CBC News: Legislation sets path for human rights commission to return to B.C. CBC News: Homeless, vulnerable only find best health care when at death’s door, UVic study finds CTV News: Greyhound exit leaves gap for homeless, domestic violence shelters CBC News: Province responds to allegations against employee who allegedly siphoned funds from Indigenous MORE
The Early Childhood Educators of BC (ECEBC), in partnership with the Province of British Columbia, has enhanced and expanded the ECE Bursary Program, now known as the ECE Education Support Fund. This new program contains two funding programs: The Early Childhood Education (ECE) Student Bursary Program and the new ECE MORE
The Westcoast Child Care Resource Centre conducted an online survey earlier this year of all staff working in centre-based child care programs in Vancouver to collect data on wages and benefits of educators and administrators. One result from the 627 completed surveys (92% female respondents) found the median hourly wage MORE
Since 2003, BC has pioneered early years community development from 3 community coalitions to over 100 coalitions who have focused local energy and attention towards supporting families with young children. As a tribute to this amazing group of early years community developers, the Early Years Community Development Institute (EYCDI) invites you MORE
The $10aDay Child Care Plan has launched a new website design that includes a “Track Progress” section where they will regularly post about government announcements, policies, programs, budgets, and other updates. They also released the first of four policy briefs about what’s working (and what’s worrying) about the government’s approach to child care. The MORE
Gary Evans and Pilyoung Kim published an article to expand the conversation past how poverty affects development on parental investment and parenting practices. They wanted to study how chronic stress and coping may impact early childhood poverty throughout life. They found that disadvantaged children are more likely to confront physical and psychosocial stressors, MORE
Co-developed by the federal government with the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapirit Kanatami and the Métis National Council, this newly-announced IELCC Framework includes 3 frameworks (First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation). Also announced was up to $1.7 billion over 10 years to support the autonomous, community-driven and nation-based governance of Inuit, MORE
The Provincial government announced funding to increase a $1/hour raise retroactive to September 1, 2018 for front-line Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) in licensed child care programs that have been approved for BC’s child care fee reduction initiative. The wage enhancement will apply to some ECEs in other programs as well. An MORE
BC Local News: COLUMN: Child poverty still a problem in B.C. CBC News: B.C. First Nation secures federal funding for plan to keep children out of foster care CBC News: Mom says flight attendant told her to keep toddler with autism quiet CBC News: Downtown Eastside daycare closing after failing to meet city grant MORE
First Call is excited to announce that Nadine Gagné-L’Hirondelle has been hired to work on our Early Years Call to Action Campaign. Nadine is a passionate child advocate, who has spent her entire professional career working within early childhood development and intervention in BC. She is a proud Métis person MORE
Good news for families across the province! The BC government has announced the next step on the province’s path to universal child care – funding for the creation of 22,000 new licensed child care spaces over the next three years. Public partners, local governments, school districts, etc., can access $1 MORE
The Minister of Advanced Education, Skills, and Training announced expansion of the number of students that can access UBC’s early childhood education (ECE) training program. The $350,000 investment over three years will allow an additional 72 students to take the training. In addition to accessible ECE training, we need government to take MORE
There are grants available to run My Tween and Me, Nobody’s Perfect, and Parent-Child Mother Goose Programs. The BC Council for Families is requesting proposals to plan and deliver these programs between September 2018 – March 31, 2019. There is a total of $750-1000 available for each selected program. Deadline is September 7, MORE
StarMetro Vancouver: B.C. begins paying back millions taken from welfare recipients on methadone StarMetro Vancouver: Canada detains migrant kids, too, and it needs to stop, experts say The Globe and Mail: Trump’s zero-tolerance policy inflicts anguish on kids – with toxic health impacts Maclean’s: Trudeau won’t condemn Trump’s migrant policy. MORE
Jan White, Director, Early Years Policy and Programs, attended First Call’s June coalition meeting to share information on the shift in Ministry of Children and Family Development early years funding. Changes are underway to invest more in direct supports and services to families and for the ministry to lead more MORE