Policy Monitor

Excerpt: "The government responds to the release of Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated’s Report on the State of Inuit Culture and Society – The Status of Children and Youth, stating that "the future of Nunavut depends on ensuring the health and well-being of our children today."

The province announces an "investment of more than $1 million in the Steinbach and La Broquerie areas’ child-care centres helped create 158 new spaces for local families" in the form of "a new child-care centre and the expansion of two others".

The Winter 2012 edition of the EDI Teacher Newsletter is released.

The Manitoba Centre for Health Policy releases the second edition of How are Manitoba’s Children Doing? which examines how the province's children are doing in four areas: 1) physical health and emotional health; 2) safety and security; 3) successful learning; 4) social engagement.

Following consultations with Nova Scotians over the summer, the provincial government released a report, "Giving Children the Best Start - The Early Years: Discussion Paper," summarizing findings. An advisory council will use the report formulate recommendations on priorities for the early years.

The 2011/12 Annual Report of the Healthy Child Manitoba Office is released.

The Aboriginal Head Start Association of BC released Stepping Stones to School: AHS to Kindergarten Transition Toolkit, "an educational resource for all Early Childhood programs that include Aboriginal children... [that includes] a collection of tools and suggestions from AHS programs that help create a successful transition into school for Aboriginal children and their families."

The government of New Brunswick announced it would be "investing an additional $1 million in the Day Care Assistance program to increase childcare subsidies and to expand the program eligibility to help families with early learning and childcare costs." This funding is part of the government's $38-million three-year action plan Putting Children First.

The provincial government has "re-instated the wage enhancement of $2.75 per hour for early learning and childcare staff. The initiative supports the pay equity measures for early learning and childcare staff".

ADM Darryl Sturtevant, Ministry of Children and Youth Services and ADM Jim Grive, Ministry of Education circulated a memo to Directors of Education, Best Start Committees and Data Analysis Coordinator Host Agencies regarding a review of the current EDI and KPS.

The Premier of New Brunswick provided a progress report on its three-year action plan, Putting Children First: Positioning Early Childhood for the Future, unveiled last spring. Included in the plan are integrating early childhood and education services, realigning the boundaries for local early childhood services with school district boundaries and extending the definition of early childhood up to children 8-years-old.

The government announced additional professional development funding for staff and board members of child care centres. "Grants are provided to reimburse costs associated with attending professional development events such as workshops or conferences held in the province."