Overview of proposed changes to the Early Learning and Child Care Regulations
Below is an overview of the proposed changes to the Early Learning and Child Care Regulations.
| Change | What this means |
|---|---|
| Merging of Regulations | The Early Learning and Child Care Standards Regulations, and Early Learning and Child Care Funding Regulations would be merged into one document, the Early Learning and Child Care Regulations. |
| Updating language and terminology |
This update will use simpler language and clearer definitions in regulations to provide more consistency and support to early learning and child care providers to better understand the legislation. New terminology includes: Centre-based facility, Home-based facility, Administrator, Supervisor, ELCC assistant, ELCC educator, ELCC staff person, Primary staff person, Support staff person, Substitute, Infant, Preschool, Out-of-school. |
| Updating language defining classes of early learning and child care | This update will use simpler language and clearer definitions for full-time, out-of-school and part-time early learning and child care. |
| Implementing new licensing requirement for home-based facilities | This change will require all home-based facility operators to complete the NWT Essentials Course. |
| Updating the terms and conditions for licensing | This would introduce the ability for the Director to impose any terms and conditions on the license that the Director considers reasonable. |
| Updating application and reporting forms for centre-based facilities | Reporting requirements have been simplified with the introduction of new forms and guidelines. |
| Updating application and reporting forms for home-based facilities | Reporting requirements have been simplified with the introduction of new forms and guidelines. |
| Streamlining of funding for centre-based facilities | This would introduce new funding classes for centre-based facilities to reduce child care fees and support wages for ELCC staff, supervisors and administrators as set in the wage grid and empowering programs to make facility-level decisions that align with their unique needs. This can include operational expenses, additional wage increases, and additional staff. |
| Streamlining of funding for home-based facilities | This would introduce new funding classes for home-based facilities to assist with operational costs and will continue to receive Child Care Fee Reduction Subsidy to reduce child care fees. |
| Introducing home-based funding for continuous operations | This will introduce annual additional funding for an operator of a home-based facility who has continuously operated for five or more years. |
| Removal of attendance-based funding to enrolment-based funding | This would introduce a new funding mechanism based on enrolment for licensed facilities that will replace previous attendance-based Early Childhood Program (ECP) operation funding. This change helps to simplify the reporting that licensed facilities submit, meaning that licensed facilities will receive consistent funding in advance rather than retroactive. |
| Clarifying child care fee limits | Regulations have been revised to include daily and monthly child care fee limits set out in Schedule D. |
| Allowing home-based facilities to close for up to 20 days a year | This change would introduce a provision allowing home-based facilities to be non-operational for up to 20 days per year without affecting home-based operating funding. |
| Calculation of Dedicated Funding for centre-based facilities | This change will calculate the base number of the legislatively required ELCC staff for licensed spaces (staff-to-child ratio) for funding. Additional staff, if applicable, are added to determine the total allocations. |
| Implementing a certification process for ELCC staff working in centre-based facilities | This change will require ELCC staff working directly with children to be certified under the five qualification pathways (excluding the provisional pathway): Certificate, Certificate Equivalency, Diploma, Degree and Unrecognized Education. |
| Implementing a wage grid for ELCC staff working in centre-based facilities | This change sets a minimum standard amount that centre-based operators must pay ELCC staff. |
| Recognizing Indigenous educators and northern experience | This will introduce an annual bonus to Indigenous ELCC staff working in licensed centre-based facilities and employees who have experience working in a northern program. |
| Updating frequency of criminal record check with vulnerable sector check | This change will require criminal record checks with vulnerable sector checks to be updated every two years. |
| Clarifying who will require criminal record check with vulnerable sector check | This change will clarify who will require a criminal record check with vulnerable sector check to increase safety in early learning and child care programs. |
| Clarifying the use of substitutes for home-based facilities | This update outlines a clearer intent and additional provisions for home-based facility substitutes. |
| Updating the role of the Public Health Officer | This change will remove the title of “Chief Public Health Officer” and replace it with “public health official” which means the Chief Public Health Officer, a Deputy Chief Public Health Officer or a public health officer as outlined in the Public Health Act. |
| Aligning with Human Rights Act | This change will prohibit discrimination and intent for individuals who have received a pardon or a record suspension for a criminal offence as outlined in the Human Rights Act. |
| Allowing service animals | This change will permit the use of service animals to assist individuals. |
| Updating transportation rules | This update will require ELCC staff person to be aware of a facilities transportation policy. |
| Updating language in ELCC staff person to child ratios for centre-based facilities | This change will update language used for Age of Child column in Schedule B. |