Report To: Program Planning Committee
From: Lori Clark, Director of Integrated Human Services and Amy Ingram, Integrated Human Services Manager
Date: September 21, 2022
Re: Quality Assurance - Issue Report
The Child Care Mission of the Manitoulin-Sudbury District Services Board (DSB) is to support social and economic development by investing in and supporting an affordable, accessible and accountable child care system benefitting children, their parents, caregivers and the broader community.
High-quality Child-Care programs provide enriching early learning experiences that promote future well-being. Guided by How Does Learning Happen? Ontario’s Pedagogy for the Early Years high quality programs offer an environment that engages parents and caregivers as co-learners and leaders in influencing positive child, family, and community experiences and outcomes.
The Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB is committed to high quality programs for all children and has worked closely with child care service providers to enhance the quality in early years programs in the Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB area. High quality programs respect diversity, equity, and inclusion and should value the languages and cultural needs of our communities.
The Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB provides funding and program support to 8 agencies who deliver 17 Child Care programs and 4 EarlyON centres, with extensive outreach, throughout the Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB jurisdiction.
Over the last several years the Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB has been assessing program quality in the Child Care programs across our district.
Program reviews were done in 2015/16 and again in 2016/17. The Manitoulin-Sudbury District Services Board Child Care Quality Assurance Report contains several recommendations that would benefit programs across the district.
Issue reports were shared with the board in March 2018 outlining the needs identified in the program reviews and June 2018 advising the Board that quality assurance would continue to be contracted out until the new government confirmed their stance on quality assurance. Quality Assurance continues to be contracted to Our Children Our Future.
Targeted supports are needed, particularly after the challenges experienced in the sector as a result of Covid-19. Consistent and intentional support will lead to high quality programs that will enrich early learning and promote future well-being.
Staff have determined there is a need for targeted support in Child Care and EarlyON Child and Family Centres and are considering providing this support directly.
The Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB Quality Assurance should provide consistent and intentional support to the Child Care and EarlyON programs. The increased support will lead to high quality programs that will enrich early learning and promote future well-being.
Staff are recommending the Finance Committee review the financial impact of providing support directly to the child care centres and EarlyON programs during the 2023 budget process.