Recommendations 2024
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 9:50 am
Today is the National Day of Action on Child Care.
In August 2021, Manitoba became the seventh jurisdiction to sign the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement. 28 months later, many investments have been made to begin the establishment of an accessible, affordable, inclusive, flexible, and high-quality child care system in our province.
A new provincial government now at the helm is a perfect time to reflect on the current status of child care in Manitoba. What has worked? And where are the gaps?
Many families have welcomed $10/day child care.
Families are waiting for spaces.
Wait-lists have grown tremendously at facilities.
And to make this all work – we are still waiting for a comprehensive workforce strategy for Early Childhood Educators.
Our hope is that our Provincial Government acts quickly to address the dual problem of long wait-lists and staff shortages.
Read the MCCA/CCCM News Release
#makechildcareapriority #ECEsAreEssential #childcarethetimeisNOW
Categories: News
Posted by Kayla Mauricio at 10:03 am
We will have a host of events in 2024 to celebrate 50 years of providing advocacy, benefits and services to our members.
Our first event is a social evening on February 24, 2024, 8:00 pm – 1:00 am at Greendell Community Centre.
Click on the link to take you to our 50th Anniversary page for more details and to order your tickets.
https://mccahouse.org/50th-anniversary/
Categories: News
Posted by Karen K at 11:23 am
While MCCA transitions its group benefits program to Canada Life (effective October 1, 2023), parts of its website may be temporarily disabled while information is updated.
Thank you for your patience.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 9:24 am
We reached out to candidates and asked them questions regarding their party’s platform for Early Learning & Child Care.
Questions we asked: Click Here
We received 3 responses.
Green Party of Manitoba: No response
Liberal Party of Manitoba: Click Here
New Democratic Party of Manitoba: Click Here
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba: Click Here
Categories: News
Posted by Kayla Mauricio at 1:52 pm
MCCA is excited to announce its Member Rewards Program!
Effective September 1, 2023
Your MCCA membership is the key to saving money throughout the province with a focus on local businesses and attractions.
Find the rewards here: https://mccahouse.org/about/member-reward-program/
Categories: News
Posted by Kayla Mauricio at 8:15 am
The Manitoba Child Care Association is hiring a Membership & Management Support Staff.
This may be the opportunity for you.
This MCCA staff will:
MCCA offers a great team environment which includes job flexibility, professional development opportunities, and other benefits.
See attached job description for more details.
Please submit your resume and cover letter to Karen Kowalski at kkowalski@mccahouse.org
Deadline for resumes is August 11, 2023
Only those who are selected for an interview will be contacted.
Membership and Management Support Staff Job Desc
Categories: News
Posted by Karen K at 9:06 am
The provincial election is scheduled to occur on October 3, 2023. MCCA’s has been working behind the scenes with UpHouse Marketing for months on its campaign. On April 20th, we held a media event urging Manitobans to keep early learning and child care top of mind this provincial election.
Recently, there have been many announcements and investments. Under that Canada-Manitoba Canada-wide ELCC Plan, we will continue to see more as Manitoba moves towards building an affordable, accessible, inclusive and high quality system.
Are we there yet? No. There is much more work to be done.
Mark your calendars for upcoming events and stay connected as ECEs across the province use their collective voices to remind Manitoba to ~
Make Child Care a Priority This Election
#voteMBchildcare
Categories: News
Posted by Kayla Mauricio at 8:55 am
MCCA held a media event on April 20th, 2023. Our message was simple – Manitoba Child Care Association urges Manitobans to put people first and keep early learning and child care top of mind this provincial election.
Winnipeg, April 20, 2023 – Everyone relies on someone who relies on child care, and now—with a pending provincial election— is the time for Manitobans to make it a priority. With historic and transformational funding from the Canada-Manitoba Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) Agreement, Manitoba has started to make investments in the province’s ELCC sector, but it won’t be enough to sustain the workforce who support the high-quality, accessible, affordable, and inclusive system all Manitoba families have learned to expect. That could mean families and children may not get the $10/day quality care space they need…
Read the full release here – April 2023 Media Release
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 1:27 pm
Strategic Planning for the Association 2023 – 2028
MCCA has partnered with Sidekick Consulting to work with its members, staff and Board of Directors to facilitate and develop a 5-year Strategic Plan. Sidekick’s innovative approach includes connecting four pillars to develop actionable, impactful and sustainable solutions. Their “4P” approach include purpose, profit (ensuring MCCA, as a not-for-profit, plans for long term financial stability), people and passion.[i] This plan will help to focus and guide the work of the Association in the upcoming years. In addition to the member survey, circulated in January, another will be distributed to MCCA’s senior leadership staff and Board of Directors. A full day strategic plan will be held at the end of February as well as a ½ day working session. We look forward to releasing a summary of the plan in the early Spring to the membership.
Canada-Manitoba Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) Agreement
To recall, Manitoba’s Canada-wide Agreement spans from 2021-2026, with a total of $1.2B coming to Manitoba during that time. The first 2 years of the Action Plan under the Agreement are coming to an end (March 31, 2023). A quick look through the current plan, highlights that there a number of new initiatives that are still be rolled out before the end of March. Remember when I said it’s going to be a busy year? It’s more likely that the next 3 years will be busy!
This also means that the provincial government is now negotiating (with the federal government) the next Manitoba Action Plan (2023-2026). During this time period, there will be $874M, transferred into the province to support the plan. The Minister’s Consultation Table (MCT) has been presented with some initial information of this plan for review, considerations and recommendations. We are remaining optimistic that this time, the MCT will have meaningful input on the future initiatives that will be truly supportive of a system that embraces the fundamental elements of system – affordability, accessibility, inclusivity and high-quality.
Provincial Election on the Horizon
The fixed date for the next provincial election has been scheduled for Tuesday, October 23rd, 2023. MCCA’s Public Policy and Professionalism Committee has already set plans in motion…
(To read the full Executive Director’s report, please refer to your Spring 2023 issue of Bridges.)
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[i] https://www.sidekickconsulting.ca/
[ii] https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/voter-apathy
[iii] https://www.electionsmanitoba.ca/en/Results/Elections/2019
[iv] Unit funding is how not-for-profit licensed facilities are funded in Manitoba; a combination of parent fees and operating grants that aim to provide equitable funding for each “unit” of care (4 infant/toddlers, 8 preschoolers or 15 school-age children).
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 1:54 pm
I speak often about the Minister’s Consultation Table (MCT). Manitoba is one of jurisdictions that has established an advisory table under its Canada-wide Action Plan.
“The Minister’s Consultation Table provides valuable information and feedback to assist in modernizing Manitoba’s child care system, as well as strengthening the regulated ELCC sector through future multi-year agreements with the government of Canada. Membership includes a range of sector representatives that bring diverse perspectives to the table. Membership comprises family home child care providers (1), not-for-profit facilities (9) from urban low income (14) and rural communities (5), for-profit providers (3), sector advocacy organizations (4), post-secondary educators offering early childhood education programs (1), Indigenous (3) and French language child care representatives (3) and, non-regulated programs (1)”[i]
I suspect that some readers are currently thinking, “But how much advising or consulting does the Table really do?” Fair enough, good question. It would be disingenuous of me to say that the table had meaningful feedback on Manitoba’s first Action Plan under the agreement (2021-2022 to 2022-2023). However, as of the most recent MCT meeting, the tides feel like they are turning. Table members have been transparent in their communication about the direction of the MCT to make it a far more consultative and supportive process. As such, all members were asked to re-read the original Terms of Reference and outline what has been happening and provide recommendations on how to improve the effectiveness of the Table. Future meetings will be held far more regularly and for some full day sessions to ensure that there is ample and meaningful time allotted as Manitoba begins to negotiate its next Action Plan. And speaking of the upcoming Action Plan, it will cover the next three years of the Agreement (2023-2024, 2024-2025, 2025-2026) and will see just over $874M transferred into Manitoba during these time periods. Think about that…that is an incredible amount of money that will be invested into affordability, accessibility, inclusivity, flexibility and most critically, quality.
It has been clearly communicated to the MCT that the first priority is the workforce recruitment and retention strategy, focusing on a comprehensive workforce strategy, training institutions/opportunities and remuneration. Other priorities include alignment and collaboration between early learning and child care and the K-12 system (It’s time to revive Educaring!), communication, consultation and engagement of the sector and other issues as they arise (ahem, Subsidy Advance as an example). Either the Minister and/or his staff will be attending the meetings. This will allow for them to hear first-hand from the Table experts about the fundamental components required in building the system in Manitoba.
But let’s go back to a workforce strategy, hmmm, where to start? Oh wait, where did I see policy recommendations related to workforce development and support? Ah, yes – MCCA’s Roadmap to a Quality Early Learning and Child Care System in Manitoba. Within this section of the Roadmap, there are nine policy recommendations specific to setting the momentum to create a comprehensive workforce strategy.
In summary (and in a condensed version) they are:
Policy actions related to qualifications, certification and ongoing professional learning of the early learning and child care workforce
Although Manitoba has strong regulatory requirements for ECEs relative to other Canadian jurisdictions, these requirements remain below the international benchmarks that call for 50 percent of staff to have degree level qualifications. In a recent survey of members, over 30% of facilities do not meet current regulations for the required number of educators certified as an ECE II or an ECE III. A long-term workforce strategy will require a plan to enhance the educational and certification requirements. In the short-term, Manitoba should focus on increasing the qualifications of existing CCAs and family child care providers, and developing a recruitment and retention plan to ensure an adequate supply of qualified ECEs to meet expansion targets.
Review and expand pathways to early childhood certification
Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning could increase opportunities for individuals to become certified ECEs by:
Invest in the expansion of postsecondary ECE programs
As we know, there is a shortage of certified ECEs to meet the current regulations. And with a target of 23,000 new spaces, there is an estimated need for more than 3,000 additional certified ECE IIs and ECE IIIs.
Review and strengthen the educational requirements for licensed family child care providers
Manitoba has committed to piloting an agency model of family child care, where providers are approved, supported and monitored by Early Childhood Educators in a licensed agency. The Early Learning and Child Care Commission (2016) found that licensed providers valued their independence, autonomy and operating a small business. Many individually licensed providers may not choose to become part of agency. Options should be explored with Advanced Education, Skills and Immigration for specific family child care certificate programs that can articulate to a two-year ECE diploma.
Require regular renewal of certification and associated ongoing professional learning requirements
Once an individual is certified as an ECE there are no requirements to either renew the certification or complete any ongoing professional learning. It is essential that educators, and especially centre directors, be familiar with current approaches to pedagogy, leadership and management practices. The Manitoba Child Care Association’s Human Resource Management Guide recommends a minimum of 24 hours professional learning a year, as does the ministry’s Best Practice Licensing Manual for Early Learning and Child Care Centres.
Policy actions to address staff compensation and working conditions
Develop and fund a common provincial salary scale and benefit package for all certified early childhood educators that reflects their level of education, experience and job function, based on the Manitoba Child Care Association’s Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale
The Early Learning and Child Care Program should work with the MCCA and other sector stakeholders to develop and implement a provincial salary scale based on the Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale. A wage scale for CCAs, and compensation for licensed family child care providers should reflect the postsecondary ECE courses taken and participation in ongoing professional development.
Review and address working conditions for staff
In addition to increasing wages and benefits, improvements in the working conditions of early childhood educators are required to improve job satisfaction and morale, help reduce staff turnover and to encourage qualified staff to remain in the field. Changes or new initiatives should be introduced only after consultation with sector and other relevant stakeholders.
Develop professional profiles for educators and relevant job descriptions
The Early Learning and Child Care Program should build on the job descriptions contained in the MCCA’s Human Resource Management Guide and work with the Manitoba Child Care Association, the Canadian Child Care Federation, the Child Care Qualifications and Training Committee to confirm core competencies and standards of practice for different front line and supervisory roles in centre-based child care programs.
Policy actions related to data collection, monitoring and evaluation
Regularly collected and compiled data on the workforce, including information on turnover within the sector or on those leaving the sector altogether will be important to inform a comprehensive workforce strategy and to assess the effectiveness of current or future policies or initiatives.
Compile and analyze human resources information collected from centre directors
Regular reporting on staff qualifications, the staffing complement within the centre, professional development opportunities provided, wages and benefits, turnover, and human resources practices should be required of all centres as a condition of core funding.
Conduct regular surveys of staff and providers
Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning should conduct regular surveys of centre staff and licensed family child care providers to assess factors related to turnover, including staff and provider job satisfaction, participation in professional development, wages and benefits, and future intentions, including plans for retirement. The regular collection of such data will contribute to evaluating the impact of policy changes on recruitment and retention and on quality provision. (All 25 policy recommendations can be viewed in the Roadmap document.)
[i] https://www.canada.ca/en/early-learning-child-care-agreement/agreements-provinces-territories/manitoba-canada-wide-2021.html
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 3:32 pm
MCCA is calling on the Province of Manitoba to prioritize robust and inclusive support of the early learning & child care workforce in Budget 2022. The pandemic has continually revealed how essential and how critically important ELCC is for Manitobans.
MCCA’s recommendations for a comprehensive workforce strategy are:
“High quality early learning and child care is only achievable with an educated, supporte and fairly compensated workforce”, said Caryn LaFleche, President of MCCA. “If we truly wish to develop a high-quality, affordable, accessible, inlusive ELCC system in Manitoba, the chidl care workforce must be part of Budget 2022.”
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 9:51 am
Today’s announcement is a critical step in supporting Manitoba’s early learning and child care sector.
We know that Early Childhood Educators and providers are the heart of a high-quality, regulated child care system. They need to be fairly compensated. They are the solid foundation on which child care services are to be built.
Today’s announcement is long awaited. An effective child care system will include a dedicated and comprehensive workforce strategy, one that clearly plans for the fair compensation, benefits, educational and professional development pathways and overall recruitment and retention of the child care workforce. This strategy must stabilize the existing workforce and provide a road map for the future one. Over the past 2 years, the long-standing challenges facing MB’s child care sector have only been amplified.
Increases to the wages and investments paid directly to ECEs are long overdue. The one-time increase to the workforce’s pension plan and the TFSA contributions are good preliminary initiatives to address part of the workforce crisis. The funding allocated towards ECE training and tuition will be another opportunity to build the strong, professional workforce required to provide families quality, inclusive and culturally supportive child care in Manitoba.
If we are truly talking about our most precious resource, our children, then we must strengthen the child care workforce. The early learning & child care sector must be competitive so that we are attracting and retaining the best and the brightest educated ECEs to work with Manitoba’s youngest citizens.
MCCA looks forward to our continued partnership with the government to ensure that ECEs have the supports they need to succeed.
Thank you, Minister Ewasko, Minister Gould, and to both the governments of Manitoba and Canada for their continued commitment to children and families.
Categories: News
Posted by Karen K at 11:18 am
“Manitoba is expanding eligibility to its Child Care Subsidy Program on Feb. 6, 2022, resulting in nearly half of regulated spaces being subsidized. This will reduce out-of-pocket parent fees for families with children in regulated child care by 30 per cent on average. This change ensures Manitoba is on track to achieve a key joint commitment in the Canada-Manitoba Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) agreement to reduce out-of-pocket parent fees by 50 per cent by Dec. 31, 2022.”
“To further invest, strengthen and stabilize our early childhood educator workforce, we are finalizing the new Early Childhood Workforce funding agreement in partnership with the federal government, which will offer a one-time investment to initiate longer-term planning and supports for the workforce.” – The Honourable Wayne Ewasko, Manitoba Minister of Education and Early Childhood Learning 31, 2022.
“Manitoba has the historic opportunity to transform its child care sector and meet the needs of families in both hard and good economic times,” said Lynda Raible, MCCA’s President Elect. “We look forward to upcoming announcements from the Province of Manitoba that will invest, support and stabilize the ELCC workforce.”
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 8:48 pm
On Tuesday, January 18, 2022, Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) became part of the just created Department of Education and Early Childhood Learning.
Advocates have questioned for years about the logistics of why ELCC was part of Families (Social Services) when ECEs are also Educators. For many children, a quality ELCC program is their first tier of education. 85% of brain development occurs before the age of 5. Children do not start “learning” the day before Kindergarten. Why was the educational importance of ELCC not being recognized as such?
Although many questions remain about this uncharted territory, MCCA is cautiously optimistic about the announcement. Uniting ELCC with Education is an opportunity to put both systems on the same level, to legitimize the sector and offer consistency between the two systems.
MCCA has been aware of this possibility for many years. In 2009, its provincial Board of Directors approved a position statement on exploring the feasibility of the Integration of Early Learning and Child Care and Education
Key principles that must be considered:
This is an exciting shift into a new direction in Manitoba. Time will tell its full impacts, but for now, we remain excited and hopeful.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 10:16 am
With a target of creating 23,000 new spaces, Manitoba will need to develop a comprehensive work strategy to support this massive growth. As part of this strategey, the existing sector must be stabilized and supported.
Manitoba’s Roadmap to a Quality Early Learning and Child Care System will outline the way.
A comprehensive workforce strategy cannot be emphasized enough. #ECEsAreEssential #childcarethetimeisNOW
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 4:21 pm
This is not merely about expanding the supply of licensed caer and reducing child care fees.
As we wait for the public release of the Canada-Manitoba Agreement, MCCA has started this work. In the upcoming weeks, we will be gathering stakeholders from a breadth of expertise to define this roadmap.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 4:30 pm
MCCA is delighted that the Province of Manitoba has signed its Early Learning & Child Care Agreement with the Government of Canada on August 9, 2021. This agreement commits to federal funding of more than $1.2 billion over the next five years towards building a Manitoba-made child care system.
There are three key fundamental elements that must be considered in building an early learning and child care system in our province. This includes:
AFFORDABILITY – average of $10/day for regulated child care spaces by 2023; by the end of 2022, Manitoba families will see a 50% reduction in average fees for children up to 6 years of age in a licensed child care facility
ACCESSBILITY – creation of 23,000 new full-time regulated spaces by the end of 2025-2026; new spaces in not-for-profit, public child care operations as well as licensed home-based child care
QUALITY – high-quality child care is synonymous with a workforce that is supported, educated and equitably remunerated
At present, there is a substantial ECE shortage in Manitoba. The goal of expanding child care spaces by 40% (23,000 spaces) must be intentional and take into consideration a solid recruitment and retention plan for the workforce. Any meaningful growth will be unachievable without a qualified workforce.
MCCA is recommending that a significant and direct investment into the workforce is prioritized over all other investments (under the Canada-MB ELCC Agreement) to address the immediate challenges of attraction and retention. #ECEsAreEssential #childcarethetimeisNOW
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 9:47 am
On this National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we recognize the trauma of the legacy of residential schools. We commemorate the estimated 150,000 First Nations, Inuit and Metis children that attended residential schools in Canada. We honour those who suffered and died, as well as the survivors and their families. Today, and always, we keep them in our hearts. #EveryChildMatters #TruthAndReconciliation
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 8:32 pm
The federal budget announced by Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland committed historic investments in child care, with enormous economic payoff for parents, children and the economy.
A national child care program would also focus on inclusion for all social and economic backgrounds and ensure availability of services for rural, remote, newcomer and under-represented communities.
Ask the right questions of candidates. Be informed when you cast your vote on September 20th. #CdnChildCare #childcarethetimeisNOW
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 8:34 am
On Monday, August 9, 2021, Manitoba became the 7th province to sign an early learning and child care agreement with the Government of Canada.
Highlights of the Canada-Manitoba agreement:
Further details can be found: News Release – Canada and Manitoba – $10 A DAY CHILD CARE FOR FAMILIES IN MANITOBA
MCCA’s Reaction to the Announcement
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 8:40 am
The Manitoba Child Care Association has joined other advocacy groups to call upon the Province of Manitoba to sign a Manitoba-Canada Early Learning and Child Care Agreement. It’s time to make child care a priority in Manitoba. #childcarethetimeisNOW
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 10:43 am
In the March 2021 Probe Research Omnibus Survey conducted for MCCA, 82% of respondents strongly agreed that a well-funded child care system is critical to the province’s recovery. And nearly 80% of Manitobans broadly support increasing funding for child care centres to boost staff wages. The respondents included Winnipeggers, women, younger Manitobans and university graduates as well as 75% of rural Manitobans who answered. Clearly, many Manitobans understand that child care is a public necessity and concern.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 8:18 am
The provinces of British Columbia and Nova Scotia have recently signed historic early learning & child care agreements with the federal government as part of building a Canada-wide child care system. It’s time to make child care a priority in Manitoba. #childcarethetimeisNOW
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 9:42 am
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 3:50 pm
No Child, Family, or Early Childhood Educator Shall Suffer the Injustice of Racism. MCCA continues to discuss pedagogy and evolving practices, which promote inclusion and belonging for all children, including children with diverse ethnic backgrounds, abilities and experiences. We will continue to support ECEs and caregivers who are racialized, all ECEs and caregivers from all origins who experience adversity.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 1:12 pm
The Manitoba Child Care Association (MCCA) is holding its 46th Annual General Meeting on Thursday, May 27, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. Due to current public health orders, the meeting will be held virtually via Zoom. The AGM is your opportunity to learn more about the work of MCCA over the past year, celebrate our accomplishments and elect a Board of Directors.
Members must register to attend the meeting. MCCA members unable to attend AGM via Zoom may vote by proxy. Please contact info@mccahouse.org to request a proxy form. It must be returned to MCCA by 4:00 p.m. on Friday, May 21, 2021.
Nominees to MCCA Board of Directors 2021
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 10:01 am
Categories: News
Posted by Jenna Poborsa at 8:46 am
In honour of the 30th Annual Week of the ECE, MCCA celebrates our early learning & child care workforce here in Manitoba with messages from children and families. #childcarethetimeisNOW #support26K #ECEsareEssential
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 11:56 am
Over 50 years ago, the Royal Commission on the Status of Women in Canada, appealed to the federal government to begin working with provinces and territories to establish a national day care plan. On April 19, 2021, history was made when Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland presented the federal budget which will lay the beginning steps of a universal, accessible, affordable, quality early learning and child care system across Canada.
Some of the notable highlights of budget 2021:
In addition, the next five years, will include “A growing, qualified workforce – with provincial and territorial partners, the government will work to ensure that early childhood educators are at heart of the system, by valuing their work and providing them with the training and development opportunities needed to support their growth and the growth of a quality system.”
There is much work to be done as we continue to move forward to building a “system”. Systems are built when investments are made and political leadership is provided. Just like education or health care, systems rely on supply side funding. Budget 2021 is finally doing this. This will allow access for families, for women to quality child care and is essential to Canada’s social and economic recovery.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 9:19 am
The long awaited KPMG report, Early Learning and Child Care Transformation, commissioned by the Manitoba Department of Families was released this week. It’s 62 pages and includes 10 recommendations for the Province to consider. MCCA has summarized these recommendations and offered some insight on each.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 11:25 pm
MCCA is very proud of our history, our success, and the support of Manitoba’s early learning and child care workforce. 2020 brought a lot of challenges to the field and we definitely had to adapt to new ways of doing things. The 2020 Annual Report is available to view or download.
Categories: News
Posted by Karen K at 3:23 pm
From the Province of Manitoba’s 2021 Budget Speech –
“Budget 2021 makes major investments in our early learning and child care system and increases the budget by nearly $4 million, to meet the diverse needs of Manitoba families and create more options for child care, almost $23 million more than when we came to office.
With $1.6 million in operating grants to child care centres, we will support 392 new licensed spaces that opened over the past year and 149 new spaces that will open over the coming year for a total of 541 spaces, in addition to 50 new home-based licensed child care spaces.
As a further step to help families cope financially at this difficult time, we are freezing child-care fees for three years.”
At first glance, the Province’s 2021 Budget falls short of what the existing sector needs. The details will be important to know where the overall $4 M will be allocated in terms of new or existing spaces. This is a missed opportunity to support women, not to mention Manitoba’s workforce which is 97% female, and fully assist in Manitoba’s social and economic recovery.
The current system needs to be stabilized and supported or it will be provoked into crisis.
Our attention now shifts towards the federal budget, which will be announced on April 19th. Federal Finance Minister, Chrystia Freeland has indicated that child care will be a priority in her first budget. The government of Canada in both their Federal Throne Speech and their Fall Economic Statement included a promise of $420 million in new supports to the Provinces/Territories towards the recruitment and retention of ECEs.
And although child care falls under provincial jurisdictions, we hope that Manitoba will embrace new federal funding and leadership. This will be critical to our social and economic recovery.
Facilities need increased funding so they can hire trained, knowledgeable ECEs to offer the early learning and care that Manitoba children deserve. At the heart of quality, is a well educated and well remunerated workforce. Manitoba children and families deserve no less.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 4:26 pm
MCCA has sent a pre-Budget media release ahead of tomorrow’s unveiling of the 2021 Provincial Budget. In addition, we will be attending the Budget 2021 Stakeholder Briefing.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 12:19 pm
MCCA is changing its staffing infrastructure to better meet the needs of its 4000+ members!
Karen Kowalski has been at MCCA since August 28, 2000. As one of MCCA’s most “seasoned” employees she has a wealth of knowledge and experience. Even after nearly 21 years, Karen comes to work every day with unbridled enthusiasm and commitment. She always prioritizes MCCA’s members to ensure that our services are meeting their needs. Effective immediately, Karen is transitioning into her new position as Assistant Executive Director. In conjunction with the MCCA’s Executive Director, she will play a key role in the advocacy and policy development of early childhood care and education. She will provide oversight over the professional development opportunities with MCCA committees, branches and community partners to identify and implement professional development opportunities. Congratulations on your promotion, Karen! You are the perfect person for this position.
On April 19, 2021, MCCA welcomes Jenna Poborsa to our team! Jenna will assume the position of Program Services Administrator. She has been involved in the Early Learning & Child Care sector in Manitoba since 2007 in a variety of positions. Most recently, Jenna was a Program Coordinator for a licensed facility in Winnipeg. As the Program Services Administrator, Jenna will be responsible for the planning and implementation of many of MCCA’s programs and services. This will include providing some of MCCA’s communications, professional development and training and support to MCCA’s membership and committees. Jenna brings her excitement, passion and professionalism and will be a great asset to our staffing complement. We are delighted to welcome you, Jenna!
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 8:45 am
The Manitoba Child Care Association has reviewed Bill 47, The Early Learning & Child Care Act. There are a number of identified concerns that we are seeking clarification on to gain an understanding of the implications of the Bill.
Share your voice about the future of child care in Manitoba. Anyone from the public can present an oral or written submission to the Standing Committee of the Legislative Assembly. Individuals can register through the Clerk’s Office at 204-945-3636.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 12:04 pm
It has been a week since Bill 47 – The Early Learning & Child Care Act was introduced.
MCCA has done a thorough review of Bill 47 and compared it to the Community Child Care Standards Act. There are a number of aspects of this proposed Bill that are needing clarification as they are perceived as being concerning. As such, we have requested an immediate emergency meeting with Minister of Families, Minister Squires to gain an understanding of the implications of Bill 47.
There are a number of cautionary items that have been identified. Some of which include:
In the meantime, MCCA has been included in hundreds of letters that have been sent to MLAs across Manitoba. The response has been excellent. Please continue to send letters! If you would like a copy, email Jodie Kehl, Executive Director, jkehl@mccahouse.org
MCCA is flagging letters as they come. We are garnering the support of valuable stakeholders who use child care services. This includes teachers, tradespersons, health care individuals who can speak to the importance of not abandoning the current early learning & child care system in Manitoba when Bill 47 goes to Committee.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 2:34 pm
The Province of Manitoba announced Bill 47 – The Early Learning & Child Care Act on March 11, 2021. Many questions linger after the announcement.
In order for Bills to be passed in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, there are a number of steps that must occur. A Bill is introduced, has a first reading, a 2nd reading and then is referred to a Standing or Special Committee. This Committee is made up of MLAs (Members of the Legislative Assembly) from both sides of the house. At the Committee stage, individuals or organizations, like MCCA, can present oral or written submissions regarding Bills. Bills can be amended at this stage. Once a Bill has gone to Committee, it is reported on, there is a 3rd reading and finally Royal Assent is granted to pass it into legislation.
Important to note – Bill 47 is the Early Learning and Child Care Act, not the licensing regulations. It is the umbrella over the regulations. The regulations are the “who, what, where, why and how” of our system functions. In upcoming months, there will be stakeholder consultations on the updating of the regulations and this is a crucial part to this whole process.
Bill 47 has been read once in the Legislative Assembly. MCCA has registered to submit both an oral and written presentation regarding the Bill. Anyone from the public can do so by registering through the Clerk’s Office at 204-945-3636.
This week, MCCA started a MLA Letter Writing Campaign. If you would like a copy of the letter and the MLA listing, please email, Jodie Kehl, Executive Director at jkehl@mccahouse.org
MLAs are elected positions. They are voted in by the people in their constituency. They are located throughout the entire province and are comprised of all the major political parties in Manitoba.
Remember our petition? Over 26,000 signatures! Can you imagine if we swamped every MLA, the Minister of Families, the Minister of Finance with 26,000 letters of support for the existing sector?! Remember some of those MLAs will make up the Standing Committee which hears concerns regarding Bills, like Bill 47.
This our opportunity to do something. Now is the time to be heard. Keep those letters coming.
We will not panic. We will be professional. We will be articulate. And we will flood them with facts.
Thanks to child care, Manitoba works…don’t forget that.
~ Jodie
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 8:39 am
The Province of Manitoba is moving towards a potential reform to the early learning & child care system. There are many fundamentals within the existing system that have been looked upon with admiration by other jurisdictions. Flexibility and choice is important for families. And yet, is important to remember the great infrastructure that is in place. We cannot abandon the existing system, which is already servings the needs of 38,000 children and their families. Here are some items about child care in Manitoba for vested stakeholders.
Early Learning & Child Care in Manitoba
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 1:53 pm
The Province of Manitoba is requesting feedback from parents on the future of early learning and child care. If you, or someone you know, have a child age 12 and under, please take the time to voice your opinion on the potential “renewal and modernization of Manitoba’s early learning and child care system.
As part of this process, the Minister’s Consultation Table (first announced in December 2019) will be reconvened later this month. This advisory committee is comprised of sector representatives, including MCCA, from across the Province. The voice of the sector must be considered at part of any possible reform. Any change must support the current system which already serves Manitoba’s children and families. #support26k, #ecesareessential #fairwages4eces
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 1:45 pm
MCCA attended the Budget 2021 Virtual Meeting on February 4th, 2021. We asked the following question to Finance Minister, Scott Fielding:
“If Manitoba wants a full, long term economic recovery from Covid-19, early learning and child care is part of the solution. Manitoba citizens have been able to continue working and re-join the work force thanks to child care. The current child care landscape is unique with facilities reporting vacancies allowing for more Manitobans to go back to work. Since capacity is not a current pressure point, how will Budget 2021 invest in early learning & child care so that the most skilled, knowledgeable and capable ECEs, working with our most precious resources, are supported?”
MCCA’s full summary of recommendations were submitted to the Province. Pre-Budget Submission 2021
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 8:22 pm
MCCA wants to hear from its members!
Throughout the pandemic, it has become increasingly more obvious that Early Childhood Educators are Essential (the term Early Childhood Educator is the general term used to describe those who provide early learning and care for children).
Do you know an ECE, CCA, home-based provider, a staff, co-worker, colleague (who is also an MCCA member) that deserves to be celebrated? We are looking for testimonials highlighting the outstanding early learning and child care workforce here in Manitoba.
What needs to be done? Simply share the following:
*All submissions authorize the Manitoba Child Care Association to use the testimonial and submitted photo(s) on their social media platforms. MCCA reserves the right to edit submissions for spelling, grammar and/or length.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 12:35 pm
The Manitoba Child Care Association (MCCA) is now accepting applications from members interested in serving on our Provincial Board of Directors. There are two and one year positions open. Elections will be held at our Annual General Meeting, Thursday, May 27, 2021. The term of office will begin immediately following the AGM.
Resolutions are formal expressions of views that identify a problem or issue and contain a directive for action. MCCA members may use this form to recommend issues for consideration by the Board of Directors through the presentation of resolutions. Resolutions must be forwarded to the President by January 31 annually.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 4:44 pm
Please find the link for our next Early Childhood Educators are Essential Video.
This 4 minute video shines a light on the importance of play-based learning for children and why the work of ECEs is so vital. It includes ECEs telling their stories, what they want others to know about quality early learning & child care and the science behind quality early education.
The work of Early Childhood Educators has never been more important. It must be recognized and valued.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 3:45 pm
From the Provincial Throne Speech (October 7, 2020) –
“Protecting child care means making it more affordable and accessible for parents.
Your government will develop a modern child care system and funding model that will enable and support the child care sector to grow in line with demand from Manitoba families, provide greater equity in the type of support give to families, and offer choices and flexibility that reflects the needs and challenges today’s parents face.”
The lack of details falls short of reassuring a fragile system whose pressure points pre-covid have only been intensified as a result of the pandemic. Joint media release from MCCA, Child Care Coalition of Manitoba and Child Care is Essential.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 2:51 pm
Congratulations to April Kalyniuk, who has been elected to the Canadian Child Care Federation’s Board of Directors. She will hold a three-year term from November 15- 2020 – November 14, 2023.
April has been on the MCCA’s Board of Directors since 1980 (no, that is not a typo!), serving two President terms during that time. We are proud to have her represent Manitoba’s Early Learning & Child Care on a national level.
Congrats, April!
For more information on the Canadian Child Care Federation, visit their website at https://www.cccf-fcsge.ca/
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 8:28 am
We are so very excited to share this!
Earlier this year, MCCA began working with Abraxas Studios to develop promotional videos that a) support the benefits of being an MCCA member and b) promote early learning & child care as a profession. In March 2020, due to COVID limitations, we had to temporarily stop production. But, great news, we resumed filming in July!
The videos will be a perfect visual opportunity to remind others (the policy makers, the business community, other sectors and the public) why reliable early learning & child care is essential in Manitoba. Investment into child care results in numerous economic and socioeconomic benefits as well as, having significant positive, life long, developmental impacts on children.
In addition to the two main videos, we will also be developing five short digital stories that demonstrate how early learning & child care affects Manitobans throughout the province and in various sectors including business, health care, and education, as an example.
As a teaser to this series, please enjoy this incredible video.
Categories: News
Posted by Karen K at 1:44 pm
In a joint statement, MCCA, Child Care is Essential, Child Care Coalition of Manitoba and Child Care Now (MB Chapter) is calling on the Province to increase operating grants to early learning & child care facilities.
The challenges that existed pre-Covid have been emphasized over the past six months for child care programs in Manitoba. With no increases to operating grants since 2016, the stability of many programs is being jeopardized.
MCCA circulated a general petition in 2019 which highlighted:
This petition received over 26,000 signatures in only four short weeks.
As our Province begins to stabilize its economy, now, more than ever, Manitoba’s children and families deserve a quality licensed early learning & child care system that is adequately funded and supported.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 12:23 pm
MCCA has issued a media release requesting the Government of Manitoba pause its online consultation to implement regulatory changes some of which are in support of Bill 9, The Community Child Care Standards Amendment Act, and other changes which appear new.
“The timing of this significant regulatory review is not reasonable. As Dr. Roussin has repeatedly communicated, responding to the pandemic is the first priority for our government and for all Manitobans, including those who use or provide early learning and child care programs,” says MCCA’s President, Caryn LaFleche. “It is unrealistic and unfair to expect individuals to have the time to give thorough consideration to the proposed changes. Early learning and child care programs’ main priority is how to provide quality, nurturing child care while maintaining the safety and health of the children, families and staff during this time.”
Media Release on Regulatory Changes
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 8:13 am
MCCA has collaborated with a number of stakeholders to review the proposed changes. To support MCCA members and the early learning and child care sector (and to save you time), we have summarized the proposed amendments that we have identified as needing clarification or are concerning.
This is an important opportunity to share your feedback and comments with the Province of Manitoba about the proposed changes to the regulations using the online Manitoba Regulatory Consultation Portal .
What should you do?
Summary of Proposed Regulation Changes
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 11:06 am
The Province of Manitoba has launched an online public consultation, which is required to implement regulatory changes in support of Bill 9, The Community Child Care Standards Amendment. The proposed changes are intended to reduce administrative burden on child care providers and streamline other requirements.
These changes would build on Manitoba’s commitment to reduce red tape by:
• extending the term of child care licenses from one year to three years for those in good standing;
• increasing licensing options for family group child care homes;
• reducing duplication by consolidating health and safety and code of conduct requirements;
• changing the inclusion support grant to better accommodate children with exceptional support needs; and
• strengthening the capacity of the workforce to support professional skill development.
The regulatory consultation document is available online at https://reg.gov.mb.ca/detail/2937833
To provide comments on the proposed regulation amendments, click “Make a comment” on the right side of the page. You will need to register yourself to proceed.
Submissions will be accepted until August 12, 2020.
This is your opportunity to provide feedback on proposed amendments to the child care regulations.
MCCA has met with various stakeholders to review the consultation draft and will be submitting a formal letter to the Minister of Families seeking clarification as well as communicating its position on the proposed regulatory amendments.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 2:13 pm
The Manitoba Child Care Association was part of a stakeholder consultation group which allowed us to advocate for the early learning & child care sector, recognizing the risk that has been taken by ECEs, CCAs and home-based providers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 11:53 am
Leader of the Year – Pat Furman (Inspired by Wonder Inc.)
Exceptional Early Childhood Educator – Amy Wicklund (Learning and Growing Daycare)
Exceptional Caregiver – Kayla Ducharme (Carter Early Learning Centre)
Educaring – Cairns Children’s Centre & Parc La Salle (Urban)
Educaring – Le Coin Magique & École Saint Agathe (Rural)
Volunteer of the Year – Patti Cherney (Board Member at O.K. Before & After Child Care Centres Inc.)
Friends of Child Care – Quality Classrooms
Dr. Gretta Brown Scholarship Award – Elena Davidenko (Red River College)
Dr. Gretta Brown Scholarship Award – Marie Seillery (Université de Saint-Boniface)
MCCA Student Scholarship Award – McKenna Charles – Assiniboine Community College
Check out our https://mccahouse.org/awards/ regarding more information about celebrating these recipients.
Categories: News
Posted by Karen K at 9:58 am
Please see MCCA’s Open Letter to the Premier. Our Provincial Board of Directors has been mindful and reflective in considering many facets of early learning and child care in Manitoba both now and post-pandemic.
MCCA’s Open Letter to Premier Pallister
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 9:38 am
To our MCCA Membership:
We understand and support the need and priority of establishing child care services for essential service workers during the pandemic crisis.
Throughout this week, MCCA has had consistent communication with the Province. We have shared our extensive knowledge about the capacity, concerns and well-being of the early learning and child care sector, providing advice and recommendations.
Today’s state of emergency declaration by the Premier sets in motion a detailed plan to support Manitoba’s ELCC sector, provide child care for emergency and essential workers within child care centres as well as in homes. Further details to the announcement can be found here – https://news.gov.mb.ca/news/index.html…
Licensed facilities should direct ALL questions, concerns and comments to their licensing coordinator, or call 204-945-0776 or cdcinfo@gov.mb.ca
Any MCCA specific questions, will gladly be received by our staff.
Jodie
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 12:16 pm
MCCA’s Provincial Board of Directors has issued the following statement regarding the early learning & child care sector and implications of the COVID-19 virus. First and foremost, the health and well-being of the children, our MCCA members, the early learning & child care sector and families must be considered.
Stay well.
MCCA Position Statement March 2020
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 3:52 pm
MCCA has sent the following media release in anticipation of the announcement of the upcoming provincial budget.
Categories: News
Posted by Karen K at 11:38 am
Chapter 16 of MCCA’s Human Resource Management Guide is now complete. The focus of this chapter is on Succession Management Planning. This chapter provides a collection of guidelines and templates to help Directors (Board of Directors) develop an effective business continuity plan to ensure consistency in operations in a situation where they are on extended leave, vacation or transitioning into a new role.
This chapter has two intended uses: 1) For Directors to document, collect, or provide direction for where to find information essential to the operation of a child care centre and 2) For Acting Directors or Boards of Directors to use as a resource to ensure the continuity in management.
The cost of the chapter is $30.00 for members and $60.00 for non members.
To order: Chapter 16 HRMG order form
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 11:21 am
On Tuesday, January 7th, 2020, MCCA was invited to attend the Winnipeg West Pre-Budget Consultation. Jodie Kehl made a presentation to the stakeholder round table and public community meeting held at Sturgeon Heights Community Centre. Panel members included the Minister of Finance, Honorable Scott Fielding and MLA for Assiniboia, Scott Johnston.
The Manitoba Child Care Association’s 2020 pre-budget recommendations to the Province of Manitoba are straightforward:
Provide adequate funding for a high quality early learning and child care system.
Early learning and child care service providers rely on the Government of Manitoba to ensure the funding formula, whether through federal transfers, parent fees or provincial grants will sufficiently meet the expenses associated with operating quality early learning environments for Manitoba’s children.
A truly supportive investment into child care will balance accessibility, affordability and quality, which at the core, is the workforce.
Funding must support the competitive wages and benefits required to attract and retain a skilled workforce to preserve the viability of the sector.
As operating costs increase annually, funding must also increase, at minimum, at the rate of inflation to include all standard operating expenses. With no increase to operating revenue in over four years, existing licensed not for profit early learning and child care programs are struggling to balance their operating budgets. To offset deficits, centres have frozen staff salaries and reduced program expenses.
According to the 2016 MCCA/Probe Research Survey, the average salary of an ECE with 12 years’ experience is 25% below the Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale (which is indexed and released annually). And this disparity continues to grow. The increasing shortage of trained ECEs is becoming more and more evident. There has been a 23% reduction of graduates over the past four years. This is putting additional strain on the current workforce. Manitoba’s reputation as a leader in early learning & child care will be compromised as the programs continue to experience exceeding financial pressures.
Read the full submission: Pre-Budget Submission 2020
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Pre-budget consultations give Manitoba families the opportunity to share their views on key issues for Manitoba’s future.
Over 26,000 Manitobans signed a general petition in 2019 to increase funding for not for profit child care programs. These 26,000 citizens believe and support investing in quality, licensed early learning and child care.
The benefits are irrefutable – lifelong developmental benefits for children including higher academic and social outcomes, more parents accessing education and employment opportunities, key poverty reduction strategy and economic growth. Our government has been fiscally responsible in addressing the deficit and we applaud them for this; however, all children and families in Manitoba deserve a quality, not-for-profit, affordable, accessible system – please make early learning and child care a priority in the 2020 provincial budget.
To participate in the pre-budget process, you can complete an online survey or attend one of the upcoming Pre-Budget Consultations in Winnipeg, Gimli, The Pas, Thomspon, Flin Flon, Swan River, Altona and Steinbach. Telephone town halls are also being planned.
For more information: www.EngageMB.ca
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 11:45 am
The Manitoba Child Care Association (MCCA) is now accepting applications from members interested in serving on our Provincial Board of Directors. There are two year and one year positions open. Elections will be held at our Annual General Meeting, Thursday, May 21, 2020. The term of office will begin immediately following the AGM. We are seeking applications from members who have an understanding of and commitment to MCCA’s mission, vision, goals, strategic plan, and Code of Ethics. Successful applicants will have an extensive knowledge of child care as a service and as a profession at the local, provincial, and national level, strong interpersonal skills, the ability to objectively consider various perspectives, and 4 – 6 hours per month to devote to MCCA business. We welcome applications from members who have a diverse range of experiences in and knowledge of the early learning and child care sector, and who will work collaboratively with federal and provincial government leaders.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 12:35 pm
MCCA attended the Speech from the Throne yesterday afternoon.
Directly from the speech, “And 1,510 additional school-based child-care spaces will be added as part of the 20 New Schools Guarantee. (over the next ten years, including the seven schools already committed)…The Department of Families will also expand private sector investment to increase the number of child-care spaces in Manitoba. Legislative amendments will facilitate the payment of capital grants to private early learning and child-care centres to spark the development of new spaces. The child-care centre development tax credit will continue to be funded, and a new Portable Child Care Benefit will be developed that offers parents more options by following children to their family’s child-care option of choice. This 10 new program will extend the benefit of up to $500 per month to 3,000 lower income families.”
MCCA will be meeting with the Early Learning & Child Care Program and the Minister of Families in the upcoming weeks. We will be reiterating our identified priorities and recommendations in anticipation with aligning them with the Province’s. We will use this meeting as an opportunity to gain clarification on the above. We remain steadfast in our beliefs that existing licensed not for profit programs are in dire need of an operating grant increase.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 12:26 pm
“National Child Day is celebrated in Canada on November 20 in recognition of our country’s commitment to upholding the rights of children and two historic events: the 1959 signing of the UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child and the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989.
2019 marks the 30th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child sets out the rights of children with 54 articles that provide us with a solid road map of what is needed to raise healthy and happy children and youth.”
MCCA is calling on the Government of Manitoba to ensure an inclusive strategy to support, expand and enhance licensed child care is included as a priority in its Throne Speech on November 19, 2019. #NationalChildDay #childrenhaverights
For more information on how to celebrate the day, visit –
https://
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 11:41 am
MCCA’s Provincial Board of Directors and Public Policy & Professionalism Committee has submitted the 2019-2020 Early Learning & Child Care Recommendations to the Province of Manitoba. A meeting request has been sent to the Minister of Families to discuss further. We anticipate that our partnership with the Province of Manitoba continues and are eager to align our identified priorities with those of the provincial government.
Recommendations to Government 2019-20
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 11:05 am
Early Learning & Child Care affects us all. The Manitoba Public Health Association has an election campaign which includes a specific topic on Early Childhood Development. See the link below for more information.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 3:29 pm
Here is the response from the Manitoba Green Party.
Questions and draft responses re questionnaire
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 2:49 pm
Here is the response from the Manitoba Liberal Party.
Liberal Response – Early Childhood Education
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 10:23 am
Here are the responses from the Progressive Conservative Party to our “Questions for Candidates” document.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 10:21 am
Last month, we sent four questions to all registered parties in the 42nd General Election in Manitoba.
These questions, based on identified priorities in early learning & child care in the province, were developed by MCCA’s Public Policy & Professionalism Committee. We have received a response from the Manitoba NDP. We will post other party’s responses as they are received.
Response to the Manitoba Child Care Association – Manitoba NDP
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 9:48 am
Earlier this year, OVER 26,000 Manitobans signed a general petition to urge the provincial government to increase the operating revenue for not for profit licensed early learning and child care programs.
In correlation with the upcoming provincial election, the Manitoba Child Care Association (MCCA) is holding a #support26K awareness walk/event on Tuesday, August 20, 2019 at the Assiniboine Park (Lyric Theatre). Prior to the walk, there will be various stakeholders who will share their stories about the importance of early learning & child care. In addition, all registered political parties have been invited to speak to their party’s platform promises on how they intend to support the sector. After, the group will proceed with a 2.88km walk around Assiniboine Park.
The group will gather at 6:00 p.m., speakers will begin at 6:15. Everyone is welcome! Please register using the following link:
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 8:32 am
The following questions were developed by the Manitoba Child Care Association (MCCA)’s Public Policy & Professionalism Committee. They have been presented to the leaders of all registered parties in Manitoba to raise awareness about the Early Learning & Child Care in the province. The questions are focused on identified priorities within the sector.
Questions for Candidates Social Media Graphics
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 12:48 pm
For our regional members, if you are planning a #support26K walk in your area, please check out the link below for some tips and things to consider!
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 2:08 pm
As you know, over 26,000 Manitobans signed our general petition earlier this year to urge the provincial government to increase the operating revenue for not for profit licensed early learning and child care programs. In support of this and with the upcoming provincial and federal elections, MCCA is holding an awareness walk at Assiniboine Park on Tuesday, August 20th, at 6:00 p.m. We will doing a 2.88 km walk starting and finishing at the Lyric Theatre. After, we will hear from various stakeholders who will share their stories about the importance of early learning & child care and the impacts when there is insufficient investment. In addition, we will be inviting representatives from the registered political parties to speak to their party’s platform promises on how they intend to support our sector.
We are encouraging all our rural members to organize a walk in their region to walk in unison with us on this special day. If you need help, don’t hesitate to reach out. Send us your photos (#support26K) and we will upload them to our social media sites.
Categories: News
Posted by Karen K at 1:15 pm
As you know, from February 22 – March 22, 2019, MCCA circulated a general petition urging the Provincial Government to increase funding for licensed not for profit child care programs in recognition of the importance of early learning and child care in Manitoba.
The response to the petition was overwhelming. But now what?! We want to keep this conversation alive and we want you to be a part of the conversation. MCCA has embarked on a #support26K campaign.
All MCCA centres, MCCA Family Child Care Providers and MCCA Associates will be receiving a poster, a window clingy and button(s) for your staff. Display the poster and clingy and wear the button to remind Manitobans and our Provincial Government that we need increased funding for our licensed not for profit early learning & child care programs.
What else?
Thank you for your support! Let’s get early learning & child care the attention it deserves!
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 3:17 pm
The evidence is there and there is plenty of it. Child care has numerous benefits including women’s economic equality, economic growth and children’s development as cited in the just released report from Oxfam Canada.
To read the report: Who Cares? Why Canada Needs a Public Child Care System
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 12:39 pm
The MCCA Board of Directors would like to announce the 2019 MCCA award recipients. Congratulations to the winners and to all of those nominated.
Categories: News
Posted by Karen K at 12:07 pm
MCCA is very proud of our history, our success, and the support of Manitoba’s early learning and child care workforce. The 2018 Annual report is now available.
Categories: News
Posted by Karen K at 9:31 am
The General Petition, which circulated for a mere 4 weeks, received just under 26,000 signatures! Clearly, there is overwhelming support for early learning & child care in the province. The petition will be presented to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba in the next couple of weeks. Thanks to all for their assistance in sending it out so widely!
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 12:40 pm
Manitoba’s government presented its 2019 budget yesterday. Specific to early learning and child care, a review of the budget documents and announcements notes the following commitments for 2019:
Prior to the budget, MCCA called for:
While we are pleased to see that there are no proposed cuts, there continue to be urgent issues that must addressed, most notably for the early leaning and child care workforce.
MCCA will be following up with Minister Stefanson addressing our concerns, working to find solutions and commitments for MB’s early learning and child care system, but in the meantime, we encourage you to continue to gather support for MCCA’s petition.
Categories: News
Posted by Karen K at 10:40 am
MCCA has developed a general petition to urge the Province of Manitoba to increase funding for licensed not for profit child care programs. We will be collecting signatures from today until March 22, 2019. Once the time frame has been completed, we will be seeking an MLA to present the petition to the Legislative Assembly. The petition can be printed off and circulated. All original copies must be returned to MCCA. See the Petition Requirements for more information.
General Petition – Manitoba Child Care Association
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 10:37 am
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) has released its fifth study of the annual snapshot of child care fees in Canada’s 28 biggest cities for full time licensed child care for infants, toddlers and preschoolers. For all three types of care, Manitoba remains 2nd in the country with the lowest fees. Quebec continues to have the lowest in Canada.
Manitoba is also one of the few provinces that has government subsidy direct to eligible facilities, regulated fees and 95% of its early learning and child care centres are not for profit delivery service. All three of these factors are fundamental in keeping child care fees affordable for Manitoba’s families.
To read the full report:
Developmental Milestones: Child care fees in Canada’s big cities 2018
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 10:56 am
The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos hosted an event today at Tim Horton’s Field in Hamilton, Ontario.
How many child care spaces are we creating? Almost double the number of seats in the @TimHortonsField stadium.
Government of Canada on track to Create more spaces. Read the news release here.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 2:16 pm
On November 30 – December 1, the 13th meeting of the Group of Twenty (20) was held in Buenos Aires.
For the first time in the history of G20, ECD has been prioritized:
“We launch the G20 Initiative for Early Childhood Development and stand ready to join all stakeholders in enhancing quality and sustainably financed early childhood programs that consider the multidimensional approach of ECD, as means of building human capital to break the cycle of intergenerational and structural poverty, and of reducing inequalities, specially where young children are most vulnerable.”
Click here to read the full G20 Initiative for Early Childhood Development
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 9:38 am
The Honourable Jean‑Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development launched yesterday a call for nominations for the Expert Panel on Early Learning and Child Care to support the implementation of the Multilateral Early Learning and Child Care Framework, and the Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework. Members of the Committee are expected to have in-depth discussions on issues related to early learning and child care information, data and research. Specifically, the panel’s role will be to provide advice in developing an early learning and child care data and research strategy that could include the identification of priority areas and innovative approaches.
The news release can be accessed here: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/news/2018/11/government-of-canada-launches-call-for-nominations-for-the-expert-panel-on-early-learning-and-child-care.html.
The Panel is expected to be comprised of up to 10 members, with a mandate that would last 24 months. Interested individuals can apply here: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/early-learning-child-care/expert-panel/call-nominations.html.
In order to be considered, applicants must have knowledge of, and experience with, early learning and child care in one of the following areas:
The call for nominations will be open until December 14, 2018
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 1:09 pm
How much should an Early Childhood Educator (ECE) earn? In Manitoba, an ECE classification requires a minimum of two years post-secondary education specific to early childhood education. MCCA hired People First HR Services to analyze the education, skills, and abilities required of ECEs and also the Child Care Assistants employed in licensed child care centres . Based on their analysis, People First recommends to MCCA the salary ranges competitive with other jobs that require similar training and responsibility.
Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale 2018-2019
Here is how the Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale (MSCGS) can be used:
Boards of Directors and Executive Directors will find the MCSGS helpful when establishing a fair wage scale for employees, when budgeting, and when recruiting new employees. There is a shortage of Early Childhood Educators in Manitoba, so the best paying centres are more likely to be successful hiring the best staff. If the MCSGS 2018-2019 is not affordable to the centre, MCCA recommends the organization consider a MCSGS from previous years. Many options are available, including:
Market Competitive Guideline Scale 2017-2018
Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale 2016-2017
Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale 2015-2016
Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale 2014-2015
Early Childhood Educators and Child Care Assistants will find the MSCGS helpful when seeking employment or discussing compensation with their current employer. Before accepting a new position, ask what MSCGS the child care centre is using, along with your other questions about the centre’s curriculum, employee benefits, work hours, etc.
As an advocacy tool to ensure elected officials and government representatives are aware of the need for funding policies that enable all employers to provide market competitive wages in order to recruit and retain the ECEs required by provincial licensing requirements.
More information about the MCSGS and compensation is available here:
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 5:24 pm
The Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA) became law in December 2013. Its main goals are:
By November 1, 2018, non-profit organizations with at least one employee must meet the Customer Service Standard.
The Manitoba Child Care Association (MCCA) is committed to complying with the Accessibility Standard for Customer Service under the Accessibility for Manitobans Act. As such, we have developed a Customer Service Policy to meet the needs of all of our customers.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 3:48 pm
The next general municipal and school board elections will be held on October 24, 2018. Although child care is under the jurisdiction of the provincial government, the municipal leaders and school trustees have important roles to play in the availability, affordability and quality of early learning and child care services in their municipality or ward.
What information should candidates know? What questions, as a voter, should you be asking? This “quick fact” sheet can be used as a resource by early learning & child care centres, staff and by the families of your program.
Municipal and School Board Elections 2018
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 9:25 am
Premier Brian Pallister announced changes to the provincial cabinet on August 1, 2018.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 12:27 pm
The Province of Manitoba announced today that they will be providing free online access to resources for professionals and students in early years fields.
Categories: News
Posted by Karen K at 1:45 pm
The Childcare Resource and Research Unit (CRRU) has just released Early childhood education and care in Canada 2016. This is its 11th compilation of Canada-wide data on child care and related early childhood and family programs. “It considers child care space provision, budget allocations, and service delivery information in the 2014-2016 period, comparing these to previous years. The report provides detailed provincial/territorial descriptive information on kindergarten and child care programs (such as teacher/educator training, ratios, group/class size, pedagogy and governance) as well as pertinent demographic data such as the number of children and mothers’ employment rates. It also offers a Canada-wide overview of how ECEC services are organized, the federal role, Indigenous ECEC services, information on maternity and parental leave and new developments through 2017. The report is primarily based on administrative data provided by provincial/territorial ECEC officials but also includes data from Statistics Canada and other current data and research.” (Child Care Resource and Research Unit)
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 1:15 pm
Please join us in celebrating another successful year by reading about the activities of the MCCA board of directors, committees, regional branches, volunteers, and staff. We thank all our members for helping us advocate for a quality system of child care and advance ECE as a profession!
Categories: News
Posted by Karen K at 3:16 pm
Exciting news this morning from the province regarding new spaces. For more details see the attached news release
Categories: News
Posted by Karen K at 1:50 pm
Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne announced that full day licensed child care will become free for preschool children from the age of two and a half until they are eligible to start kindergarten beginning in 2020. Also included in the child care plan is increasing access to licensed child care, and a wage grid for all program staff working early learning and child care that will ensure their compensation is more closely aligned with the Early Childhood Educators working in full day kindergarten.
Free child care for preschoolers is a key recommendation coming out of economist Dr. Gordon Cleveland’s report Affordable for All: Making Licensed Child Care Affordable in Ontario.
Quality early learning and child care hinges on the availability of an educated and experienced child care workforce. The wage grid is a key recommendation in the Workforce Study for Early Years and Child Care Employees.
This is an impressive multi-pronged strategy that addresses affordability, accessibility, and recruitment and retention. It is one of the biggest child care policy announcements since Quebec launched the universal $5.00 a day child care plan in 1997. It sets the bar high for all provinces and territories in Canada and MCCA hopes the Government of Manitoba is working an an equally comprehensive, bold, and visionary strategy.
Read the press release from the Canadian Child Care Federation:
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 1:15 pm
Provincial Budget 2018 announced the following initiatives for early learning and child care including:
(Funding for the new spaces and the ISP) closely mirror the announcement made several weeks ago when Manitoba announced how it will invest the funds it will get from the federal government under the Canada-Manitoba Early Learning and Child Care Agreement.)
The total Early Learning and Child Care Budget will increase from $175.7M 2017-2018 to $185.0M in 2018/2019, likely all of it coming from the federal child care agreement.
Here is what is not in the budget:
In summary, the signing of the Canada-Manitoba Early Learning and Child Care Agreement brought the funds the province needed to include some new initiatives in Budget 2018, including the much needed boost to inclusion support funding. The highlight is the 392 new child care spaces to be co-located in the 5 new schools but it will be several years before those are built.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 8:58 am
On provincial budget day, March 12, 2018, the Manitoba Child Care Association expects the province to announce a long awaited, comprehensive, multi-pronged, multi-year child care plan that reflects public, parent, and business leader opinions. All agree the shortage of spaces is a central issue. As of August 31, 2017 there are 16,702 children on the online child care registry waiting list.
Parents report a 14 – 15 month wait on average for a licensed child care space. 41% have delayed a return to work, 30% have turned down a job, and 24% have turned down an educational opportunity because they lacked child care.
Along with an expansion of affordable and reliable licensed spaces, the child care plan must include capital funding for infrastructure, and additional operating funding for existing facilities, accessible and affordable province wide training for Early Childhood Educators and a retention strategy centered around market competitive compensation that reflects training and experience; along with initiatives to strengthen administration and governance.
What the Manitoba Public Said About Child Care
Child care is a very high priority for Manitobans, according to a MCCA/Probe Research poll, September 2016. Three in four surveyed agree a universal child care system, where every child who needs a space gets one, ought to be a priority of the new Progressive Conservative government. The shortage of licensed child care creates significant anxiety for families, worried they will not have a reliable space when they need it. A majority of Manitobans (58%) agree they are willing to pay a little more in taxes for a universal child care system.
Other findings from the public survey on child care include:
To evaluate public opinion on child care, MCCA hired Probe Research to design and conduct the province wide Omnibus poll via telephone interviews between September 13 and September 26, 2016 among a random and representative sampling of 1,000 adults residing in Manitoba. The results are within +/-3.1 percentage points of what they would have been if the entire adult population of Manitoba had been interviewed.
MCCA has provided poll results to federal and provincial government leaders and policy makers to ensure they are aware of the need to develop a quality, affordable, reliable child care system that Manitoba families can count 0n.
Click here to print the poster:
Read the full report:
161012 Public Omni Report Final
What Manitoba Parents Said About Child Care:
Nearly 3,100 parents who use child care participated in a Probe Research poll conducted for the Manitoba Child Care Association September 15 – October 1, 2016. Overwhelmingly, parents reported that the stress and anxiety of trying to find quality child care as the biggest problem. Two thirds (62%) of parents reported having to wait for a space, ranging between 14 – 15 months. A universal child care system would ensure every child who needs a licensed space gets one.
The online survey sought to determine parent satisfaction with child care, the prevalence of wait times, gaps in service, experience and satisfaction with unlicensed home-based child care, key preferences and views on possible policy changes. It is the most in-depth opinion research undertaken in Manitoba on the issue of child care.
A sample of findings include:
There are approximately 34,000 licensed child care spaces in Manitoba, of which 91% of spaces are located in child care centres and 9% are located in licensed home child care. There is very little data regarding the number of unlicensed child care homes in Manitoba.
Read the full report:
What Manitoba Business Leaders Said About Child Care
Probe Research’s 15th annual Manitoba Business Leaders Index 2016 included questions about child care availability, impact of child care on employee absenteeism, and government policies to encourage workplace child care. There are almost 15,000 children on the province’s waiting list for licensed child care and 83% of Manitobans also say the lack of child care is a very serious (37%) or somewhat serious (46%) issue.
76% of Manitoba business leaders agree the child care shortage is a serious issue.
Additional child care related findings from the CEO’s and business leaders’ survey include:
Almost half of business leaders (49%) report they have experienced difficulty finding skilled employees while Manitoba parents said child care wait times hinder their ability to work or attend school, with 41% delaying a return to work, 30% turning down a job, and 24% turning down an educational opportunity because they lacked child care.
There is plenty of evidence from the public, from parents, and the business community to support a continued expansion of quality, reliable, accessible, and affordable child care services in Manitoba.
The Manitoba Business Leaders Index included a stratified sampling of CEO’s, presidents, business owners and designated senior corporate officers from 200 small, mid-sized and large commercial establishments as defined by Statistics Canada and the Manitoba Bureau of Statistics. The survey results are considered accurate within plus or minus 6.9 per cent of what they would be had the entire population of Manitoba business leaders been surveyed.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 11:33 am
It’s an exciting day in Manitoba as the bilateral agreement on early learning and child care has been signed! The framework on how Manitoba will invest nearly $47 over the next three years is now available on the Government of Canada website:
Canada-Manitoba Early Learning and Child Care Agreement
The Manitoba News Release:
Manitoba News Release on ELCC Bilateral Agreement
MCCA thanks the federal government for putting child care back on the policy agenda and developing a framework and providing financial support to help provincial governments work toward a shared long term vision where ALL children across Canada can experience high quality, accessible, affordable, inclusive, and flexible early learning and care. We also recognize the Government of Manitoba who has spend many months working on a made in Manitoba plan to best meet the child care needs of children, parents and communities. Special thanks to Hon. Scott Fielding, Minister of Families and Michelle Stephen-Wiens, A/Director of Early Learning and Child Care.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 12:15 pm
The Atkinson Centre for Society and Child Development is a research centre that is committed to using the best available evidence on early child development to inform public disclosure, public policy and the professional learning of those who work with young children. They have released the Early Childhood Education Report (ECER) for 2017. It evaluates the quality of provincial/territorial early years services against a 15 point scale, organized around 5 categories, with 19 benchmarks. Prince Edward Island scored the highest in Canada with 11/15; followed by Quebec (10/15) , Ontario & New Brunswick (9.5/15) ; Newfoundland & Nova Scotia (8.5/15); Manitoba & North West Territories (8/15); Saskatchewan (7.5/15); British Columbia (7/15) ; Alberta (6.5/15); Yukon (5.5/15); Nunuvut (5/15).
Early Childhood Education Report 2017
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) provided a prescription for countries to improve their early childhood services. Their recommendations will help Manitoba as it works to fulfill its post election “most improved province” commitment.
The OECD said:
The report notes that at present, eight out of 13 provinces/territories have moved policy and oversight for child care to their education departments. In Manitoba, responsibility for child care belongs to the Department of Families. The upcoming review of the Community Child Care Standards Act provides an ideal opportunity for Manitoba to consult with service providers and stakeholders and consider new ways to strengthen governance.
As of August 2017, there were 16,702 children on the Online Child Care Registry waiting for a licensed child care space. The shortage of quality, regulated early years services continues to grow in Manitoba and government has yet to announce a comprehensive action plan with targets, resources, and timelines to address the gap between supply and demand for services, while also addressing infrastructure, workforce, and governance.
Government has said their priority is to add new spaces in and increase funding to licensed home child care providers who require only 40 hours of training to get a license. Is that sufficient to ensure a high quality early learning program is included along with the care? What about all those preschoolers who are in unlicensed home child care where the quality of relationships and of the learning environment is uncertain? Manitoba Education has identified literacy and numeracy to be fundamental to the growth and health of Manitoba’s economy, cultures, and social fabric. The preschool years lay the foundation for future learning and the answers to questions like caregiver qualifications and the shortage of licensed spaces must be the first priority in Manitoba’s strategy to close the achievement gap. Our province must plan for a universal child care system that ensures a space is available, accessible, and affordable in a high quality program for parents who choose the service.
There are several provincial government initiatives in place to attract and support more people through ECE diploma training, however there continues to be a shortage of ECEs in most areas of of Manitoba, especially outside of Winnipeg. Thousands of ECEs have graduated; not enough have stayed in the child care system because government hasn’t invested in fair compensation for the workforce. The heart of the problem is that parent fees and operating grants aren’t high enough to support competitive wages. The minimum starting for an ECE has been $15.50 per hour for the past 9 years. The average ECE earns $18.38 after 14.7 years of experience. There are now fewer options for an ECE II to acquire an ECE III and little financial reward to those who invest in enhancing their qualifications. School divisions pay better wages and are easily able to recruit experienced ECEs out of child care.
The ECER notes:
The practice of staffing child care using directors’ exemptions (i.e. filling positions requiring ECE qualifications with unqualified staff) drags on quality, further demoralizing qualified educators. That practice is so common in Manitoba now that it’s the new normal. Many child care centres operate with fewer Early Childhood Educators than required. In fact, MCCA/Probe Research survey 2016 identified that 49% of child care centres have operated with a conditional license due to staff shortages and 69% of child care centre directors say it’s hard to hire early childhood educators.
Manitoba needs a comprehensive workforce strategy to address these issues.
Healthy Child Manitoba has ensured available research has increased awareness of the link between early childhood development and future child outcomes. Far more could be done to strengthen quality and early learning by ensuring a licensed child care space is available for every child who needs one, by increasing entry level and post diploma training requirements for both centre based and home child care providers, increasing wages, and ensuring there is communication, collaboration, and consistency between licensed child care as the first tier of education outside the home, and the formal education system.
The report emphasizes that ECE policy must consider access, affordability, and quality. Manitoba has a lot of work to do to re-gain it’s status as a provincial leader in early learning and child care The ECER along with the Manitoba Early Learning and Child Care Commission are both important resources to help guide policy development.
Manitoba Early Learning and Child Care Commission
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 1:14 pm
The Manitoba Child Care Association is pleased to announce the appointment of Jodie Kehl as its new executive director. The selection was made after a national and provincial search led by People First HR Services and a hiring committee struck by the MCCA. Jodie succeeds Pat Wege who will be retiring from MCCA on May 11, 2018.
Jodie graduated from the Early Childhood Education Program – Red River College in 1992. Over the past 26 years she has worked with infants, preschoolers, and school-agers, including most recently as Executive Director of the O.K. Before & After School Child Care Centres Inc. Jodie has been a long- time volunteer with MCCA, having served on the board of directors for 17 years including a term as President, and has been active in many committees including Editorial, Finance, Personnel, Public Policy & Professionalism, Child Care Benefits, the Retirement Plan Advisory Committee, and the School Age Support Committee.
She enjoys spending her personal time in Kenora at the family cottage with her husband, Ryan and daughter, Morgan.
The board of directors is confident Jodie has the knowledge, experience, leadership, and commitment to further the mission, vision, and values of the Manitoba Child Care Association.
Jodie is honored to have been selected for the position of Executive Director and looks forward to this part of her professional journey. She will begin her employment at MCCA on March 19, 2018.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 10:02 am
MCCA is pleased to announce that members can now search our library database online! Create a user name and password and you can order books directly from our website! We will mail them to our members and provide a return postage paid label and envelope for you to return them to us!
Click here to Search our resource library collection 24/7
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 2:45 pm
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) has released a new study on child care fees in Canada. Toronto has the highest median full time centre based and regulated home child care infant fees in the country at $1,758 a month, or $21,096 annually.
It is evident that provinces where governments set parents fees and provide operational funding directly to service providers have the lowest parent fees. Only 3 provinces do so currently: Manitoba, Quebec, and Prince Edward Island. The other provinces, and especially those with a high percentage of private, for profit operators, have experienced an increase in parent fees. “71% of the cities surveyed in 2017 saw their fees rise faster than inflation in the past year”.
Parent fees in licensed child care facilities that are government funded in Manitoba have not changed since 2013. In fact, parent fees have gone up by only $2.00 a day in the past 17 years.
Other factors that keep parent fees low in Manitoba:
Low parent fees is good news for Manitoba families that can access a licensed child care space. As of August 31, 2017, there are 16,702 children on Manitoba’s online child care registry waiting list and no provincial plan to address the shortage of licensed spaces that parents prefer. The fees parents pay in the unlicensed privately delivered market, for example the neighborhood babysitter, are (anecdotally) about $5.00 and up per day higher than the provincially regulated rates in the not for profit sector.
Here is a link to the full report: Time Out Child Care Fees in Canada 2017
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 4:07 pm
How much should an Early Childhood Educator (ECE) earn? In Manitoba, an ECE classification requires a minimum of two years post-secondary education specific to early childhood education. MCCA hired People First HR Services to analyze the education, skills, and abilities required of ECEs and also the Child Care Assistants employed in licensed child care centres . Based on their analysis, People First recommends to MCCA the salary ranges competitive with other jobs that require similar training and responsibility.
Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale 2018-2019
Here is how the Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale (MSCGS) can be used:
Boards of Directors and Executive Directors will find the MCSGS helpful when establishing a fair wage scale for employees, when budgeting, and when recruiting new employees. There is a shortage of Early Childhood Educators in Manitoba, so the best paying centres are more likely to be successful hiring the best staff. If the MCSGS 2018-2019 is not affordable to the centre, MCCA recommends the organization consider a MCSGS from previous years. Many options are available, including:
Market Competitive Guideline Scale 2017-2018
Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale 2016-2017
Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale 2015-2016
Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale 2014-2015
Early Childhood Educators and Child Care Assistants will find the MSCGS helpful when seeking employment or discussing compensation with their current employer. Before accepting a new position, ask what MSCGS the child care centre is using, along with your other questions about the centre’s curriculum, employee benefits, work hours, etc.
As an advocacy tool to ensure elected officials and government representatives are aware of the need for funding policies that enable all employers to provide market competitive wages in order to recruit and retain the ECEs required by provincial licensing requirements.
More information about the MCSGS and compensation is available here:
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 3:35 pm
The Canadian Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Guidelines outline the amount and type of physical activity needed at every age and stage of life. For example, they recommend toddlers (1-2) and preschoolers (3-4 years) years spend at least 180 minutes in a variety of physical activities, including energetic play spread throughout the day.
Here is a link to more information including a poster you can print and circulate:
Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years (0-4) years
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 6:38 pm
This is what Manitoba’s Speech from the Throne said about child care:
Our Government will launch a new Early Learning and Child Care strategy with initiatives to create new child care spaces, reduce wait times, eliminate red tape and foster better outcomes for families with young children. Legislation will reduce red tape for early childhood educators, focus on partnerships with other levels of government, traditional and home-based service providers, businesses/employers, schools, rural and northern communities. It will introduce new incentives for private investments in child care spaces. Our early years education strategy will focus on achieving better educational outcomes by supporting early learning initiatives, enhanced early childhood educator (ECE) training and securing greater alignment with a ‘cradles to careers’ approach. Our work will continue to improve outcomes in early years literacy and numeracy by refocusing resources and enhancing the programming during this critical period of development
“New incentives for private investments in child care spaces” is concerning. If “private investments” means for profit child care, parents are forewarned that child care fees charged by for profit operators in other provinces are 3-4 times higher than child care fees in Manitoba’s primarily not for profit child care centres. The best educational outcomes for children hinge on the quality of care and learning provided by Early Childhood Educators who are well compensated. “Reducing red tape” for early childhood educators…..” can’t imagine what that means.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 9:34 pm
National Child Day is celebrated in Canada on November 20 in recognition of the UN Declaration on the Rights of the Child and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
All children have universal, human rights – the standards in international law for the treatment of children to support their optimal survival, development and protection. These standards are set out in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, ratified by Canada in 1991. The provision and protection of children’s Convention rights is the primary duty of governments at all levels. Realizing the promise of the Convention is an ongoing, progressive commitment. The Convention is a useful framework to advance the well-being of children because it provides a comprehensive view of the interdependent conditions to scaffold child well-being, it makes clear what children are entitled to, it distinguishes the roles and responsibilities of different actors , and it articulates the principles that should guide all actions for children. Using the Convention to develop policies, laws, programs, services, administrative procedures and other decisions and actions leads to better outcomes for children.
Convention on Rights of The Child Poster
National Child Day Activity Kit
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 3:38 pm
On Wednesday, October 11, 2017, Pat Wege made a presentation to the pre-budget stakeholder roundtable and public community meeting held at the Manitoba Legislature. Panel members included the Hon. Cameron Friesen, Minister of Finance, Andrew Smith, MLA for Southdale, and Colleen Mayer, MLA for St. Vital.
Key points raised on early learning and child care were:
2. Manitoba needs a comprehensive policy framework to strengthen existing child care services and improve the access and availability of affordable licensed child care
Some of our recommendations for investment of federal funds include:
Read the full submission: Pre-Budget Submission
Pre-budget consultations give Manitoba families the opportunity to share their views on key issues for Manitoba’s future. MCCA thinks that access to high quality, accessible, and affordable early learning and child care should be a provincial priority and encourages families to speak up for more and better services. Most modern families rely on child care to work to attend school, but the supply of spaces is far short of the demand. As of August 31, 2017, there are 16,702 children on the online child care waiting list, with a wait time of 14-15 months. (MCCA/Probe Research survey 2016)
According to the 2016 Canadian census, there are 164,440 children in Manitoba ages 0-9. There are around 35,469 licensed child care space, enough for 18.5% of Manitoba children age 12 and under.
To participate, you can complete an online survey, or attend one of the consultation meetings in Brandon, Winnipeg, The Pas, Dauphin, Winkler, and in the Dawson Trail and Interlake regions. Telephone town halls will be held in Ocotber.
For more information on the survey or dates of the town hall, go to Manitobans Making Choices.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 3:02 pm
The Winnipeg Foundation has announced the results of Vital Signs, a project that identified significant needs and trends by combining research with the results of surveys, in which community members provided insights on issue areas critical to quality of life in Winnipeg.
Child care was identified as a citizen priority with 46% of women and 37% of men saying Winnipeg needs to improve access and availability of affordable child care.
All the data collected is available on the Winnipeg Vital Signs website.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 1:55 pm
The Government of Manitoba has announced annual increases to the operating grant for licensed, home based child care providers to help recruit new and strengthen the stability of existing home based providers. Turnover is high in the sector and the number of licensed homes has been decreasing annually for years. For example, there were 551 licensed homes in Manitoba a decade ago and there are currently 418 licensed homes.
News Release on Operating Grant Increase
The last time the operating grant for licensed child care centres and homes increased was January 1, 2016, making it difficult for child care centres to increase staff wages and home child care providers without an increase to their income. The province sets the maximum fees that licensed facilities can charge and also controls the operating grant for those who are eligible and/or choose to take it. Facilities that don’t take or can’t get the operating grant can set their own parent fees. As of March 31, 2016 there were 14 non profit child care centres operating 1,045 spaces while waiting for operating grant funding. The 119 licensed homes with 864 unfunded spaces likely opted out of the grant so they could set their own parent fees.
As of March 31, 2016 there were 34,385 licensed spaces in Manitoba of which 31,338 were in licensed child care centres and 3,057 were in 425 licensed homes.
Recruitment and retention is also a problem in licensed child care centres where 2/3 of infant and preschool staff and 50% of school age and nursery school staff must be Early Childhood Educators with a degree or a diploma. Although thousands have been trained as ECEs, many have left for greener pastures and there is a shortage of those remaining in the sector. Most recent data reports that in March 2013, 26.7% of centres did not meet the licensing requirements for trained staff. Compensation continues to be well below research based market competitive wages so it is unlikely the shortage of ECEs has improved much in the past 4 years.
Home child care providers are required to complete a 40 hour orientation course in their first year of licensing, however some are also Early Childhood Educators. There is not ongoing professional learning requirement, however many voluntarily work toward the best practices recommendation of 24 hours per year. by attending works of
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 3:31 pm
MCCA is now accepting registrations for the fall workshops! We are offering 45 workshops, of which three are online so you can participate anywhere in Manitoba that has internet service.
There will be a professional development day in The Pas on Saturday, November 4 and a professional development day in Beausejour on Saturday, November 18, 2017. Details in the workshop brochure!
Register for workshops online and pay with a credit card
Central MCCA Branch is offering a Loose Parts Workshop
Click on the following link for more information:
Categories: News
Posted by Karen K at 2:39 pm
The PEI agreement allocates $10.5M, for early learning and child care investments. The focus for the province will be on more spaces for infants and pre-schoolers, and better access for vulnerable children, and for under-served populations including Newcomer families and Acadian and French speaking communities. There is some funding directed towards professional training for Early Childhood Educators with the aim of improving quality.
The New Brunswick agreement allocated close to $30 M with an additional contribution of $71M from the province. It is very similar to PEI, with a focus on spaces for preschoolers, implementing inclusion policy, developing guidelines for language acquisition and cultural identify, and increase professional learning for early childhood educators.
Both plans are silent on recruitment and retention strategies for the child care workforce, which includes the long standing problem of compensation. The Canadian and Child Care Federation and provincial/territorial affiliates have written to Minister Duclos recommending the child care workforce be integral policy and spending priorities of the bi-lateral agreements.
The Province of Ontario signed their bi-lateral on June 16, 2017.
Manitoba signed on to the child care multi-lateral agreement with Ottawa but has not yet completed a bi-lateral.
CCCF/Provincial Affiliates letter to Minister Duclos:
Joint affiliate letter to Duclos
MCCAs Brief to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance, Pre-budget consultations 2018
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 1:47 pm
The Manitoba Child Care Association is still waiting for the province to announce a multi-year child care strategy that reflects public, parent, and business leader opinions. All agree the shortage of spaces is a serious issue. As of July 31, 2017 there are 16,568 children on the online child care registry waiting list. That is an increase of 1,910 in 2017.
Online Child Care Registry, July 2017
Parents report a 14 – 15 month wait on average for a licensed child care space. 41% have delayed a return to work, 30% have turned down a job, and 24% have turned down an educational opportunity because they lacked child care.
The Government of Canada has committed $400M for provincial/territorial child care systems in 2017/18 and $7B over 10 years starting in 2018/19. Manitoba’s share of the federal investment over the next 3 years will be around $15M annually, starting in 2017/18. Manitoba has not yet announced how they plan to invest the federal funds for child care.
Manitoba to receive $15M from feds for child care
Along with an expansion of affordable and reliable licensed spaces, the child care plan must ensure parent fees remain affordable, care is of high quality and fosters early learning. It must include capital and operating funding, accessible and affordable province wide training for Early Childhood Educators along with a retention strategy that provides market competitive compensation, strong administration and governance.
Child care is a very high priority for Manitobans, according to a MCCA/Probe Research poll, September 2016. Three in four surveyed agree a universal child care system, where every child who needs a space gets one, ought to be a priority of the new Progressive Conservative government. The shortage of licensed child care creates significant anxiety for families, worried they will not have a reliable space when they need it. A majority of Manitobans (58%) agree they are willing to pay a little more in taxes for a universal child care system.
Other findings from the public survey on child care include:
To evaluate public opinion on child care, MCCA hired Probe Research to design and conduct the province wide Omnibus poll via telephone interviews between September 13 and September 26, 2016 among a random and representative sampling of 1,000 adults residing in Manitoba. The results are within +/-3.1 percentage points of what they would have been if the entire adult population of Manitoba had been interviewed.
MCCA has provided poll results to federal and provincial government leaders and policy makers to ensure they are aware of the need to develop a quality, affordable, reliable child care system that Manitoba families can count 0n.
Click here to print the poster:
Read the full report:
161012 Public Omni Report Final
Nearly 3,100 parents who use child care participated in a Probe Research poll conducted for the Manitoba Child Care Association September 15 – October 1, 2016. Overwhelmingly, parents reported that the stress and anxiety of trying to find quality child care as the biggest problem. Two thirds (62%) of parents reported having to wait for a space, ranging between 14 – 15 months. A universal child care system would ensure every child who needs a licensed space gets one.
The online survey sought to determine parent satisfaction with child care, the prevalence of wait times, gaps in service, experience and satisfaction with unlicensed home-based child care, key preferences and views on possible policy changes. It is the most in-depth opinion research undertaken in Manitoba on the issue of child care.
A sample of findings include:
There are approximately 34,000 licensed child care spaces in Manitoba, of which 91% of spaces are located in child care centres and 9% are located in licensed home child care. There is very little data regarding the number of unlicensed child care homes in Manitoba.
Read the full report:
Probe Research’s 15th annual Manitoba Business Leaders Index 2016 included questions about child care availability, impact of child care on employee absenteeism, and government policies to encourage workplace child care. There are almost 15,000 children on the province’s waiting list for licensed child care and 83% of Manitobans also say the lack of child care is a very serious (37%) or somewhat serious (46%) issue.
76% of Manitoba business leaders agree the child care shortage is a serious issue.
Additional child care related findings from the CEO’s and business leaders’ survey include:
Almost half of business leaders (49%) report they have experienced difficulty finding skilled employees while Manitoba parents said child care wait times hinder their ability to work or attend school, with 41% delaying a return to work, 30% turning down a job, and 24% turning down an educational opportunity because they lacked child care.
There is plenty of evidence from the public, from parents, and the business community to support a continued expansion of quality, reliable, accessible, and affordable child care services in Manitoba.
The Manitoba Business Leaders Index included a stratified sampling of CEO’s, presidents, business owners and designated senior corporate officers from 200 small, mid-sized and large commercial establishments as defined by Statistics Canada and the Manitoba Bureau of Statistics. The survey results are considered accurate within plus or minus 6.9 per cent of what they would be had the entire population of Manitoba business leaders been surveyed.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 3:23 pm
Statistics Canada has released the third round of data from the 2016 Census of Population. It provides some insights on families, households, marital status, and language.
Focus on Geography Series, 2016 Census
Previous census data from 2011 provides some information about child care utilization and preferences including:
This release is based on the report “Child care in Canada,” available today in the publication Spotlight on Canadians: Results from the General Social Survey (89-652-X).
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 1:48 pm
The Manitoba Child Care Association extends congratulations to the Canadian Child Care Federation on their 30th anniversary! Read more about their “dream that became a reality”:
All MCCA members have joint membership with the Canadian Child Care Federation. Visit their website to access your online copy of Interaction magazine in the members only area:
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 8:38 pm
The Government of Manitoba has announced it will be reversing the hold it placed on the Inclusion Support Program. (ISP)
We welcome the news that all pending applications that meet the criteria will be supported, and thank Minister Fielding for hearing the concerns from the public. We remain uncertain about their plan for new ISP funding applications, and future funding and policy decisions.
Our recommendations are outlined in this letter: Minister Fielding letter June 29, 2017
Background, June 23, 2017
The Pallister Government has put Manitoba’s Inclusion Support Program on hold pending a review. This leaves families of children with additional support needs planning to enroll or transfer from another child care facility out of luck, or in the dark while waiting for their child’s funding application to be processed. MCCA believes all children should receive the support they need to succeed and the Government of Manitoba needs to adequately fund its’ Inclusion Support Program.
In 2009, new regulations for inclusive child care were put in place. Child care facilities must provide inclusive programming and ensure individual program plans are in place for children with additional support needs. As of the end of the 2016 fiscal year, 1,541 children were being supported. 61% of licensed child care centres and 8% of licensed child care homes were participating in the Inclusion Support Program
A Guide to the Inclusion Support Program, Manitoba Early Learning and Child Care
Winnipeg Free Press, June 24, 2017 Funding cut for special-needs kids
Licensed child care programs are often first to identify preschool children with developmental delays and initiate referrals for diagnostic assessment. Based on individual needs, it may be determined by a qualified professional (physician, therapist, nurse, children’s special services ) that the child requires additional staff support in the child care care facility. Developmental goals and Individual Program Plans are developed. The final decision for funding is made by the Early Learning and Child Care Program.
Persons affected by the freeze should email their concerns to their own MLA, and copy to:
Minister of Families, Hon. Scott Fielding: minfs@leg.gov.mb.ca
Minister of Education & Chair of the Healthy Child Committee of Cabinet: Hon. Ian Wishart: minedu@leg.gov.mb.ca
Premier of Manitoba, Hon. Brian Pallister: premier@leg.gov.mb.ca
Michelle Stephen Wiens, A/Director, Early Learning and Child Care: Michelle.Stephen-Wiens@gov.mb.ca
Nahanni Fontaine, Opposition Critic for Families: nahanni.fontaine@leg.gov.mb.ca
Click here to find contact information for your MLA
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 2:41 pm
Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Ministers have signed an agreement that includes a long term vision, principles, and objectives that will help child care move forward.
Read MCCAs Multilateral Media Release June 12
MCCA has written to Minister of Families, Hon. Scott Fielding recommending Manitoba prioritize:
MCCA continues to recommend the need for a Ministers Advisory Committee on Early Learning and Child Care to ensure the development of a collaborative, comprehensive, strategic, affordable, and inclusive early learning and child care system that reflects the priorities and preferences of Manitobans.
Manitoba must next sign a bi-lateral agreement with the Government of Manitoba that identifies local priorities for the new federal funds. MCCA has sent a letter to Premier Pallister urging him to ensure Manitoba is among the first of the province’s to submit their action plan to the Government of Canada.
Premier Pallister letter Aug 3, 2017
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 7:55 pm
The Manitoba Child Care Association is still waiting for the province to announce a multi-year child care strategy that reflects public, parent, and business leader opinions. All agree the shortage of spaces is a serious issue. As of June 30, 2017 there are 16,861 children on the online child care registry waiting list. That is an increase of 2,203 names added to the wait list so far in 2017.
Parents report a 14 – 15 month wait on average for a licensed child care space. 41% have delayed a return to work, 30% have turned down a job, and 24% have turned down an educational opportunity because they lacked child care.
The Government of Canada has committed $400M for provincial/territorial child care systems in 2017/18 and $7B over 10 years starting in 2018/19. Manitoba’s share of the federal investment over the next 3 years will be around $15M annually, starting in 2017/18. Manitoba has not yet announced how they plan to invest the federal funds for child care.
Manitoba to receive $15M from feds for child care
Along with an expansion of affordable and reliable licensed spaces, the child care plan must ensure parent fees remain affordable, care is of high quality and fosters early learning. It must include capital and operating funding, accessible and affordable province wide training for Early Childhood Educators along with a retention strategy that provides market competitive compensation, strong administration and governance.
What the Manitoba Public Said About Child Care
Child care is a very high priority for Manitobans, according to a MCCA/Probe Research poll, September 2016. Three in four surveyed agree a universal child care system, where every child who needs a space gets one, ought to be a priority of the new Progressive Conservative government. The shortage of licensed child care creates significant anxiety for families, worried they will not have a reliable space when they need it. A majority of Manitobans (58%) agree they are willing to pay a little more in taxes for a universal child care system.
Other findings from the public survey on child care include:
To evaluate public opinion on child care, MCCA hired Probe Research to design and conduct the province wide Omnibus poll via telephone interviews between September 13 and September 26, 2016 among a random and representative sampling of 1,000 adults residing in Manitoba. The results are within +/-3.1 percentage points of what they would have been if the entire adult population of Manitoba had been interviewed.
MCCA has provided poll results to federal and provincial government leaders and policy makers to ensure they are aware of the need to develop a quality, affordable, reliable child care system that Manitoba families can count 0n.
Click here to print the poster:
Read the full report:
161012 Public Omni Report Final
What Manitoba Parents Said About Child Care:
Nearly 3,100 parents who use child care participated in a Probe Research poll conducted for the Manitoba Child Care Association September 15 – October 1, 2016. Overwhelmingly, parents reported that the stress and anxiety of trying to find quality child care as the biggest problem. Two thirds (62%) of parents reported having to wait for a space, ranging between 14 – 15 months. A universal child care system would ensure every child who needs a licensed space gets one.
The online survey sought to determine parent satisfaction with child care, the prevalence of wait times, gaps in service, experience and satisfaction with unlicensed home-based child care, key preferences and views on possible policy changes. It is the most in-depth opinion research undertaken in Manitoba on the issue of child care.
A sample of findings include:
There are approximately 34,000 licensed child care spaces in Manitoba, of which 91% of spaces are located in child care centres and 9% are located in licensed home child care. There is very little data regarding the number of unlicensed child care homes in Manitoba.
Read the full report:
What Manitoba Business Leaders Said About Child Care
Probe Research’s 15th annual Manitoba Business Leaders Index 2016 included questions about child care availability, impact of child care on employee absenteeism, and government policies to encourage workplace child care. There are almost 15,000 children on the province’s waiting list for licensed child care and 83% of Manitobans also say the lack of child care is a very serious (37%) or somewhat serious (46%) issue.
76% of Manitoba business leaders agree the child care shortage is a serious issue.
Additional child care related findings from the CEO’s and business leaders’ survey include:
Almost half of business leaders (49%) report they have experienced difficulty finding skilled employees while Manitoba parents said child care wait times hinder their ability to work or attend school, with 41% delaying a return to work, 30% turning down a job, and 24% turning down an educational opportunity because they lacked child care.
There is plenty of evidence from the public, from parents, and the business community to support a continued expansion of quality, reliable, accessible, and affordable child care services in Manitoba.
The Manitoba Business Leaders Index included a stratified sampling of CEO’s, presidents, business owners and designated senior corporate officers from 200 small, mid-sized and large commercial establishments as defined by Statistics Canada and the Manitoba Bureau of Statistics. The survey results are considered accurate within plus or minus 6.9 per cent of what they would be had the entire population of Manitoba business leaders been surveyed.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 2:10 pm
Ontario’s Renewed Early Years and Child Care Policy Framework 2017 has seven action items:
The news release says, in part, “Making licensed child care more affordable and ore accessible for families is part of our plan to create jobs, grow our economy and help people in their everyday lives.”
Read more about it here: Ontario Making Child Care More Accessible and Affordable for Families
MCCA congratulates the Government of Ontario and their partners in child care and related sectors for their leadership to design and build a better child care system for children and families!
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 8:17 pm
A new statement from the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) recommends that physicians and health care providers counsel parents and caregivers of young children on how to minimize screen time and mitigate its potential negative effects. The CPS also recommends that physicians guide parents on how to mindfully use and model healthy screen use to encourage positive habits. The statement, released today, focuses on children under five years old, acknowledging that a child’s earliest screen encounters can be formative and that early exposure can increase the likelihood of overuse in later life. En français: Le temps d’écran et les jeunes enfants : promouvoir la santé et le développement dans un monde numérique.
Other resources:
Parent resource – Screen time and young children
En français – Le temps d’écran et les jeunes enfants
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 1:29 pm
MCCA’s 42nd Annual General Meeting was held on Thursday, May 25, 2017. 55 members and 1 guest were in attendance. Sandra Griffin, Past Executive Director of the Canadian Child Care Federation was the guest speaker. Welcome to our new board of directors!
New board members include:
2017 – 2019: 2017-2018
Director of Branch Services: Janice Delf Member at Large: Lisa Hrechkosy
Director: Corine Anderson Member at Large: Khadija Raoui
Director: Sue Sydorchuk Member at Large: Lynda Raible
Director: Kisa MacIsaac Member at Large: Cheryl Tremblay
Member at Large: Lisa Hrechkosy
Returning board members include:
April Kalyniuk, President
Caryn LaFleche, Past President
Tracy Cosser, President Elect
Brenda McCarthy, Secretary Treasurer
Fernanda Hodgson, Director of Board Operations
Lois Johnson, Director of Public Policy & Professionalism
Jodie Kehl
You can view read about 2016 at a glance by viewing our AGM 2017 Powerpoint
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 4:24 pm
As of March 31, 2017 there are 16,372 children registered and waiting for a space in a licensed child care facility in Manitoba. Of those, 9,187 need care within three months, to June 30, 2017. The majority need space in Winnipeg, however there all child care waiting lists all over the province.
Online Child Care Registry Statistics: March 2017
An MCCA/Probe Research survey found that on average, it takes 14-15 months to get a licensed child care space, depending on age of the child.
The Government of Manitoba continues to promise a long range plan for child care. Since being elected in April 2016, it has made 2 announcement:
May 10, 2017 – announced up to $2.8M for community based capital projects. Funds are for new non-profit child care centres or renovations to existing centres for the purposes of adding new child care spaces. Grant recipients receive up to 40% of capital costs of $600,000 for projects in community owned or leased buildings.
March 9, 2017 – announced $6.1M for 15 community based capital projects (Fall 2015 intake) that will create 730 new licensed spaces
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 3:56 pm
The Manitoba Child Care Association is waiting for the province to announce a child care plan that reflects public, parent, and business leader opinions. All agree the shortage of spaces is a serious issue. As of December 31, 2016 there are 14,658 children on the online child care registry waiting list. That is an increase of 2,588 waiting for a space since December 31, 2015.
Parents report a 14 – 15 month wait on average for a licensed child care space. 41% have delayed a return to work, 30% have turned down a job, and 24% have turned down an educational opportunity because they lacked child care.
Along with an expansion of affordable and reliable licensed spaces, the child care plan must include capital and operating funding, accessible and affordable province wide training for Early Childhood Educators and a retention strategy; strong administration and governance.
What the Manitoba Public Said About Child Care
Child care is a very high priority for Manitobans, according to a MCCA/Probe Research poll, September 2016. Three in four surveyed agree a universal child care system, where every child who needs a space gets one, ought to be a priority of the new Progressive Conservative government. The shortage of licensed child care creates significant anxiety for families, worried they will not have a reliable space when they need it. A majority of Manitobans (58%) agree they are willing to pay a little more in taxes for a universal child care system.
Other findings from the public survey on child care include:
To evaluate public opinion on child care, MCCA hired Probe Research to design and conduct the province wide Omnibus poll via telephone interviews between September 13 and September 26, 2016 among a random and representative sampling of 1,000 adults residing in Manitoba. The results are within +/-3.1 percentage points of what they would have been if the entire adult population of Manitoba had been interviewed.
MCCA has provided poll results to federal and provincial government leaders and policy makers to ensure they are aware of the need to develop a quality, affordable, reliable child care system that Manitoba families can count 0n.
Click here to print the poster:
Read the full report:
161012 Public Omni Report Final
What Manitoba Parents Said About Child Care:
Nearly 3,100 parents who use child care participated in a Probe Research poll conducted for the Manitoba Child Care Association September 15 – October 1, 2016. Overwhelmingly, parents reported that the stress and anxiety of trying to find quality child care as the biggest problem. Two thirds (62%) of parents reported having to wait for a space, ranging between 14 – 15 months. A universal child care system would ensure every child who needs a licensed space gets one.
The online survey sought to determine parent satisfaction with child care, the prevalence of wait times, gaps in service, experience and satisfaction with unlicensed home-based child care, key preferences and views on possible policy changes. It is the most in-depth opinion research undertaken in Manitoba on the issue of child care.
A sample of findings include:
There are approximately 34,000 licensed child care spaces in Manitoba, of which 91% of spaces are located in child care centres and 9% are located in licensed home child care. There is very little data regarding the number of unlicensed child care homes in Manitoba.
Read the full report:
What Manitoba Business Leaders Said About Child Care
Probe Research’s 15th annual Manitoba Business Leaders Index 2016 included questions about child care availability, impact of child care on employee absenteeism, and government policies to encourage workplace child care. There are almost 15,000 children on the province’s waiting list for licensed child care and 83% of Manitobans also say the lack of child care is a very serious (37%) or somewhat serious (46%) issue.
76% of Manitoba business leaders agree the child care shortage is a serious issue.
Additional child care related findings from the CEO’s and business leaders’ survey include:
Almost half of business leaders (49%) report they have experienced difficulty finding skilled employees while Manitoba parents said child care wait times hinder their ability to work or attend school, with 41% delaying a return to work, 30% turning down a job, and 24% turning down an educational opportunity because they lacked child care.
There is plenty of evidence from the public, from parents, and the business community to support a continued expansion of quality, reliable, accessible, and affordable child care services in Manitoba.
The Manitoba Business Leaders Index included a stratified sampling of CEO’s, presidents, business owners and designated senior corporate officers from 200 small, mid-sized and large commercial establishments as defined by Statistics Canada and the Manitoba Bureau of Statistics. The survey results are considered accurate within plus or minus 6.9 per cent of what they would be had the entire population of Manitoba business leaders been surveyed.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 2:54 pm
April 12, 2017:
The provincial budget speech said government will be”moving quickly” to address the child care challenge by ……”adding 501 new licensed child care spaces and 50 new home based child care spaces this fiscal year, and by increasing operating grants for home-based child care providers.”
The overall increase to the child care budget is $6.2M which does not include an expected $15M from the federal government expected later this year. The number of new spaces announced in the budget is welcome, but small, and won’t go very far toward helping the 14, 658 children on the online child care registry wait list. At the end of the 2016 fiscal year, there were 1,045 unfunded non profit spaces in centres, most of which are probably still waiting for funding approval. Home child care providers can have a maximum of 8 children including their own under age 12, so 50 new home child care spaces is also small. There has not historically been a cap on grant funding for home child care – new spaces were funded as they are licensed – so this announcement may indicate a new limit on funding for home child care. 28% of home child care providers have opted to not take the provincial operating grant, which gives them the flexibility to set their own parent fees higher than the provincial maximum.
A key question is whether there is also a funding increase for child care centres. who provide 81% of licensed spaces, followed by 11% in licensed nursery schools, and 8% in licensed home child care. The last operating grant increase for child care facilities was 2% in January 2016, and the last parent fee increase was in 2013. ( The full day preschool rate in a centre was $18.80 in 2000 and is $20.80 in 2017.)
In a recent MCCA/Probe Research survey, 73% of child care centre directors are most worried about increasing operating costs (73%) and paying competitive wages (71%) so a funding freeze for them will definitely add to their problems as operating costs continue to rise.
We don’t yet know about ongoing funding for current ECE training programs, including the popular workplace training program and the staff replacement grant to support workplace training. Other supports and initiatives currently available include annual training grants, conditional tuition support grant, and funding to increase training capacity in colleges.
At many points over the past year, government has hinted they are working on a long range plan for child care. Key areas that must be included in a comprehensive plan, in addition to access to more spaces, include human resource development and expansion, such as enhanced post secondary qualifications for centre and home based providers, along with recruitment and retention strategies that provide fair compensation; and infrastructure including both community based and school based facilities.
An additional announcement on child care is expected in the near future.
April 11, 2017
Child Care Association (MCCA) is expecting provincial budget 2017 to include a strong, multi-pronged, progressive plan to improve and enhance early learning and child care in Manitoba.
Quality early learning and child care has a positive impact on how children learn, supports families, benefits communities, reduces poverty, is key to women’s equality, and contributes to a strong economy. At the end of the 2016 fiscal year there were 31,228 spaces in licensed child care centres and 3,057 spaces in licensed home child care. As of December 31, 2017 there were 14,658 children on the online child care registry waiting list.
The MCCA/Probe Research project results have provided ample evidence that the shortage of licensed child care in Manitoba needs to be a government priority, with 83% of the public, 95% of parents, and 76% of business leaders all agreeing the lack of child care is a serious issue. The Government of Manitoba should base their child care plan on the research that identifies the key issues, and the preferences and priorities of parents who say that:
“We know a 14-15 month wait time for a child care space is a barrier to parent employment and education, so Manitoba desperately needs a plan to license and fund more spaces”, said April Kalyniuk, MCCA President. “However, we also know that over 70% of child care centre directors are worried about increasing operating costs and paying competitive wages, so the provincial plan for child care needs to include additional funding to support quality in existing centre and home based spaces as well”, she continued. The best child care plan will address access, affordability, funding, quality of care and learning, recruitment and retention of early childhood educators, governance and administration.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 9:00 pm
The March 23, 2017 federal budget announced $7B over 10 years earmarked for child care. This is very good news and it is encouraging that child care is back on the federal government agenda after an 11 year absence.
The Liberals predict it could create 40,000 new, subsidized child care spaces across Canada in the next three years. However, that number will put only a small dent in the number of children waiting for a space in a licensed facility. There is enough licensed child care in Canada for only 24% of preschool children and demand is through the roof in most provinces. For example, in Manitoba, as of December 31, 2016, there were 14,658 names on the online child care waiting list. Fortunately, the Liberal plan provides for multi-year funding, which makes it possible for provinces to commit to long term and ongoing investments. However, the funds they promise ramp up very slowly year over year and don’t beef up until 2022.
The Federal Funding Year-by-Year
| 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | 2020-2021 | 2021-2022 | 2022-2023 | 2023-2024 | 2024-2025 | 2025-2026 | 2026-2027 | 2027-2028 |
| $540M | $545M | $550M | $550M | $550M | $725M | $775M | $775M | $800M | $870M | $870M |
The money is now on the table, but there are other hoops to jump through before investments can begin. Provinces and territories must sign multi-lateral agreements with the federal government before the 2017-2018 funds will be released. Once the multi-laterals are signed the federal government will have to negotiate bi-lateral agreements with each of the provinces and territories. Multi-year funding hinges on these agreements being executed.
Manitoba has long been regarded as a leader on child care and was first to sign the bi-lateral the last time federal/provincial funding agreements for child care were on the table in 2005. At that time, Manitoba agreed to invest federal funding in capital and operations, subsidy for fees, wage enhancements, professional development, and parent information and resources. Those are still among the priority areas, and MCCA will be encouraging the provincial government to once again be a leader in negotiations with the federal government.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 7:42 pm
The Manitoba government has announced $6.1M in funding for 15 community based capital projects for around 739 new licensed child care spaces. That is very exciting news for the centres that have been waiting for confirmation they will have the funding they need to proceed with their projects and also for the parents whose children will be attending those facilities. There are current 14,658 children on the online child care registry waiting list in Manitoba, so an announcement that adds new spaces is very welcome.
Manitoba News Release Mar 9, 2017
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 5:32 pm
As the provincial government prepares its 2017-2018 budget, the Manitoba Child Care Association wants the child care plan to reflect public, parent, and business leader opinions. All agree the shortage of spaces is a serious issue. As of December 31, 2016 there are 14,658 children on the online child care registry waiting list. That is an increase of 2,588 waiting for a space since December 31, 2015.
Parents report a 14 – 15 month wait on average for a licensed child care space. 41% have delayed a return to work, 30% have turned down a job, and 24% have turned down an educational opportunity because they lacked child care.
Along with an expansion of affordable and reliable licensed spaces, the child care plan must include capital and operating funding, accessible and affordable province wide training for Early Childhood Educators and a retention strategy; strong administration and governance.
What the Manitoba Public Said About Child Care
Child care is a very high priority for Manitobans, according to a MCCA/Probe Research poll, September 2016. Three in four surveyed agree a universal child care system, where every child who needs a space gets one, ought to be a priority of the new Progressive Conservative government. The shortage of licensed child care creates significant anxiety for families, worried they will not have a reliable space when they need it. A majority of Manitobans (58%) agree they are willing to pay a little more in taxes for a universal child care system.
Other findings from the public survey on child care include:
To evaluate public opinion on child care, MCCA hired Probe Research to design and conduct the province wide Omnibus poll via telephone interviews between September 13 and September 26, 2016 among a random and representative sampling of 1,000 adults residing in Manitoba. The results are within +/-3.1 percentage points of what they would have been if the entire adult population of Manitoba had been interviewed.
MCCA has provided poll results to federal and provincial government leaders and policy makers to ensure they are aware of the need to develop a quality, affordable, reliable child care system that Manitoba families can count 0n.
Click here to print the poster:
Read the full report:
161012 Public Omni Report Final
What Manitoba Parents Said About Child Care:
Nearly 3,100 parents who use child care participated in a Probe Research poll conducted for the Manitoba Child Care Association September 15 – October 1, 2016. Overwhelmingly, parents reported that the stress and anxiety of trying to find quality child care as the biggest problem. Two thirds (62%) of parents reported having to wait for a space, ranging between 14 – 15 months. A universal child care system would ensure every child who needs a licensed space gets one.
The online survey sought to determine parent satisfaction with child care, the prevalence of wait times, gaps in service, experience and satisfaction with unlicensed home-based child care, key preferences and views on possible policy changes. It is the most in-depth opinion research undertaken in Manitoba on the issue of child care.
A sample of findings include:
There are approximately 34,000 licensed child care spaces in Manitoba, of which 91% of spaces are located in child care centres and 9% are located in licensed home child care. There is very little data regarding the number of unlicensed child care homes in Manitoba.
Read the full report:
What Manitoba Business Leaders Said About Child Care
Probe Research’s 15th annual Manitoba Business Leaders Index 2016 included questions about child care availability, impact of child care on employee absenteeism, and government policies to encourage workplace child care. There are almost 15,000 children on the province’s waiting list for licensed child care and 83% of Manitobans also say the lack of child care is a very serious (37%) or somewhat serious (46%) issue.
76% of Manitoba business leaders agree the child care shortage is a serious issue.
Additional child care related findings from the CEO’s and business leaders’ survey include:
Almost half of business leaders (49%) report they have experienced difficulty finding skilled employees while Manitoba parents said child care wait times hinder their ability to work or attend school, with 41% delaying a return to work, 30% turning down a job, and 24% turning down an educational opportunity because they lacked child care.
There is plenty of evidence from the public, from parents, and the business community to support a continued expansion of quality, reliable, accessible, and affordable child care services in Manitoba.
The Manitoba Business Leaders Index included a stratified sampling of CEO’s, presidents, business owners and designated senior corporate officers from 200 small, mid-sized and large commercial establishments as defined by Statistics Canada and the Manitoba Bureau of Statistics. The survey results are considered accurate within plus or minus 6.9 per cent of what they would be had the entire population of Manitoba business leaders been surveyed.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 6:08 pm
What’s New for 2016 – 2017?
There has been an increase of 2% from the Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale 2015-2016 (MCSGS) to reflect the compensation forecast for the not for profit sector, based on research conducted by PeopleFirst HR Services.
What is a Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale (MCSGS)?
The purpose of the MCSGS is to answer the question “how much should an ECE earn?” MCCA hired PeopleFirst HR Services to analyze the education, skills, and abilities required of Executive Directors, Early Childhood Educators, and Child Care Assistants. They used the job descriptions in the Human Resource Management Guide for Early Learning and Child Care Programs and recommended salary ranges competitive with other jobs that require similar training and responsibility. The MCSGS provides employers with a guideline for establishing fair compensation, and a logical structure that ensures equity between positions.
How much do ECE’s currently earn?
In 2016, MCCA engaged Probe Research to conduct a survey of MCCA members. Respondents reported they have on average 14.5 years of experience in child care and their average hourly wage by position is:
Director: $30.69
Supervisor/Assistant Director/Team or Unit Leader: $22.03
ECE: $18.38
CCA: $12.93
The current average for all positions is below or slightly above the recommended starting salary for all positions. For example, current average ECE is $18.38, however the recommended research based starting should be $18.87 per hour.
What do the levels mean?
Level 1 is the salary scale minimum. It is appropriate for someone who meets the educational requirements but lacks the required experience and some of the necessary skills. Level 5 is the salary scale maximum and is the end of the scale. It is appropriate for someone who meets the educational requirements, and is fully proficient in the job. Increments are earned based on length of service, high quality performance, or both, depending on the policies of the centre board.
Do child care centres have to pay market competitive wages to their employees?
No. The board of directors of each child care centre is responsible for determining compensation for their employees. MCCA recommends the boards of directors adopt the current or most affordable salary guideline scale as the minimum salary range for all employees, and to compensate all employees at a level appropriate to their educational credentials and years of experience.
How can the MCSGS be used?
The MCSGS helps ECEs and CCAs know what compensation to look for when seeking employment. The board of directors or centre administrator will find the MCSGS helpful when establishing a fair wage scale for employees, when budgeting, and also when trying to recruit new employees. MCCA provides the MCSGS to government to promote improvements to child care compensation, enhanced funding, and as a solution to address the recruitment and retention challenge. School divisions, child minding organizations, ECE training institutions, and other provincial child care organizations also refer to the MCCA wage scale as it is the only research based salary scale for the child care workforce in Canada.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 8:29 pm
The Manitoba Child Care Association (MCCA) is now accepting applications from members interested in serving on our Provincial Board of Directors. There are two year and one year positions open. Elections will be held at our Annual General Meeting, Thursday, May 24, 2018. The term of office will begin immediately following the AGM.
We are seeking applications from members who have an understanding of and commitment to MCCA’s mission, vision, goals, strategic plan, and Code of Ethics. Successful applicants will have an extensive knowledge of child care as a service and as a profession at the local, provincial, and national level, strong interpersonal skills, the ability to objectively consider various perspectives, and 4 – 6 hours per month to devote to MCCA business. We welcome applications from members who have a diverse range of experiences in and knowledge of the early learning and child care sector, and who will work collaboratively with federal and provincial government leaders.
Resolutions:
Resolutions are formal expressions of views that identify a problem or issue or contain a directive for action. All MCCA members can recommend issues for consideration by the Board of Directors and have the opportunity to shape the direction and priorities of the organization through the presentation of resolutions.
Resolutions are formal expressions of views that identify a problem or issue and contain a directive for action. MCCA members may use this form to recommend issues for consideration by the Board of Directors through the presentation of resolutions. Resolutions must be forwarded to the President by January 31 annually.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 9:55 pm
The most in-depth survey of Manitoba’s child care workforce was conducted by Probe Research for the Manitoba Child Care Association, October 6 – 21, 2016. Over 2200 MCCA members that are Early Childhood Educators (ECE), Child Care Assistants (CCA), and licensed Family Child Care Providers (FCCP) with emails on file with MCCA were invited to participate. 88% of those who responded were employed in a child care centre and 12% were self-employed licensed family child care providers.
The online survey sought to determine job satisfaction, experiences and preferences, training and education levels, and views on possible policy changes affecting Manitoba’s child care system. Click here to read the full report:
Key findings indicate:
With 15,273 children on the online registry wait list, Manitoba needs a plan to ensure every child who needs a licensed space gets one. Along with new spaces, there must also be a human resource development and expansion strategy to ensure enough ECEs are available to meet licensing requirements for proportion of trained staff. On average, for each 10 new spaces licensed in a child care centre, there must be 1 ECE available to hire. The strategy must include market competitive wages reflective of level of certification and experience, along with province wide access to post-secondary ECE programs articulated into degree granting programs.
Here is a link to a PDF of the infographic that you can print:
161213 MCCA Member Infographic
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 1:58 pm
The Canadian Child Care Federation has provided an interactive resource as a call to action on child care. Click on the links below for the English & French versions. Contact your local Member of Parliament, provincial/territorial minister, circulate to parents, stakeholders, everyone and talk up the need for quality early learning and child care for all!
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 10:00 pm
The sad story about the Winnipeg toddler who suffered chemical burns at an unlicensed home day care is yet another reminder that improving access to quality licensed child care needs to be a priority for our new government.
Winnipeg toddler suffers chemical burns at unlicensed day care
The parents of over 15,000 children on the provincial waiting list prefer licensed day care but can’t get a space. In the meantime, it can be safely assumed that a very large number of those children go to home day care that is not licensed, or illegal home day care where the number of children exceed the allowable maximum. A license is required when the provider has more than 4 children under the age of 12, including no more than two children under the age of two, including the caregivers own children. If more than 4 children receive care, the home must become licensed. However, there is no formal monitor on child care that is not licensed, so it’s up to parents or the public to provide the over-site and report illegal operators.
Manitoba’s Community Child Care Standards Act and its regulations define the types of child care that need licensing and set minimum standards for supervision, staff qualifications, space, equipment, health and safety, nutrition, programming and behavior management. Once licensed, homes and centres are inspected by government staff on an ongoing basis to ensure standards continue to be met.
Government says it is working on a plan to address the shortage of licensed child care spaces in our province. The plan should include a strategy to license the current unregulated home child operators who can meet the existing evidence based quality standards. The plan should not include lowering what government calls the ” cumbersome regulatory framework” to help home based day care providers qualify for a license. That could sink our highly regarded child care system down to the lowest common denominator.
A better approach is to introduce research based recommendations for quality enhancement in home child care (YBIC, Doherty et al, 2000) including increased provider preparation and professional development, increased infrastructure supports and income enhancements, and public awareness strategies about the importance of children’s early learning.
With National Child Day approaching November 20, let’s also commit to the The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, signed by Canada, which states that:
In all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by the public or private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities or legislative bodies, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration.”
(Article 3.1)
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 3:57 pm
The shortage of licensed, affordable, and reliable child care is a serious problem in most Canadian provinces and territories.
http://globalnews.ca/news/2974880/not-enough-spaces-families-share-child-care-wait-list-nightmares/
Child care fees in some provinces cost more than a year of university tuition.
How child care costs compare in Canada (hint: they’re way more than tuition)
The Manitoba Government is holding pre-budget consultations right now, so parents frustrated with child care wait times in our province need to speak up! There are a variety of ways to participate, but the best way to comment on the topics most important to you is to make a written submission directly to the Office of the Minister of Finance, 450 Broadway, Legislative Building, Winnipeg, MB R3C OV8.
Your Province, Your Plan Home Page
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 3:26 pm
MCCA has hired Probe Research to survey our Professional, Child Care Assistant, and Family Child Care Provider members. Over 3000 individuals employed in child care centres and providing licensed child care in their home are eligible to participate. This will be the most comprehensive survey ever conducted with the child care workforce in Manitoba. Questions included education and experience, compensation and benefits, working conditions, job satisfaction, plans for the future, etc. The information will be very helpful in identifying strengths, gaps, and priorities that need to be addressed in order to build a child care system that includes a skilled, fairly compensated, and stable child care workforce.
Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their views!
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 1:36 pm
This newly released report examines licensed home child care in Manitoba, including the features associated with quality of care experienced by children and parents as well as the job experience of the care providers.
With more than 15,000 children on Manitoba’s online waiting list, and pressure to add new spaces, family child care is on government’s radar as a priority for expansion. The average number of children enrolled in a licensed family home was 7.2 in 2015.
This paper provides valuable information that government must consider when planning an affordable, high quality, reliable early learning and child care system for Manitoba families.
To strengthen home child care, solutions must be identified to address the following:
*Between 2004-2013, the average overall opening rate in Manitoba was 8.33% and the average overall closing rate was 13.7%.
Read the full report:
Working Paper MB Family Home Childcare Study
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 6:14 pm
The good news: almost three quarters of three and four year olds in Canada are meeting recommended daily physical activity guidelines (180 minutes a day).
The bad news: less than a quarter of three and four year old adhere to guidelines for the maximum amount of time (no more than one hour a day) they spend in front of a screen each day.
The message for parents and caregivers: put away the screens and go outside to play!
Health Reports: Physical activity and sedentary behavior of Canadian children aged three to five
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 5:27 pm
Licensed child care centres and home child care providers that are MCCA members were sent by email the survey link to give to parents of children enrolled in their facility. There are more than 1000 licensed child care centres and homes in Manitoba and most are MCCA members.
MCCA has engaged Probe Research to assist in the design, manage data collection, and to generate reports with the results. The survey was open to those invited to participate from September 15 – 30, 2016. Over 3000 parents completed the survey and MCCA will report on the results later this year.
This is the first scientific and most detailed survey ever conducted with Manitoba parents on the topic of child care.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 2:51 pm
The Manitoba Child Care Association announces it has engaged Probe Research to conduct a survey in four key areas:
1. Parents with children currently enrolled in the 746 child care centres and licensed family child care homes that are MCCA members . The parent survey will be open to qualified respondents from September 15 – 30, 2016. Areas of inquiry include experiences with access, quality, affordability, board governance, preferences for service needs, and opinions about possible system changes. For example, we want to know how long parents spent waiting for a licensed child care space, what they did for care while waiting, and how big an impact child care has on their employment/educational opportunities. There is a question asking what parents look for when choosing a child care facility, and how confident they are about their ability to identify a high quality facility. Parents will also be asked if child care should be considered part of the education system and also available in all new housing developments. The responses to these questions and many others will provide valuable insight into the state of Manitoba;’s current child care system, and their ideas for improvements to better serve their needs.
2. MCCAs Professional, Child Care Assistant, and Family Child Care members will be surveyed October 4 – 14, 2016. Questions will cover education, experience, job satisfaction, wages & benefits, and attitudes regarding Manitoba’s current and future system. Some examples include how long worked in child care, compensation and benefits, participation in professional development, plans for the future, recruitment challenges, and possible changes such as whether there should be a standardized provincial wage scale for all employees or whether school divisions should be responsible for child care.
These are the first scientific and most detailed surveys ever conducted in Manitoba, with a focus on those who know child care best – the parents who use the service and those who provide it.
Additional surveys this fall will include a public opinion survey to identify opinions about accessibility and possible policy options for improvements to Manitoba’s child care system. A business leader survey will provide information about how child care access impacts on the workplace.
Results from these research areas will be made available later this year.
MCCAs Media Release Sept 12, 2016
Winnipeg Free Press reports on MCCAs child care research project
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 2:20 pm
The waiting list for a licensed child care space in Manitoba continues to grow to record high levels. As of June 30, 2016, there are 15,078 children registered on the provincial wait list. These are individual children, meaning they are counted only once even if registered at multiple facilities.
Online Child Care Registry user statistics as of June 30, 2016
Clearly Manitoba families value licensed child care and the provincial government needs to develop a plan to add more affordable spaces families can count on, to attract and retain a skilled and fairly compensated workforce, to ensure there is there is the infrastructure, skilled administration, and governance on which to build a quality system.
Recent media reports on the child care shortage include:
CTV news reports on the child care shortage in Manitoba
Winnipeg Free Press report on wait for child care at an all time high
CBC reports on need for child care action plan
Brandon Sun reports nearly 15,000 children on wait list for care
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 1:54 pm
As of June 30, 2016 there are 15,078 children on the online registry waiting for a space in a licensed child care facility. Parents seeking employment, securing employment, or returning to school are highly likely going to have trouble getting a space in a licensed child care centre or home. Manitoba provides licensed child care for just over 18% of children 0 – 12 years of age. MCCA recommends parents start the search for child care as soon as the need is identified. Infant care in a licensed facility is in very high demand, so register your unborn child promptly if you plan a return to work after maternity/parental leave. The quality of care children receive matters so parents must choose carefully! The following resources will help parents learn about child care options, and with screening and monitoring.
Search for licensed child care in Manitoba
Parents may use unlicensed child care while waiting for a space in the centre or licensed child of their choice. By law, a person can provide private home child care without a provincial license to a maximum of four children under age 12, including the caregivers own children and any other children living in the home. No more of these children can be under the age of 2. There are no standards that must be met and no inspections of the private home so it is entirely up to parents to evaluate and constantly monitor the quality of care provided to their child. When visiting an in home child care, ask if the provider is licensed and if yes, ask to see the license which is issued by the Government of Manitoba. For questions or concerns about child care, contact Manitoba Early Learning and Child Care at 204-945-0776.
Learn more about Unlicensed Private Home Child Care in Manitoba
Check list to use when screening child care facilities
Click here to see a Government of Ontario publication that is available in 23 languages in addition to English.
Questions to ask your child care provider
Frustrated with the shortage of licensed child care in Manitoba? Contact your MLA to express your concern and add your voice to the call for more accessible, reliable, affordable, quality, early learning and child care services.
Contact information for Manitoba MLAs
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 2:03 pm
MCCA representatives have met with new Minister of Families, Hon. Scott Fielding to tell him about our organization, our members, our government relations plan, and learn more about how he plans to implement his mandate letter from the Premier . We also gave him a briefing paper “Improving Early Learning and Child Care”, that reflects our opinion of the most urgent issues his government must address in order to keep Manitoba moving forward and better serve the needs of Manitoba families. Priority areas include:
Read the full report:
Improving ELCC in MB, June 2016
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 9:01 pm
Macleans magazine reports the bulk of new Canada Child Benefit will go toward middle-income families. This increase should help families who are ineligible for government subsidy for child care fees.
http://www.macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/who-benefits-most-from-the-new-liberal-child-care-benefit/
![ccb_macblog[1]](https://mccahouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/ccb_macblog1.jpg)
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 1:19 pm
Health Canada is advising Canadians to avoid using boric acid for arts and crafts projects, such as homemade slime, or modelling clay.
Health Canada Advises To Avoid Using Boric Acid
Here is a Health Canada fact sheet with more information about boric acid.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 7:06 pm
The federal Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs are to develop agreements with provinces, territories and Indigenous communities to fulfill election commitments on child care. This article Beyond baby steps: Planning for a National Child Care System calls on the federal government to plan for:
Federal dollars should be earmarked for building/renovating, stable operating funding, and supporting and developing the system.
The Manitoba Early Learning and Child Care Commission Report, January 2016 proposes an ELCC policy framework to provide access to all parents who require the service. This roadmap, combined with political will and in conjunction with a federal government commitment on child care, should enable Manitoba to significantly expand and improve our early learning and child care system.
MCCA has provided the Minister of Families, the Hon. Scott Fielding with a briefing paper on how to improve early learning and child care in our province and will make a written submission to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance for the pre-budget consultation in advance of the 2017 budget.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 1:50 pm
MCCA representatives met with Minister of Families Scott Fielding to tell him about our organization, our government relations plan, and learn more about his Mandate Letter from the Premier. We were pleased to hear his support for early learning and child care as an essential service, the need to continue to expand spaces to address the growing number of children reflected on the Online Child Care Registry, now 14,168 waiting for a space. Of those 7,672 children are recorded as need a space withing a three month period. We raised a number of urgent issues with the Minister, including:
MCCA was pleased to hear there is a commitment to improve early learning and child care in Manitoba, and has submitted our recommendations to the Minister in an ELCC Briefing Paper, June 2016.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 1:21 pm
Excerpt: “Early childhood education and care (ECEC) plays an important part in healthy child development and provides valuable support to families with young children.”
The Canadian Public Health Association calls on the Federal government to work with provinces and territories to establish a pan-Canadian early childhood education and care strategy that provides a common vision including:
Read the full position statement: Canadian Public Health Association Position Statement on Early Childhood Education and Care, June 2016
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 7:35 pm
A recent media report quotes Jean-Yves Duclos, minister of families, children and social services saying that a national strategy on child care is one of his priorities.* Funding is not expected until 2017 and discussions with provinces are currently underway.
Child care, housing key priorities for families minister
With 12,000+ children on the online waiting list, Manitoba families are desperate for more licensed quality child care that includes early learning. The recently elected Manitoba government needs to identify the details of their plan to move child care forward. We have the research, evidence, and a roadmap already in place. The Manitoba Early Learning and Child Care Commission, January 2016 proposed an ELCC Policy Framework in 4 key areas:
Manitoba Early Learning and Child Care Commission Final Report, January 2016
*During the 2015 federal election, the Liberal Party promised to work with provinces, territories, and Indigenous Peoples to create a new National Early Learning and Child Care Framework. The Framework is to be based on research, evidence-based policy, and best practices in the delivery of early learning and care.
MCCA has endorsed three core elements of a child care framework:
Read about the Shared Framework:
https://ccaac.ca/2015/01/20/advocacy-initiatives-and-policy-developments/
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 2:59 pm
Summer has arrived and it’s time to get outside and be active! Help promote physical literacy by providing opportunities for children to run, jump, throw, climb, catch, and move! Visit the Fit Kids, Healthy Kids website for ideas, a list of games, programs brought right to your facility, training for staff, and more!
All that activity will create an appetite! Visit the Nutrition for Early Learning and Child Care website for a nutrition handbook, healthy eating posters, recipes, and fact sheets.
Nutrition for Early Learning and Child Care
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 5:06 pm
MCCA is calling on the PC government to improve child care in Manitoba by addressing the critical province wide shortage of child care spaces, by providing stable and adequate funding funding for child care centres and licensed home child care, and upholding quality standards for all early learning and child care programs.
The child care community is worried that the new government will reduce current funding to existing facilities, lower quality by changing the standards that ensure the health, safety, well-being of children, and stop investing in new spaces that provide both care and early childhood education.
MCCA’s Provincial budget 2016 media release
Minister of Families, Scott Fielding has a mandate from the Premier that directs him to:
Read the full mandate letter to the Minister of Families
Learn about social impact bonds
Quality child care is the backbone of all social programs that support families and the first tier of education for the 34,000 children able to access a licensed space. There are currently more than 12,000 additional children registered on the online waiting list.
Online Child Care Registry Quarterly Statistics
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 1:15 pm
Please join us in celebrating another successful year by reading about the activities of the MCCA board of directors, committees, regional branches, volunteers, and staff. We thank all our members for helping us advocate for a quality system of child care and advance ECE as a profession! Here are some activities that kept us busy in 2015:
Click here to read the full report: MCCA’s 2015 Annual Report
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 7:22 pm
MCCA congratulates two Manitobans who have been named as recipients of a Prime Ministers Award for Excellence in Early Childhood Education. Olha Zablotski runs Parkside Child Care, a home based child care program. Laura Burla is the director of St. James-Assiniboia Montessori Association Inc. Both recipients received Certificates of Achievement.
The Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Early Childhood Education have honoured outstanding early childhood educators since 2001, with almost 250 educators honoured to date for their leadership, exemplary early childhood education practices and their commitment to help build the foundation children need to make the best possible start in life.
Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Early Childhood Education
Previous recipients from Manitoba include:
2014: Cathy Addis, Carla Treger; Ruby-Ann Chartrand
2012: Shauna Richards, Janine Guenter, Hailey Kusche, Dana Lynn Thompson
2009: Jacquelyn Sturton
2008: Vivian Scott
2006: Lori Carpenter, Jo-Anne Palanuk
2003: Penny Spence
2002: Tammy Gingras, Donna Huyber, Rosemarie Klein
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 2:24 pm
Dr. Susan Prentice, Professor of Sociology at the University of Manitoba and a member of the Child Care Coalition of Manitoba specializes in child care research. She has written an analysis of the role child care played in the 2016 provincial election. It is included in an E-Book published by the University of Manitoba Press, along with a team of 26 other experts – academics, policy analysts, and journalists – who also provided insight on a variety of other election related topics and issues.
The E-Book is free to download. Dr. Prentice’s contribution is on page 35.
Understanding the Manitoba Election 2016
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 2:57 pm
All MCCA members are automatically included as joint members with the Canadian Child Care Federation. Their online magazine, Interaction, is now available online.
Log in here if you are not yet registered. You will be asked for your MCCA membership number and your email address.
If you are already registered, log in here with your email address or CCCF user name.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 6:36 pm
On behalf of our members, MCCA congratulates Premier Brian Pallister and the 12 MLA’s appointed to Manitoba’s Executive Council. MCCA looks forward to working with Manitoba’s new government to continue to build a child care system that works for Manitoba – quality, accessible, affordable, inclusive, and not for profit, with a well educated and compensated child care workforce, strong governance, and administration. Because families can’t work without quality child care!
Here is a link to the News Release and list of the Manitoba government cabinet:
Pallister Administration Sworn In
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 6:08 pm
Manitoba Education and Advanced Learning has developed a new Kindergarten Support Document, A Time for Learning, a Time for Joy: A Resource for Kindergarten Teachers. It is available for free online or members may borrow it from the MCCA library. The print version is available to purchase through the Manitoba Texbook Bureau.
A Time for Learning, A Time For Joy
The support document provides Kindergarten teachers with a developmentally appropriate play-based approach to the Kindergarten curriculum. There is a lot in this resource that is useful information for kindergarten teachers but also for ECEs who agree that “alignment between Manitoba’s ELCC curriculum and Kindergarten curriculum should encourage continuity of vision, beliefs, values, and principles related to early learning and pedagogy from preschool to Kindergarten.”
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 8:30 pm
The most current user statistics as of December 31, 2015 for the Online Child Care Registry are now available. In total, 12,070 children are registered on the waiting list including 673 not yet born. Of those, 7,333 require child care within three months of December 31, 2015.
During the election campaign, the PC party said they would shorten the wait list for a child care space by focusing on home-based child care spaces.
A home child care operator can be licensed for a maximum of 8 children, including his/her own. The average home child care operator is licensed for 6 children. Approximately 2000 new home based child care programs will have to be licensed to accommodate the 12,000 children on the waiting list.
There are currently 30,465 child care spaces in 681 licensed child care centres and 3,096 child care spaces in 430 licensed home based child care.
Here is a link to view the full report, including registrants by region:
Family Choices Online Child Care Registry – December 31, 2016
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 8:18 pm
Manitoba can’t work without early childhood educators, child care assistants, and licensed family child care providers! MCCA invites parents and the public to join with us in thanking them for their expertise, dedication, and loyalty to children and families.
Here is a poster you can print and display:
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 1:13 pm
Manitobans have elected a new government with new leaders, vision, and priorities. We wish the new MLA’s much success in their term of office and will offer our expertise to help guide them with creating a child care system that works for Manitoba. It’s 2016 and quality early learning and child care matters to families. It has a positive impact on how children learn, enables parents to be employed or in school, reduces poverty, supports families, is key to women’s equality, and contributes to a strong economy. MCCA will continue our work with the new government to advocate for a quality system of child care and to advance early childhood education as a profession.
Here is a briefing paper that outlines the strengths, issues, and priority areas for moving ELCC forward in Manitoba.
Here is a link to the Executive Summary of the Manitoba Early Learning and Child Care Commission Report, completed January 2016 after a 10 month review of local and international research and consultation with Manitobans.
Manitoba Early Learning and Child Care Commission Report, January 2016
The report recommends an approach to address the shortage of 12,000 licensed child care spaces in Manitoba through a comprehensive policy framework in four key areas:
The approaches were constructed to ensure quality is not compromised with expanded services.
MCCA hopes the new government of Manitoba will review the Commissioners report and consider introducing the recommendations that fit with their priorities.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 1:06 pm
Child care is an election issue for Manitobans, judging from the full house at the Election Forum on Early Learning and Child Care, March 16, 2016. Party representatives were:
Liberal Party: Kyra Wilson
NDP Party: Kerri Irvin-Ross
Progressive Conservative Party: Ian Wishart
All representatives said they know families need more accessible child care and the number of spaces need to increase. They know there are problems in the childcare workforce that need to be addressed (shortage of ECEs and compensation ) and that infrastructure is also a problem.
Kerri-Irvin Ross often referenced the new Commission on Early Learning and Child Care Report as a roadmap to follow to strengthen the system and expand services. A key question at the forum was how the province intends to proceed on the pilot projects to move responsibility for school age child care to school divisions. School age staff want to know what is going to happen to their centres and their jobs. Irvin-Ross acknowledged details still have to be worked out in consultation with stakeholders.
Manitoba Early Learning and Child Care Commission Final Report
She also emphasized the NDP commitment to improve salaries by funding the MCCA’s Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale for Early Learning and Child Care Programs.
Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale 2015-2016
The Liberals have made a formal announcement on child care. Here is a link to their full platform:
Liberal Party Commitment to Child Care
Both the NDP and Liberals vowed to maintain not for profit services, well recognized by research as key factors affecting both quality and cost of the service.
The Conservatives haven’t yet released a formal policy on child care, however Ian Wishart acknowledged the need for more spaces, to address workforce issues, and improve on infrastructure. He mentioned choice and said the Conservatives think the not for profit model alone can’t address the shortages so their party would look to the private sector including more in home licensed child care as a solution. He was careful to add that didn’t necessarily mean corporate child care is coming to Manitoba. For a look at what parent fees are in provinces with a lot of private, for profit child care, see this recent report from the Canadian Centre on Policy Alternatives:
2015 Child Care Fees in Canadian Cities
The Election Forum on Early Learning and Child Care was filmed and will be available for viewing shortly.
CBC News Report on the Election Forum
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 3:17 pm
The province tabled its fiscal update on March 8, 2016. It included a commitment to increase child care spending by $35.5M of which $25M is for building new child care centres and $10.5M to pay for salaries and other operating costs.
$35.5M more for building a child care system that works for Manitoba
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 2:53 pm
There is a new video highlighting the importance of the early years and also the EDI (Early Development Instrument). The EDI is a questionnaire that measures kindergarten children’s readiness for school across several areas of child development:
The EDI assess the strengths and needs of the children in a community overall, and can help schools, parents, early learning and child care programs, service providers and policy makers make informed decisions about how to better support the development of children.
The video is available in English and in French.
The 2012/13 EDI Provincial Reports for Manitoba by school division are available at Healthy Child Manitoba
This election, let’s ensure the political parties attend to the needs of all generations of Manitobans. Ask candidates how their party plans to continue the focus on child-centred public policy and ensure best outcomes for Manitoba’s youngest citizens – from prenatal to adulthood.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 2:31 pm
Manitoba families can’t work without quality child care! MCCA is advocating for a child care system that works for Manitoba with enough accessible and affordable child care spaces to meet demand, a skilled, well compensated workforce, with strong governance and administration. This election, we are asking all voters to make child care a top priority when deciding how to mark your ballot!
Political party support for child care can vary significantly so it’s important to ask lots of questions to identify if candidates represent a party that shares your own beliefs. Engage candidates in a conversation by adding your own personal child care experiences and stories to help them better understand the issues and your own priorities.
Here is a link to background information about the child care system in Manitoba and sample questions to ask candidates during the provincial election:
Child Care and Provincial Election 2016
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 3:43 pm
The Royal Commission on the Status of Women first recommended a National Child Care Program in 1970. It’s been on and off the table several times since then, most recently in 2005 when federal/provincial agreements were signed with a former Liberal government and then swiftly terminated by the former Conservative government in 2006. In the absence of federal leadership over the past 10 years, Canadian families are even more desperate for affordable child care services. There are 12,000 children on Manitoba’s online child care wait list.
Following a meeting February 5, 2016 with his provincial counterparts, Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development told reporters federal and provincial governments should be able to quickly come to an agreement on a framework for a national early learning and child care program because they aren’t starting from scratch.
What a difference political will makes!
F/P/T on Fast-Track for National Child Care Program?
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 3:05 pm
The Government of Canada will be meeting with social services ministers on February 4 and 5, 2016. Early learning and child care is on the agenda.
Goverment of Canada News Release
MCCA hopes this meeting will lead to a renewed federal/provincial partnership that will help Manitoba move forward quickly on the ambitious plan to add 12,000 child care spaces over the next 5 – 7 years. Kerri-Irvin Ross, Minister of Family Services will attend. MCCA recently wrote to Minister Ross and the Hon. Jean-Yves Duclos, federal Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development expressing support for the Shared Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 8:28 pm
The Manitoba Child Care Association has endorsed a Shared Framework for Early Childhood Education and Child Care developed by the Canadian Child Care Federation, the Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada, the Childcare Resource and Research Unit, and Campaign 2000.
The shared framework describes key areas to work on:
It describes the best outcomes for a joint federal/provincial strategy on early learning and child care, made possible once again by the commitment of a new federal government. Federal and provincial political will is essential in moving early learning and child care in a positive direction.
MCCA will be informing our Premier, the Hon. Greg Selinger, and the Minister of Family Services, the Hon. Kerri Irvin Ross that early learning and child care is an important issue for Manitoba families and children and calling on them to promote collaborative action by provincial, territorial, and federal governments.
Manitoba is already on the right track with a new policy framework for early learning and child care, and the proposed action plan to strengthen governance, quality, human resources, access by adding more affordable spaces, and data collection. Manitoba Early Learning and Child Care Commission Report, January 2016
You can lend your support for the Shared Framework by emailing the Premier at premier@leg.gov.mb.ca, the Family Services Minister at minfs@leg.gov.mb.ca, your Member of Parliament, your MLA; Hon. Jean-Yves Duclos Jean-Yves.Duclos@parl.gc.ca; Terry Duguid, Parlimentary Secretary Terry.Duguid@parl.gc.ca;
Remember to ask provincial election candidates and canvassers about their plan to keep early learning and child care moving forward in Manitoba. The best answer includes support for the proposed policy framework developed by the Commission – highlighting the commitment for at least 12,000 more spaces, keeping fees affordable through not for profit service delivery and a cap on maximum fees, and a plan to address human resource issues such as the shortage of early childhood educators and a strategy to fix the compensation problem.
Manitoba families can’t work without quality child care!
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 2:53 pm
The Government of Manitoba has announced how it intends to move forward on the report of the Manitoba Early Learning and Commission. The report was commissioned to provide direction on how to introduce universal early learning and child care for Manitoba by creating 12,000 new spaces over 5 – 7 years.
The recommendations are part of a comprehensive policy framework to guide implementation, and include governance, access, affordability, quality, human resources, and data collection.
MCCA is most excited that government has committed to introduce a provincial salary scale beginning September 1, 2016. The media release, January 12, 2016 says: “The Premier announced a plan for workforce recruitment and retention by phasing in a provincial wage scale beginning on September 1, 2016……”
MCCA believes that government must ensure all child care centre employees earn a wage range reflective of classification, job, and years of experience according to our research based Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale for Early Learning and Child Care Centres, 2015 – 2016. Page 72 of the Commission Report says that “Manitoba should introduce a provincial wage scale that is incorporated into a new funding formula for licensed centres that recognizes…….recommended wage levels as proposed by the MCCA Competitive Market Wage.”
We agree with the Commission that the “provincial wage scale must be indexed annually”.
Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale for Early Learning and Child Care Centres, 2015-2016
We also believe that licensed, self employed family child care providers should be able to earn a fair income for the valuable work they provide and that must be considered when government reviews parents fees, operating grants, and a modernized funding model.
The plan to explore the feasibility of moving school age child care (6-12) to school divisions needs a careful approach to ensure families continue to have access to the hours of care they need, affordable fees, subsidy for low income families, skilled staff, and adult:child ratio’s that enable safe, quality care. The Province has committed to pilot this new model in 2 school divisions initially – Seine River and Seven Oaks. MCCA will work with government to ensure child care is represented in developing the transition plans and that adequate support is provided to centres to replace school age spaces with infant and preschool spaces. Pages 22 – 25 of the Commission Report outlines several phases to follow in the transition to ensure there is a process for communication, consultation, and collaboration.
Family Services Minister Kerri-Irvin Ross invites responses to the Commission report. Questions or concerns can be emailed to minfs@leg.gov.mb.ca
News Release on Creating Universally Accessible Child Care – January 12, 2016
Executive Summary of the Manitoba Early Learning and Child Care Commission Report
Final Report of Early Learning and Child Care Commission Report
Quality Child Care Keeps Manitoba FamiliesWorking!
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 6:53 pm
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives has released a new report on licensed child care fees for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers in 27 Canadian cities. Fees vary dramatically across the country, and regulated spaces are hard to find.
Manitoba families are lucky to live in a province that has regulated fees, government subsidy direct to eligible licensed facilities, and 95% of child care centres that are not for profit service delivery. All three of those factors are key to keeping child care fees paid by Manitoba parents far more affordable than any other province in Canada other than Quebec.
Learn more:
They Go Up So Fast, 2015 Child Care Fees in Canadian Cities
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 4:00 pm
MCCA is now accepting applications from members interested in serving on our Provincial Board of Directors. There are one and two year positions open. We are also accepting resolutions – formal expressions of views that identify a problem or issue and contain a directive for action. Look for the details in the Winter issue of Child Care Bridges.
Application to the Board of Directors
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 4:28 pm
The early years are critical for future child outcomes. Ensuring positive mental health right from the start is important. Click on the link for information for parents and educators on how to foster and maintain good mental health in children birth to age 8.
Supporting Positive Mental Health Throughout Early Childhood
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 5:01 pm
In the 2015 speech from the Throne, the provincial government committed to create 12,000 more affordable child-care spaces in order to make sure parents who need a child care space will have one. Plans to expand include more child care centres in schools, college, and universities over the next five to seven years.
There are 12,729 children province wide on the online waiting list.
Online Child Care Registry, September 30, 2015
A plan to increase the number of licensed spaces will be very welcomed by families struggling to find quality, affordable child care. However, the plan must also include a provincial wage scale at market competitive rates; a significant increase in post-secondary urban, rural, and northern training programs to graduate 1200+ plus Early Childhood Educators; along with capital, start up, and operating funding and leadership to establish new child care facilities all over Manitoba.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 9:42 pm
The new Liberal government, in a pre-election statement, said “we will develop a child care framework that meets the needs of Canadian families, wherever they live” and “we will meet with provinces, territories, and Indigenous communities to begin work on a new Early Learning and Child Care Framework to deliver high quality, flexible, and fully inclusive child care for Canadian families.”
The Prime Minister tells his Minister that he expects him to work on a number of top priorities including:
“Work with the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs to launch consultations with provinces and territories and Indigenous Peoples on a National Early Learning and Childcare Framework as a first step towards delivering affordable, high-quality, flexible and fully inclusive child care”.
It’s good to see evidence that this Prime Minister intends to make good on his promises. It’s been 45 years since the Royal Commission on the Status of Women first recommended a national child care program, and stacks of other studies, reports, along with distinguished people and Canadian families from coast to coast to coast have called for the same. It’s past time for talk; let’s get on with it. MCCA has written to the Prime Minister, the Hon. Jean-Yves Duclos, and the Hon. Kerri Irvin-Ross, Manitoba’s Minister of Family Services urging speedy and significant action to move forward on early learning and child care.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 9:29 pm
National Child Day is celebrated in Canada on November 20 in recognition of the UN Declaration on the Rights of the Child and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The UN Convention, signed in 1989, recognizes specific rights for children including:
Canada ratified the Convention on December 13, 1991.
Learn more on the Unicef Canada website :
About the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
Read the Convention in Child Friendly language
National Child Day Activity Kits for K-Grade 8 and up
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 5:00 pm
MCCA and *PeopleFirst HR Services have partnered to provide child care centres with a Human Resources (HR) support option to help management staff create productive and engaging workplaces. If you need help with employee relationships, respectful workplaces, progressive discipline, writing policies, performance management, etc. this service is for you! Call your HR expert to discuss how to deal with workplace gossip, difficult relationships and interpersonal conflict, excess absences, or questions about Employment Standards, A subscription gives centres telephone or email access to their own HR expert, available Monday – Friday, 8am-4pm to help problem solve, get advice or information, guide and support you in your HR responsibilities.
Subscription details and pricing was sent to child care centres that are MCCA members in the Fall Issue of Child Care Bridges, or call Todd Nadeau, Practice Leader, HR@Your Service at hratyourservie@peoplefirst.com or 204-612-9072.
*PeopleFirst HR Services is the consultant for MCCA’s Human Resource Management Guide for Early Learning and Child Care Programs and the Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale for Early Learning and Child Care Centers.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 6:48 pm
MCCA has partnered with Red River College and the Science of Early Child Development (SECD) to provide online workshops. The first workshop, Focusing on Play, is scheduled from November 23 – December 7, 2015. Topics include the value of play for learning and development, the role of play in self-regulation, and risky, active and outdoor play. A next session, on positive guidance, will run in early 2016.
Click here for more information about the SECD and this workshop:
Online Workshop – Focusing on Play
Click here to view the online workshop from MCCA’s Fall Workshop Brochure (page 22) and pricing:
MCCA’s Fall Workshop Brochure – Focusing on Play Information*
*Please note: there is an error in the brochure, the location of this workshop is ONLINE, not at MCCA
Click here to go directly to online registration:
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 1:01 pm
The hope of a real national early learning and child care program is restored in Canada! The Liberal party committed to work with provinces and territories and Indigenous Peoples to create a new National Early Learning and Child Care Framework. It will be part of their new social infrastructure investment of nearly $20 billion over the next 10 years. It will build on the progress that provinces and territories have made and move further in providing affordable, accessible, inclusive, high quality child care and early learning, which considers the diverse needs of all children in Canada. The Liberals promised to develop a framework for provincial agreements based on research, evidence-based policy, and best practices in the delivery of early learning and child care starting within 100 days of being elected.
Many of us were very excited when the federal/provincial funding agreements “Moving Forward on Early Learning and Child Care” were signed with a former Liberal government. The Government of Manitoba was first to sign on April 29, 2005, only to have it terminated by the Conservative government mere months later and replaced with the Universal Child Care Benefit.
The urgent need for more early learning and child care services is now more critical than ever before. MCCA hopes we can pick up where we left off 10 years ago, restore a federal/provincial development strategy, and move forward quickly to begin anew to build a national child care program that includes the leadership of the Government of Canada!
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 2:09 pm
The Science of Early Child Development (SECD) provides this month’s e-newsletter on the topic of risky play. Watch the video and hear ECE Instructors Marc Battle and Melinda Walden describe six categories of risky play and the benefits for children. You can sign up to receive the SECD’s eMessage too!
Click here for the Science of ECD eMessage archives and scroll down to October for the video link
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 2:35 pm
October 8 is a national day of recognition for Canada’s early learning and child care workforce. The Manitoba Child Care Association salutes the Early Childhood Educators, Child Care Assistants, Family Child Care providers, provincial/territorial/First Nations licensing authorities and child care coordinators for their dedication to providing quality child care services for children and families. ECEs are key to quality child care!
Check out these portraits of ECEs at work
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 6:43 pm
The critical shortage of affordable regulated child care has been a key election issue and discussed by all major parties. A comprehensive plan for a quality child care system must include a well trained, well compensated child care workforce. There is a national day of action being planned for October 8, 2015 to recognize the ECE as key to child care quality. Learn more at National Day of Action for the ECE Workforce
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 1:07 pm
This article from Macleans suggests a national child care program would have a far greater effect on the economy than income-splitting or another baby bonus ever could. “All those women currently out of the workforce represent untapped earning potential and entrepreneurial energy”. It cites Quebec, where low cost child care resulted in higher female participation rates and stronger economic growth; and a 2013 OECD study that found providing support for the care of children under three had a “more robust” impact on women’s workforce participation rates than paid leave or family benefits.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 2:46 pm
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has identified publicly supported child care and early childhood education as critical to a nations wealth and citizen well being. For every public dollar that is spent on child care, there is a return on the investment that benefits the regional economy. Economists call this return a “multiplier”. The multipliers across North American range from 1.6 to 3.25 depending on the region considered.
Read all about it:
Listen to economist Timothy Bartik make the case for preschool as an economic development program.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 2:43 pm
Well written article, The economics (and ethics) of affordable child care) from the Broadbent Institute hits the nail on the head, recommending “intelligent child care policy design”:
“Policies that make good quality child care more affordable for families can increase women’s employment opportunities and change the way that the market rewards women’s work. This can be beneficial for children and families and society.”
“http://www.broadbentinstitute.ca/the_economics_and_ethics_of_affordable_child_care
Well said Gord Cleveland!
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 4:11 pm
MCCA worked with a team of experts to create our Human Resource Management Guide for Early Learning and Child Care Programs. Your centre can use the templates to customize job descriptions, contracts, personnel policies and more. There are chapters on Employment Standards, Workplace Safety and health, and recruitment and retention strategies. This resource is complete, current, professional, and affordable.
Learn more and place your order: HRMG 2015 Flyer
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 6:00 am
If your organization is a registered charity, this is a good time to review your obligations under the Income Tax Act. The Canada Revenue Agency has made available a webinar series with important information.
Click here to view:
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/vdgllry/chrts-gvng/srs-pltclctvts-eng.html
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 5:43 pm
“Scholars from economics, psychology, education, health, medicine, and the neurosciences, agree that high-quality early childhood education results in improvements in scholastic, social, and health outcomes for children and their families, as well as in economic benefits for Canadian society.”
Read all about it at http://ecincanada.ca/en
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 1:14 pm
There are a record breaking 54 jobs in the Employment Opportunities area of MCCA’s website. Early Childhood Educators (ECE’s) are in high demand all over Manitoba, whether full or part time, working with children, but also supervisors, and centre directors. If you are looking for a new career, enjoy and value children, like to be active, are a minimum of 18 years of age, there are lots of jobs for entry level and experienced male and female Child Care Assistants (CCA’s). Learn more about careers in child care at http://www.gov.mb.ca/fs/childcare/careers.html
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 2:09 pm
See what a universal child care program for Canada will look like!
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 4:53 pm
As of March 31, 2015 there are 12,214 children registered on the online licensed child care wait list in Manitoba, the highest number recorded since the registry opened in 2011.
http://www.gov.mb.ca/fs/parentupdate/pubs/stats_q1_2015.pdf
Statistics Canada recently reported 70.7% of families in Manitoba have two employed parents, up from 39.2% in 1976.
Manitoba families need more quality, accessible, affordable child care services!
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 5:20 pm
The Early Child Development Funders working group has developed an open letter to urge Canada’s politicians to recognize that ECE is an must have element in building a more prosperous country. Learn more here:
http://ecdfwg.ca/en/read-open-letter/
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 1:18 pm
Statistics Canada reports that Manitoba has the third-highest proportion of families with two working parents at 70.7%. That is up significantly from 39.2% in 1976.
Read more:
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/majority-of-manitoba-parents-both-work-309733421.html
The shortage of child care is a real problem for young families. There is a licensed child care space for only 16.6% of Manitoba’s children ages 0 – 12 years. Over 11,000 children are registered on the province’s online wait list for a child care space.
http://www.gov.mb.ca/fs/parentupdate/stats.html
The availability of child care benefits the economy, supports healthy child development, and helps parents balance work and family.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 4:27 pm
Congratulations to the Variety Club, sponsor of the Musiktanz program for inner city child care centres for the past 25 years. Thanks to the Manitoba Registered Music Teachers Association, The Winnipeg Foundation, Red River Co-op and Verna Ross for their contributions to bringing the gift of music to thousands of children!
http://varietymanitoba.com/effort/musiktanz-program/
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 1:51 pm
It’s an exciting week at MCCA! We have hosted stakeholder meetings with Kathleen Flanagan and Jane Beach, Commissioners appointed by the Government of Manitoba to explore options for a universally accessible early learning and child care system. Participants included the MCCA board of directors; the leaders of the Winnipeg and area director support groups; representatives from nursery school, inclusion, and school age interest groups; MCCA regional branch chairpersons from Interlake, Central, Parklands, South Central, Thompson, and Westman. A meeting with licensed family child care providers is next. We are having thoughtful conversations, responding to tough questions, exchanging interesting ideas, learning more about our strengths, challenges, and opportunities. It is evident that stakeholders value a not for profit, community based, affordable, high quality system, with a skilled and well compensated early learning and child care workforce.
Quality child care matters to Manitoba!
The Advisory Committee to the Commission meets on Friday, June 19, 2015. Pat Wege, Executive Director is MCCA’s representative to the Advisory Committee.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 2:07 pm
The 2015 ParticipACTION Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth: The Biggest Risk is Keeping Kids Indoors was released .
The ParticipACTION Report Card (formerly the Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card) provides a comprehensive assessment of the current state of physical activity for children and youth in Canada.
For the first time, the Report Card takes a stand on play in nature and the outdoors—with its risks—and includes a Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play.
The main message of the report card is that kids move more and sit less when they play outdoors, and have some freedom to roam and take risks. The following materials are available on ParticipACTION’s website:
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 5:08 pm
The Manitoba Government announced funding for 14 new or expanded child care centres, 900 spaces, a 2% overall funding increase effective January 2016. Premier Selinger mentioned the commitment made in 2014 for a wage enhancement grant to improve salaries for long-term early childhood educators, but there were no details provided. The Premier continues to speak of creating a “universally available child care system” for Manitoba families.
For more information: http://news.gov.mb.ca/news/index.html?item=35076&posted=2015-06-04
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 7:38 pm
Congratulations to the following award recipients for their outstanding contributions to early learning and child care in Manitoba:
Leader of the Year: Brigitte Insull, Seven Oaks Child Day Care Centre
Exceptional Early Childhood Educator: Doris Story, Discovery Children’s Centre
Exceptional Family Child Care Provider: Olha Zablotski
Graduate Bursary Award: Monica Lytwyn, Manitoba Early Learning & Child Care
Dr. Gretta Brown Scholarships: Melanie Fiola, Universite de Saint-Boniface and Grace Mateo, Red River College
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 1:14 pm
MCCA’s 40th Annual General Meeting was held on Thursday, May 21, 2015. Board members re-elected for another term include Tracy Cosser, Tami Karsin, Corine Anderson, and Lois Johnson. We welcome new leaders Sue Sydorchuk and Rosette Hakim. Board members returning to complete terms to which they were previously elected are Caryn LaFleche, President; April Kalyniuk, President-Elect; Wanda Bruenig, Janice Delf, Fernanda Hodgson, and Jodie Kehl.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 6:55 pm
You are invited to MCCA’s 40th Annual General Meeting, Thursday May 21, 2015 at the Victoria Inn, 1808 Wellington Ave, Winnipeg, Manitoba. Registration opens at 4:30 pm, the business meeting starts at 5:00 pm sharp. Special guest Trish Hennessey, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives will join us by Skype to share her research “How We Talk About Child Care: What Canadians Really Think.”
The AGM is your opportunity to learn more about the work of MCCA, celebrate our accomplishments, elect our Board of Directors, meet MCCA staff, and network with other members and guests.
The complete agenda and board nominees was in the Spring issue of Child Care Bridges. MCCA members unable to attend the AGM in person may vote by proxy. Please contact patwege@mccahouse.org to request a proxy form. It must be returned to MCCA by 4:00 pm on Friday, May 15, 2015.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 4:51 pm
The Government of Manitoba presented the provincial budget 2015-2016 on Thursday, April 30, 2015. The Finance Minister, Hon. Greg Dewar, said this about child care in his budget speech:
Budget 2015 continues to move Manitoba toward a truly universally accessible child-care system by:
MCCA supports the announcement to fund more spaces and improve compensation for Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) , Child Care Assistants, and Family Child Care Providers. As of December 31, 2014 there are 11,105 children province wide on the online child care registry and in need of a licensed child care space.
Support for higher wages is essential as most child care centres cannot afford to fairly compensate ECEs at the current market competitive salary range, which is from $18.00 – $22.50 per hour for a graduate with a 2 year diploma or a degree.
Source: Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale for Early Learning and Child Care Programs 2014- 2015: MCSGS 2014-2015
The minimum starting wage for an ECE in Manitoba has been $15.50 an hour since 2009.
The province controls both parent fees and operating grants for licensed facilities, which means an annual funding increase must be provided by government to cover the inflationary increases to operating costs along with a wage increase for employees.
There is a chronic, long term ECE shortage in Manitoba so not all of the child care centres licensed by the Government of Manitoba are able to meet the minimum standards for trained staff. A very successful provincial ECE training strategy has led to more ECE graduates in recent years, but has not solved the staff shortage. Unfortunately, there is no system to track turnover of ECEs, which makes effective problem solving difficult. Anecdotally, it seems ECEs leave the child care system because they can no longer afford to work in it, especially after becoming a parent and having to find and pay for their own child’s care. In addition, there are now more employment opportunities in other sectors for someone with a post secondary credential in early childhood education. For example, the average maximum paid by school divisions for an ECE working as an Educational Assistant is $19.25/hour.
MCCA has been calling on the Government of Manitoba to fund market competitive salaries for the child care workforce since 2007.
Details on how the new funding for child care will be allocated to licensed facilities will be provided by the Minister of Family Services in the near future.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 3:17 pm
The Manitoba Child Care Association thanks all Early Childhood Educators, Child Care Assistants, and licensed Family Child Care Providers for their important contribution to early learning, care, family support, and community and economic development in Manitoba!
Take a hand, open a mind, touch a heart, shape the future!
ECE is the best place to be!
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 6:54 pm
The Manitoba government is taking the next step to launch a commission to redesign the province’s early learning and child care system and create more universally accessible care for Manitoba families who need it. MCCA is excited that Kathleen Flanagan, principal at Kathleen Flanagan and Associates Inc. of Price Edward Island has been selected to be the commissioner. Flanagan will team up with Jane Beach, principal of Jane Beach and Associates of Victoria, B.C.
Link to the Manitoba news release on the Commission, and a list of members of the Advisory Committee:
http://news.gov.mb.ca/news/index.html?item=34411
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 1:54 pm
Please visit our ECE Week web page for the listing of our two Winnipeg events planned to celebrate this week. We also have a wide variety of boutique items at all price points that would make great gifts.
Categories: News
Posted by Karen K at 3:19 pm
Healthy Child Manitoba has released Manitoba’s Five Year Plan for Early Child Development
Starting Early Starting Strong
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 7:40 pm
The Manitoba Child Care Association (MCCA) joins in celebrating women’s achievements and recognizes the struggles that remain in order for women to achieve equality and financial independence. The shortage of quality, affordable, universal early learning and child care is the single greatest barrier women face in getting an education and finding and keeping jobs to support their families. MCCA thanks all the Early Childhood Educators who care and educate our youngest citizens so their mothers can help keep Manitoba working!
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 7:17 pm
February 3, 2015
MANITOBA GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHES COMMISSION TO CREATE ROAD MAP FOR PROVIDING UNIVERSALLY ACCESSIBLE EARLY LEARNING AND CHILD CARE
– – –
Children Thrive When Given an Early Start: Minister Irvin-Ross
The Manitoba government has established a commission to look at ways to redesign Manitoba’s early learning and child-care system to guide future plans including developing options to create universally accessible early learning and child care for all Manitoba families who need it, Family Services Minister Kerri Irvin-Ross said today.
“Our long-term economic future looks bright but we must ensure that every parent has an equal opportunity to participate in the workplace and we must provide every child with the best start to succeed,” Minister Irvin-Ross said. “Manitobans have told us very clearly that high-quality early learning and child-care services are essential for helping many families and children achieve those goals.”
The announcement was made at NorWest Early Learning Childcare Centre’s infant centre at ACCESS NorWest at 785 Keewatin St. There are 12 new infant spaces at the centre, funded by Manitoba Family Services’ early learning and child-care program at an annual cost of $131,820.
The commission will look at Manitoba’s early learning and child-care system to offer advice and options that will help the Manitoba government further develop high-quality, affordable child care, Minister Irvin-Ross said.
“Manitoba is on the right track with child care and has ambitious plans for the future,” said Pat Wege, executive director, Manitoba Child Care Association. “The commission is a timely initiative and will ensure we continue to work together to build a strong system, responsive to the needs of modern families including high-quality early learning for their children.”
Minister Irvin-Ross said the Manitoba government is responding to feedback expressed by parents, the child-care sector and other stakeholders during public consultations last year that led to the new Family Choices:
Manitoba’s Plan to Expand Early Learning and Child Care, announced May 1, 2014.
Since the conclusion of the first Family Choices multi-year plan, the Manitoba government has expanded the system by funding 646 more new child-care spaces and has taken steps to advance new goals of the 2014 plan
including:
* establishing two new Family Choices capital building fund intakes – one for school-based projects and one for community-based projects to build new and expand existing centres to create more spaces for families and communities;
* partnering with Manitoba Jobs and the Economy to pilot a self-employment project for family child care that will increase the number of licensed home-based child-care spaces for families and communities;
* increasing annual operating grants by two per cent effective this past Jan. 1 in support of wages/incomes for the sector;
* providing funding for more workplace training at Red River College for an additional 30 early childhood education students (ECE);
* providing funding to offer more substitute grants so that existing workers can participate in workplace training while continuing to receive their full salary;
* increasing the amount of the annual training grant effective this past Jan. 1 to $400 from $350 for child-care assistants, ECEs and family child-care providers working to advance their education and certification; and
* undertaking work with community stakeholders and experts to further examine recruitment and retention strategies and make recommendations for future planning.
The minister noted that since 1999, the Manitoba government has laid a solid foundation to expand early learning and child care including:
* nearly tripling annual funding for child care to more than $152 million, an increase of more than 184 per cent;
* funding more than 13,900 child-care spaces, an increase of more than 89 per cent;
* establishing a first-ever capital building fund with funding commitments to build new centres and expand existing centres;
* increasing wages by nearly 60 per cent and introducing a provincewide pension plan for child-care workers;
* introducing age-appropriate curricula and enhanced quality programming; and
* keeping Manitoba child care the most affordable in Canada outside of Quebec.
Minister Irvin-Ross said in upcoming weeks a commissioner will be selected to lead this important work for Manitoba.
– 30 –
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS
* Issie D. Frost, lawyer, Booth Dennehy LLP;
* Gail Watson, past president of the Manitoba Association of School Trustees and of the Manitoba Association of Home Economists;
* Carolyn Duhamel, executive director, Manitoba School Boards Association;
* Susan Prentice, graduate chair, and sociology professor, University of Manitoba, and steering committee member, Child Care Coalition of Manitoba;
* Pat Wege, executive director, Manitoba Child Care Association;
* Kathy Reid, former director, Manitoba Child Care Program
* Don Giesbrecht, CEO, Canadian Child Care Federation;
* Mariette Chartier, research scientist, Manitoba Centre for Health Policy;
* Diane Roussin, project director, the Winnipeg Boldness Project;
* Terra Johnston, program and policy analyst – special initiatives, Healthy Child Manitoba Office, Manitoba Children and Youth Opportunities;
* Wenda Dickens, co-ordinator, early childhood education unit, Manitoba Education and Advanced Learning; and
* Scott Forbes, early childhood educator.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 6:35 pm
MCCA’s recommendations to the Government of Manitoba are submitted annually during the pre-budget consultation process. Read our Recommendations to Government
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 8:41 pm
This resource is a “must have” for child care centres that want current, professional, and comprehensive human resource policies and practices. It is research based and written by experts contracted by MCCA. It includes sample forms that can easily be customized for your facility. Order Form for HRMG
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 7:48 pm
Current members can login with the user name and password instructions included in the winter issue of Child Care Bridges. You can renew your annual membership or make changes to your contact information. Annual membership renewals are due by January 9, 2015. We value your membership support!
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 2:46 pm
