Province asks for input on child care in wake of pre-primary rollout

Two months into Nova Scotia'snew pre-primary program, the province is asking daycare operators and families for feedback, but the education minister says it won't alter what's already rolled out.

On Tuesday, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development launched an online survey to assess the child-care needs offamilies with children 12 years and under.

The department said it'salso surveyingevery regulated child-care operator in the provinceabout where they want future investments to go.

"This consultation is not about pre-primary program and how it's implemented," said Education Minister Zach Churchill. "This is about how we strategically grow the child-care sector and the private and not-for-profit sector."

"The fact is right now the sector only has capacity to provide for about 25 per cent of our preschool-agechildren, and if we were to grow that sector, that's going to take time. It's going to take investment."

Concerns from child-care workers

The survey is part of a$75,000 consultation contract theLiberal government signedin August with ThinkwellResearch Inc.that was derided by critics as too little, too late.

"To me, this is further evidence that they're doing everything backwards," said Tim Halman, education critic for the Progress Conservatives. "Consultation must always go before implementation."

There arenow about 850four year oldsenrolled in more than 50classroomsatelementary schools all over the province, according toChurchill, who has said another 70 classes are planned for next fall.

But people who make a living in the child-care field say it's difficult tocompete with the free program.

Churchill, meanwhile,said his department has only heard from a handful of people.

"We've moved forward in Phase 1 of pre-primary program with minimal impact to the sector," he said. "Out of 398 private or not-for-profit child-care centres in the province, we've only heard from about three that have had some staffing or enrolment challenges."

He said another twopeople contacted the department concernedaboutfuture impacts.

The results of the survey will help the province better understand the needs of families andchild-care workers so it knows how to grow the sector, said Churchill.

Child-care operatorswill be contacted directly by phone or in person.

Parents can completethe survey online or ask for a paper copy by calling 1-833-424-2084.

The survey runs until Nov. 21.