Education
Health and Community Services
Human Resources, Labour and Employment
April 19, 2011
Budget 2011 Supports Families and Young Children
The Provincial Government is committed to providing families and young children with the supports they need to reach their full potential and live enriching lives in Newfoundland and Labrador. Budget 2011 is investing a total of $16.3 million this year to help create a climate for families to flourish and children to thrive.
“Our government recognizes the importance of supporting the healthy growth and development of children in Newfoundland and Labrador,” said the Honourable Charlene Johnson, Minister of Child, Youth and Family Services. “We are taking a comprehensive approach and making meaningful investments in key areas to provide a strong foundation for children and their families.”
Family Child Care Initiative
Building upon the Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) Capacity Initiative,
the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services is introducing a two-year
pilot project focused on the development of spaces in family child care
homes throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. Over the next two years, the
department will work to support the development of a targeted 400 new spaces
in regulated family child care.
“One issue facing young families in our province is the need for more regulated child care,” said Minister Johnson. “Our government has listened carefully to the concerns of parents, and as part of Budget 2011 is introducing a new initiative to specifically target the shortage of regulated spaces, particularly in rural communities and for children under the age of two. The new Family Child Care Initiative will stimulate economic growth by providing people, especially women, with opportunities to enter and remain in the labour market by availing of these spaces or by becoming a regulated provider.”
Highlights include increased start-up grants from $2,500 to $5,000 to become a regulated family child care provider, and infant start-up grants of $7,500 for homes that care exclusively for children up to the age of two. In addition, an annual infant stimulus grant of $2,400 per infant space ($200/month per infant) will be available to family child care providers who care exclusively for children up to two years of age, to help offset the loss of revenue associated with having the smaller group size required in these homes.
The Department of Child, Youth and Family Services will offer training for these new providers and will partner with the Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development to provide on-the-ground assistance with the business aspects of operating a family child care home.
Minister Johnson is very pleased with the announcement of a new Child Care Tax Credit which is one component of the larger 10-year strategy to support young families with their child care needs. Budget 2011 commits $3 million annually for a non-refundable Child Care Credit for deductible child care expenses that have been incurred. This credit allows for a maximum amount of $7,000 per year to be claimed for children up to seven years of age, for a maximum credit of $539, and $4,000 per year for children aged seven to 16, for a maximum credit of $308.
Early Childhood Learning
Budget 2011 provides $1.3 million, part of a total commitment of $4.8
million over three years, to begin implementation of the Provincial
Government's Early Childhood Learning Strategy, Learning from the Start.
Implementation will begin with initiatives which focus on social and early language development opportunities from birth to age three, and with providing parents with the information and resources to help them give their children the right start – right from the start. Resources will include brochures, resource kits, a website and other tools.
Building Supports for Children and Their Families
Budget 2011 is providing an additional $9.2 million to the Department of
Child, Youth and Family Services, bringing the Provincial Government's new
total investment in the department to $33 million in just two years.
Significant progress has been made since the creation of the new
department through important developments such as new child protection
legislation and an organizational model to drive improvements in service
delivery.
Support for Our Province’s Newest Residents
In March 2007, the Provincial Government launched the Immigration Strategy –
Diversity, Opportunity and Growth. It currently has an annual investment of
approximately $2.3 million to support the Office of Immigration and
Multiculturalism. As part of this investment, Budget 2011 provides funding
of $150,000 over three years to support initiatives aimed at increasing the
number of immigrants who choose Newfoundland and Labrador as their new home
in Canada. The funding will support English tutoring for spouses, assist
with the development of multicultural events, and support welcoming
community initiatives.
Services for Children with Autism
As announced today with other health care investments, Budget 2011 provides
$2.7 million to enhance services to support children and youth with autism.
This significant investment includes an expansion to the Applied Behavioral
Analysis program; the addition of seven positions which will improve access
for the diagnosis and treatment of autism, as well as enhance services for
other children; development of a regional office of the Autism Society of
Newfoundland and Labrador in Western Newfoundland, and the expansion of two
therapeutic programs throughout the province.
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Media contacts:
| Andrea Nolan Director of Communications Department of Child, Youth and Family Services 709-729-5148, 725-1593 AndreaNolan@gov.nl.ca |
Heather May Director of Communications Department of Education 709-729-0048, 697-5061 HeatherMay@gov.nl.ca |
| Jennifer Tulk Director of Communications Department of Health and Community Services 709-729-1377, 699-6524 JenniferTulk@gov.nl.ca |
Bradley Power Director of Communications Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment 709-729-0753, 699-5707 BradleyPower@gov.nl.ca |
| Luke Joyce Director of Communications Department of Finance 709-729-6830, 725-4165 LukeJoyce@gov.nl.ca |
2011 04 19 2:25 p.m.