ChildCareBC Bulletin

Edition 94, December 18, 2024

Archived editions

Provincial election caretaker period now concluded

B.C.’s new Cabinet has now been sworn in following the British Columbia general election, which took place on October 19, 2024.

The Honourable Lisa Beare is the new Minister of Education and Child Care and the Honourable Jodie Wickens is the new Minister of State for Child Care and Children and Youth with Support Needs. Rohini Arora will be the new Parliamentary Secretary for Child Care. Please note that Minister Wickens will be acting for the Honourable Grace Lore, Minister of Children and Family Development, while she attends to personal matters.

With new Ministers being sworn in, this concludes the caretaker period. Government communication to the child care sector has resumed, including:

• New announcements from ChildCareBC
• ChildCareBC website updates and the ChildCareBC Bulletin
• Public and child care sector engagements, including the Provincial Child Care Council

Current ChildCareBC programs, including the $10 a Day ChildCareBC program and Operating Funding Model, Child Care Operating Funding, Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative and ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund, Start-up Grants and Maintenance Fund programs will continue as usual.

The ChildCareBC contact centre remains open to provide support to families, child care providers and the workforce from Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm at 1-888-338-6622.

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My ECE Registry launch

Earlier this month, the Province launched the My ECE Registry, a new digital platform that streamlines Early Childhood Educator (ECE) certification, by enhancing transparency and reducing wait times for applicants.

Current and prospective ECEs are now able to access the new Registry for all ECE certification and renewal applications.

New self-service options within the Registry system provide users with direct access to services and information. ECEs are now able to track their application and renewal status in real time, at any time from any computer or mobile device.

The new My ECE Registry system (video) features centralized digital records, making it easier for employers to provide references and verify certification of prospective employees by directly adding or reviewing the relevant data through the portal.

The launch of My ECE Registry is not expected to significantly impact or delay existing ECE certification or renewal applications. The existing paper-based system will remain available on a limited basis for current and prospective ECEs in cases where internet access is limited, including those living in remote communities.

If applicants require technical assistance with My ECE Registry, or if they wish to submit their application through the existing paper-based system, they should contact the ECE Registry at ECERegistry@gov.bc.ca, or by phone at 250-356-6501 in Victoria or toll-free at 1-888 338-6622.

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Renewal for the 2025 - 2026 Child Care Operating Funding, Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative and Early Childhood Educator Wage Enhancement

Together, government and child care providers are reducing fees for families and sustaining child care services in communities throughout British Columbia. Child Care Operating Funding assists providers with the day-to-day costs of running a licensed child care facility.

In January 2025, applications for the 2025-26 renewal will open through My ChildCareBC Services. To ensure providers have time to plan, the 2025-26 CCFRI funding guidelines have been shared ahead of time.

For 2025-26, fee increase limits remain at 3% of the regional median fee. These limits support families to access affordable child care. In addition to the 3% fee increase, providers are supported through base funding, fee reductions for families, provider payments, and the Early Childhood Educator Wage Enhancement.

The Child Care Operating Funding program contact centre is open to provide support to child care providers from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday, at 1-888-338-6622 (Option 2).

For $10 a Day ChildCareBC applicants: Child care providers who recently applied to the $10 a Day ChildCareBC program will be notified directly about the status of their application in in the new year. Successful applicants who accept a new $10 a Day ChildCareBC funding agreement will receive funding through the $10 a Day ChildCareBC program.

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Reminder: Join the 2024 Child Care Sector Engagement Pool

The 2024 Child Care Sector Engagement Pool Survey is open for two more weeks and will close on December 31, 2024. All child care professionals, organizations and child care sector partners in British Columbia are invited to participate in a short survey to join ChildCareBC’s pool of organizations and individuals who are interested in participating in upcoming engagements. The information and feedback we receive during these engagement sessions help us continue to work to build an affordable, inclusive and quality child care system in British Columbia.

The 2024 Child Care Sector Engagement Pool is a refresh of the previously named Provider Pools gathered in 2020 and 2022. Thank you to all providers and professionals who have participated in a variety of engagements over the last few years through the previous engagement pools. Previous participants will be replaced with this new 2024 Child Care Sector Engagement Pool. To continue to participate in this engagement process, please fill out this year’s survey.

The survey will ask for demographic information specific to your credentials and the child care facility where you work as well as methods and topics of engagement that interest you. It will take approximately 10 minutes to complete.

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Children Heart of the Matter Conference to be held in Surrey from January 31 to February 1, 2025

The annual Children Heart of the Matter Conference is being held at the Bell Performing Arts Centre in Surrey from January 31 to February 1, 2025. The two-day event brings together sector professionals throughout B.C. to network and raise awareness of child care and early years programs.

The conference includes keynote presentations from Monique Gray Smith and Lisa Murphy as well as workshops on diversity and inclusive practice, the BC Early Learning Framework, and other topics of interest to child care and early learning professionals. Conference attendees will receive certificates for the sessions that they attend.

Attendees can join the event in-person or online, with registration closing on January 27 for in-person attendees and on January 30 for those wishing to attend online. For further information on the event and to register, please visit the Children Heart of the Matter Conference website.

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New resources for parents supporting young children with anxiety

Parents and caregivers of young children up to age 6 experiencing mild to moderate anxiety can now benefit from new anxiety prevention resources they can use from home.

This collection contains evidence-informed and culturally relevant resources such as downloadable tip sheets and interactive activities and aims to increase mental health literacy and build the capacity of parents and caregivers who are supporting young children. 

These resources were developed by the Child and Youth Mental Health Policy and Prevention and Early Intervention team in collaboration with B.C early years professionals.

For more information and to access these new resources, please visit the HealthyMindsBC website.

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New anxiety resources for Early Years Professionals

Everyday Anxiety Strategies for Early Years (EASEY), a newly developed course by the Ministry of Children and Family Development’s Child and Youth Mental Health Policy team, can help professionals learn more about how they can support families with young children up to age 6 experiencing ‘everyday’ (mild to moderate) anxiety.

This course may be particularly relevant over the holiday season, which can be a time of excitement and can also bring changes to daily routines and extra activities, which may be anxiety-inducing for young children.

EASEY is a self-paced, online course and a collection of resources that provides B.C. early years professionals with practical and evidence-informed anxiety information and strategies to strengthen their capacity to support families with young children.

EASEY is available on the HealthyMindsBC website at no cost. For more information, please contact mcf.everydayanxietystrategiesforeducators@gov.bc.ca.