March 26, 2013
Backgrounder - Key Investments for Child, Youth and Family Services in Budget 2013
In Budget 2013, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador will allocate investments for child, youth and family services in four main areas:
10-Year Child Care Strategy
Budget 2013 allocates an investment of $31.1 million in 2013-14 for child
care in Newfoundland and Labrador, with a focus on continuing the
implementation of Caring For Our Future: Provincial Strategy for Quality,
Sufficient and Affordable Child Care in Newfoundland and Labrador. Key
investments under the strategy include:
Child Care Services Subsidy Program
- $14.3 million to assist eligible families with child care rates in a licensed child care centre or a regulated family child care home through the Child Care Services Subsidy Program. A review of the program will take place during this fiscal year to ensure the program is streamlined and effective for parents, program operators and family child care providers.
Early Learning and Child Care Supplement
- $5.8 million for the Early Learning and Child Care Supplement, which will include qualified Level I early childhood educators working directly with children in a homeroom to receive an annual increase of $3,330 for a total supplement of $6,660 and Level II program operators to receive an annual increase of $3,340 for a total supplement of $10,000, both of which will become effective April 1, 2013.
Child Care Capacity Initiative
- $1.8 million for the Child Care Capacity Initiative, which provides start-up grants for non-profit community-based organizations offering child care services.
Inclusion Program
- $1.6 million to provide additional staff or funded spaces to accommodate all children in regular programming through the Inclusion Supports Program.
Family Child Care Initiative
- $1 million to continue the Family Child Care Initiative as it provides much needed regulated child care spaces with an emphasis on spaces for infants. The initiative will help further stimulate the economy by providing people, especially women, with opportunities to enter and remain in the labour market either by becoming a regulated family child care provider or by availing of the regulated family child care spaces.
Workplace Training Program
- $500,000 will be invested to develop and commence a workplace training program that will include prior learning and assessment and recognition to support upgrading of early childhood educator qualifications.
Community Needs Assessment Tool
- $50,000 to assist in identifying greatest needs and exploring opportunities to develop child care spaces in areas identified as priorities through a new community needs assessment tool. This new tool will support growth of child care services in targeted areas with a focus on the labour market needs of communities.
Centralized Child Care Registry
- $20,000 to develop and maintain a centralized child care registry that will assist in determining and addressing ongoing and future need for child care throughout the province.
Continuum of Care Strategy
Budget 2013 will invest a total of $14.3 million to continue the implementation of the new continuum of care strategy that is working towards improving the care options for children and youth in need of out-of-home placement. This investment will include $250,000 to launch the second phase of the foster parent recruitment campaign.
Since the strategy was announced, the department has:
- Implemented a new four-level system, which provides compensation specific to each level by recognizing the experiences, training and skills of foster parents and matching children and youth with a foster family which best meets their specific needs;
- Launched the Foster a Future…Foster a Child Today promotional campaign to recruit new foster parents;
- Issued a Request for Proposals for contracted staffed residential placements, which will be awarded in the coming months; and,
- Commenced the initial development of the remaining level for specialized foster homes.
Supporting Youth with Transitions
Budget 2013 will allocate a total of $401,600 to continue the Supporting
Youth with Transitions pilot program, which will include the Metro Region
and an expansion to six other communities located throughout the province.
This funding will include six life skills coordinators who will work
directly with youth and youth-based organizations to provide life skills,
such as communications and problem-solving, as well as assisting youth in
locating and securing appropriate housing, and assisting in securing
employment and educational choices.
Human Resources
Budget 2013 will invest approximately $314,400 to hire four new frontline
positions, bringing the department’s total number of frontline positions to
over 500. These new positions will assist the department with improving the
delivery of programs and services to children, youth and their families, as
well as with caseload management.
The Provincial Government also remains committed to placing a total of 70 social worker students each year with the department to strengthen recruitment and retention of new social workers in the province, as well as to provide these students with opportunities for exposure and experience in critical areas such as child protection.
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Media contact:
Michelle Hunt
Director of Communications
Department of Child, Youth and Family Services
709-729-5148, 725-1593
MichelleHunt@gov.nl.ca
2013 03 26 3:30 p.m.