The Government of Yukon has published a What We Heard report summarizing feedback from the review of the Child Care Act. This input will help modernize the new Act to help ensure it provides children with high quality, varied and nurturing learning experiences that support their growth and development.
The engagement was guided by the four key principles of the Yukon’s Early Learning and Childcare Branch: quality, affordability, accessibility and inclusion. Some of the feedback we received from Yukoners during the public engagement included the following.
Quality
- Reduce child to educator ratio.
- Create a community of practice and/or revive the child care association.
- Require the use of an early learning framework.
- Ensure owner/operators and early childhood educators are qualified.
- Ensure access to outdoor spaces.
- Require continuous learning for early childhood educators.
Affordability
- Ensure the sustainability of universal child care and subsidy programs for families.
- Keep and expand current funding programs available to operators and educators.
Accessibility
- Require all programs to be accessible to children with diverse needs.
- Ensure dedicated and sustainable funding for the Supported Child Care program.
- Expand the definition of "school age" children to include children registered in kindergarten.
Inclusion
- Facilitate and increase access to the Child Development Centre.
- Offer more training for early childhood educators to support children with diverse needs.
- Importance of inclusion of Yukon First Nations cultures in programming.
- Importance of inclusion of an understanding of diverse cultures.
The report summarizes feedback from a diverse range of contributors, including several hundred parents/caregivers, early childhood educators, operators of family day homes and early learning and child care centres, First Nations governments, education partners and interested stakeholders from across the territory. The input received emphasizes the importance of collaboration and a relationship-based approach to modernizing early learning and child care in the Yukon.
The Government of Yukon will use this input to guide the development of the new Act scheduled for spring 2025.
Thank you everyone who participated in this important public engagement to benefit our youngest Yukoners. Your feedback will help shape the new Child Care Act and improve outcomes for children. We will continue to work in partnership with First Nations governments, the Yukon Child Care Board, parents and caregivers, early learning and child care providers, educators and early learning advocates to build a high-quality early learning and child care system that is inclusive, accessible and meets the needs of today’s families and communities.
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The public engagement occurred from November 27, 2023, to February 29, 2024 – with 434 responses provided online by parents and caregivers.
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Over the three months, 32 in-person sessions were held in Whitehorse and Dawson to gather early learning and child care sector perspectives. This included sessions in French and sessions specifically for rural early learning and child care providers and educators. Additionally, the Government of Yukon’s Department of Education received written submissions from Yukoners.
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The Child Care Act has been in effect since July 1, 1990.
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Child care centres and family day homes must follow the Child Care Act to receive a licence to operate. The Act also describes the care and supervision of children in those programs.
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As of July 2024, there were 1,923 children enrolled in licensed child care programs across the territory. As of August 2024, the Yukon had 77 licensed early learning and child care centres and family home programs.
Laura Seeley
Cabinet Communications
867-332-7627
laura.seeley@yukon.ca
Julie Ménard,
Communicaitons, Education
867-336-0653
julie.menard@yukon.ca