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Discussion with Michal Perlman, Jenny Jenkins, Michael Baker, Kerry McCuaig,and Erica Okezie Phillips.

Early years programs are undergoing significant changes in Ontario. Full day kindergarten will be available to all 4-and 5-year-old children by 2014. School boards are required to secure extended day options where there is sufficient demand. Child care programs are repurposing to serve younger aged children and their families.

The Department of Education has released a discussion paper Modernizing Child Care in Ontario, "to begin a conversation that will help move Ontario towards a high quality, accessible and co-ordinated early learning and care system for all children."

Presented by Christine Avery Nunez, Atkinson Charitable Foundation, Kerry McCuaig, Atkinson Foundation Fellow in Early Childhood Education, ÃÈÃÃÉçÇø, UofT, Toronto Education Consultation, June 14, 2012.

The recent release of Early Years Study 3 reinforces the bridge between science, policy and practice. The earliest years of development is a sophisticated interplay between genetics and environment, a convergence that brings together parents, educators, researchers and policy leaders.

The 9th Summer Institute on Early Child Development will examine evidence-based approaches to developing a comprehensive children’s and family support system starting in utero. It brings together experts, practitioners and key stakeholders who are committed to innovative collaboration to ensure the best possible outcomes for young children and their families.

This year, we are pleased to recognize the contributions of Jane Bertrand, a leader amongst leaders and an accomplished early childhood educator and advocate.

The provincial government has released a three-year, $38-million action plan, Putting Children First, that will integrate early childhood services into the school system.

The Manitoba Centre for Health Policy has released a new report on the Early Development Instrument results in Manitoba. The report focusses on: socioeconomic adversity and children’s vulnerability at age five; biological vulnerability at birth and children’s vulnerability at age five; and children’s vulnerability at age five in three at–risk subgroups of children.

Presented by Jane Bertrand, Zeenat Janmohamed, and Kerry McCuaig at the Canadian Association for Research in Early Childhood, May 26, 2012, Wilfred Laurier University.

The province will consult Nova Scotians on a new early years strategy. As part of the initiative, the government released a discussion paper and has appointed a nine-member advisory council.

The Department of Education, along with the departments of Child, Youth and Family Services and Health and Community Services launched The Power of Play, "a multi-media promotional campaign designed to highlight and encourage play-based learning."

Excerpt: "Amendments have been proposed to the unproclaimed Early Learning and Childcare Act to establish a single piece of legislation called the Early Childhood Services Act. The new act would combine all early childhood programs and services such as preschool autism intervention, prenatal support, early learning and childcare, and early intervention.... Changes to the section of the act detailing curriculum frameworks are proposed so that licensed childcare facilities use only one of the two frameworks provided by the department."

Excerpt: "The allocation is based on the 2012-13 provincial budget which provided $2 million to develop 500 new child care spaces across Saskatchewan, and an additional $4 million to cover the capital costs of those new spaces."