Family and Child Care Connections
50 Pippy Place A1B 4B8 St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, NL, Canada

Early Learning and Child Care is the hot topic for both federal and provincial governments, now is the time we need to be outlining the importance of a Canada-s...ystem of early learning and child care designed to give all children access to high quality, inclusive and affordable early childhood education and child care (Child Care Now). However, the focus is on child care spaces so parents can work and to boost our economy. We need to highlight that while those are important, the main focus should be our children’s future and that accessible quality early learning and child care is instrumental in ensuring that all children have an equal opportunity to thrive. If 90% of a child’s brain is developed by age 5 then the conversation should be child care spaces for early learning, an investment that also has a positive impact for our economy, not only today but for the future as well. A high quality early learning and child care system can only be achieved by a strong early childhood educator (ECE) workforce and public funding. Please consider writing your MP to let them know the importance of early learning and child care, how children benefit from quality early learning programs and why they need to support the ECE workforce as without qualified ECEs there is no system. Now is the time to share your story.

In response to today’s Thorne Speech, please see the attached CCCF media release. French to follow.

In response to todays Thorne Speech, please see the attached CCCF media release. French to follow.

Our Playgroups will resume on Tuesday, Sept 15th by registration only. If you would like more information on our playgroups or would like to register, please email Stacy at [email protected]

If you are looking for a list of regulated Family Child Care Providers, please visit our website at www.familyandchildcareconnections.ca and click on "Find a Child Care Provider" to see what's available in your area!

Hey everyone! I have decided to offer some Zoom workshops as many of you have been asking and I have missed networking with you all! I will be starting with Ch...ildren and Grief - The Role of the Early Childhood Educator. This will take place June 3 from 6:30 - 8:30 pm. Some of you that are local to the St. John's and surrounding areas may have taken this session but it is a topic many of you have been unable to access or attend. Zoom now makes that possible even in the comfort of your own home, with your Pjs on! Just download the free Zoom app and you will be ready to go. Do not worry, you will not even need to turn on your camera! Just make sure you have your audio on so you can hear me and be able to ask a question if you wish! Once I receive an email from you that you are interested in this session, I will send you the e-transfer password. Once payment is received, I will set you up for the zoom call by emailing you a link 2 hours prior to start time. I will also send you an email confirmation of attendance which you can send to AECENL for certification hours. This will be sent out within 72 hours of the session. Hope you can join me!

Thank you all!!

AECENLs Week 3 work from home plan :) https://www.gov.nl.ca/ee/files/Early-Learning-Framework.pdf http://www.erafans.org/teacher-resources]... https://theconversation.com/if-in-doubt-let-them-out-childr https://letgrow.org/dress-for-the-weather/

Great letter from AECENL.

This letter was sent today to Premier Ball. Thanks to the Council for their support.

Open Letter-AECENLs Response to COVID-19 Action Plan for ELCC in NL

Our Playgroups will be cancelled until further notice. If you need any further information on our playgroup please email [email protected] We hope to see you all soon, sorry for any inconvenience.

Thanks again to all who contributed this year to brighten others holiday season! We just made a delivery to the Community Food Sharing Association of non perishable food items as well as remaining cash donations! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

What a great night for a little PL and Christmas social... thanks to all those that came. Hope you had a wonderful time. Merry Christmas and remember to take some time for self care over the holidays

Thanks again to everyone who came out to our annual Breakfast With Santa! Lots of great food and great music with the Big Man himself. Merry Christmas everyone!

Big thanks to the staff, board members and Family Child Care Providers for all the generous donations. We were able to help 3 families with the Single Parents Association and make a considerable donation to the Food Bank. Christmas is truly the season of giving. Not only giving gifts but giving back to the community. THANK YOU!!

This was sent in by one of our Child Care Providers. What a great way to celebrate National Child Day!

Had a great morning at play group for National Child Day. Minister Warr read a story to the children!

Tons of Halloween fun at playgroup today!

We had the cutest visitors today!

Happy Halloween from the staff of Family and Child Care Connections, St.John's office. Missing from photo: Home visitor in CBS Tracy Sheehan!

It was a great first time at the Bay Bulls lifestyle centre this am with 3 of our family childcare providers. Happy Halloween!! (Posting with permission)

Have you ever...been in the situation where you are at the mall or in the line up at the grocery store and your child is crying non stop and the more you say stop crying... the louder they become. Now what do you do?? How would you feel if you needed to cry and someone just kept saying STOP? well check out these tips.... https://gozen.com/11-things-to-say-when-kids-cry/

What do you know about regulated vs unregulated childcare? Regulated. Child care providers are approved under an agency license such as Family and Child Care Connections, or are individually licensed if residing outside of the agencys jurisdiction. Keep in mind a childcare provider may be registered with the town they live in but not regulated through an agency or individually licensed. Once approved a childcare provider can care for up to 6 children including their own ...not attending school. They can care for 7 children if all children are over the age of three. Regulated child care providers will benefit from the support of an agency Monitor. They will have access to free professional learning though workshops. Inspections by Service NL will be completed annually. All childcare providers must provide clear certificate of conduct checks, vulnerable sector checks, child protection checks. They also require first aid and annual safety checks. Unregulated What is the law regarding family child care? In Newfoundland and Labrador, a person can provide family home child care, without a provincial license or an approval from a licensed agency, where the service is operated less than 10 hours a week or the child care provider has a maximum of four children under age 13 and no more than two of these children are under age two. If all of the children are younger than age two, a maximum of three children can be cared for. These numbers include the child care providers own children and any other children living in the home who are under the age of 13. Further information on child care exemptions can be found in the Child Care Act or the Child Care Regulations on the following website: https://www.assembly.nl.ca/legislation/sr/titleindex.htm See more

Did you know as an approved Family Childcare Provider though Family and Child Care Connections, you can post your childcare spaces on this group or on our registry at www.familyandchidcareconnections.ca/providers.php to reach potential clients. Some tips for creating an effective advertisement: Create a catchy title- a title that gets attention. Be specific about your space, which age group you are looking for-infant, toddler, and preschooler. Add general location without adding your address. Keep it short. Add photos of your home care environment, inside and outside, activities that the children are involved in. Avoid adding photos of childrens faces. Add contact information that you would prefer, either though a phone call, text or email without providing too much information.

Our car seat volunteers were well behaved this evening!

Just a reminder that our regularly scheduled playgroups on Tuesday's and Thursdays will now only be once a week on Wednesday mornings from 9:30-11:30 until the kids go back to school in September!

What a lovely evening celebrating ECE week and our new Family Child Care training graduates..congrats A big shout out to those who came to participate. Hope you enjoyed the fun hands on activities

Fun morning at cbs playgroup..... fishing, crawling and crafts

Shared by Inspired EC

A great turnout for our annual conference Embrace Self Care! Looking forward to a great day!

Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is seeking input on the development of a guiding document and phased-in implementation plan for a #JuniorKindergarten program for all four-year-old children in the province. #GovNL #nlschools More info: www.engagenl.ca