early childhood education manitoba

Early Childhood Education (ECE)

Assiniboine’s two-year Early Childhood Education diploma program provides graduates with the knowledge and skills necessary to provide quality early learning and child care to young children.  

Early childhood educators plan, organize, and implement programs for children between the ages of infancy and 12 years. They lead children in activities to stimulate and develop their intellectual, physical and emotional growth and ensure their security and well-being. 

Early Childhood Educators work in a variety of early learning and child care setting, and can find work in full and part-time programs with children from infants to school-age. 

Program Learning Outcomes 

• Establish inclusive, culturally responsive, healthy, and safe play-based learning environments for all children, staff, and families. 
• Facilitate physical, sensory, cognitive, communicative, creative, and self-development among young children through curriculum planning. 
• Facilitate positive relationships among children and adults in guiding children’s behavior to support holistic wellbeing. 
• Collaborate effectively with families and the community. 
• Demonstrate professional conduct, documentation, and effective communication skills as an early childhood educator. 
• Incorporate Indigenous perspectives and topics that honor and respect First Nations, Metis, and Inuit cultures through inclusive practices in early learning and childcare. 

Graduates are able to: 

Success factors.

You might be a good fit for this program if you would enjoy: 

• Being part of a licensed profession and work in a regulated environment. 
• Teaching and guiding young children. 
• Planning and conducting activities. 
• Working in a collaborative team environment or independently as the situation requires. 

A valid driver’s license and access to a vehicle is strongly recommended given the potential need to travel for practicum placement. 

The industry and program environment require individuals to: 

• Follow clear rules and use organized methods to guide activities. 
• Adhere to early childhood education professional and ethical guidelines. 
• Complete responsibilities requiring crouching, stooping, bending, and standing. 
• Stand and move about the learning environment and child care setting for an extended period of time. 
• Work in shifts, schedules, and conditions that are unique to the industry. 
• Perform static and physical tasks, such standing, crouching, and kneeling. 
• Communicate effectively with others including coworkers, children, community members, and caregivers. 
• Be reliable, punctual, and regularly attend work. 
• Listen to direction and act on that accordingly.   

Early Learning Training and Education Programs

Assiniboine offers six new programs, made possible by an $11.4 million investment from the Province of Manitoba and the Government of Canada. These programs complement our early learning and child care training and education offerings.

• A complete Manitoba Grade 12 or equivalent
• English 40G/40S or equivalent with a minimum mark of 60%
• Current criminal record vulnerable sector check
• Current child abuse registry check

English is the language of instruction at Assiniboine. All applicants educated outside of Canada or in a country not on the test exempt list are expected to meet the English language proficiency requirement. See  assiniboine.net/elp  for more information. 

Program Application Checklist

Please use the ECE Program Application Checklist  to help you submit a complete application.

Ready to take the next step in your education journey? Start your online application today and join Assiniboine College!

International Applicants

If you are an international applicant, please read our Helpful Information for International Applicants prior to applying to this program.

Criminal Record Check/Abuse Registry Checks

Many agencies where students are placed for practicum experience require students to disclose convictions for any offenses. In some instances, applicants with a criminal record or listed on the Child Abuse Registry may not be admitted to the program. If you fall into one of these categories, please contact the School of Health & Human Services prior to applying.

Credit For Past Work and Informal or Formal Education and Training

As long as you have the equivalent of two full years of work experience in an early childhood setting, you are eligible to pursue credit through the Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) process for practicums. You may also be eligible for transfer of credit for related post-secondary education completed at the college or university level.

Careers & Connections

Career opportunities.

• Early learning centres
• Elementary and nursery school divisions
• Nursery schools
• Privately run, in-home childcare centres
• Child and family service facilities 

Connections

This program is provincially accredited by Child Care Qualifications and Training Committee (CCQTC). Graduates are eligible for classification from Manitoba Early Learning and Child Care as an Early Childhood Educator Level 2 (ECE II).

For those seeking qualifications to meet the Child Care Assistant role, visit assiniboine.net/cca .

Assiniboine has a number of agreements with other colleges, universities and professional organizations, making it possible for students to apply credit taken at Assiniboine to programs at other institutions. For up-to-date information on agreements, visit the  Articulation Agreements  page.

Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (BECE) Honours Degree

A new agreement between Assiniboine Community College and Brock University will give Assiniboine graduates the opportunity to pursue a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (BECE) Honours degree, delivered online so students can remain in Manitoba.

Program Information 

• Information video (Youtube) 
• Program page  
• Application process/options page  

Important Notes

• A completed ECE diploma is required to begin the program.
• The BECE degree is an online program open to domestic and international students.
• Full-time or part-time studies are available. 
• Complete an honours degree in as little as two years full time, or complete it over many years while balancing work, family and studies.
• [email protected]

Tools & Supplies

Booklists are available from your school office 30 days prior to the start date of your program. Visit the  Bookstore website  to learn more.

 Program Checklists:

• Program Checklist - Early Childhood Education - Brandon

Booklists: 

• Booklist - Early Childhood Education - Year 1
• Booklist - Early Childhood Education - Year 2
• Booklist - Early Childhood Education - Distance
• Booklist - Early Childhood Education Workplace - Year 2

Technology Requirements

Students in this program are required to bring their own laptop for use on-campus. The laptop must meet the technical needs outlined by the program. For more details, visit our At-Home Computing page.

Courses & Costs

All fees are estimated and subject to change without notice.

All fees are estimated and are subject to change without notice. All international students must purchase health insurance. The college adds this fee to your student account and then sends your name and fee to the insurance provider on your behalf.

To graduate with an Early Childhood Education diploma, students must successfully complete 122 credits. The minimum passing grade for each course is indicated on the course outline. Course offerings are subject to change and may vary by intake.

Tuition Reimbursement

The governments of Canada and the Province of Manitoba offer an Early Childhood Education Tuition Reimbursement program to make ECE education more accessible to individuals entering the Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) workforce and those working to obtain or upgrade their certification.

To learn more information, including who is eligible and how to apply, visit the Province of Manitoba’s webpage.

Distance Education

The full Early Childhood Education diploma program is not currently available for study through distance education, however, a select number of courses in the program are. To see when courses are being offered, the costs, and how long you have to complete them, view the schedule below.

2024-25 DISTANCE EDUCATION SCHEDULE

Registration options:

• If you are an active Assiniboine student in the Early Childhood Education program, you can register and pay online for your next course using MyACC . You can also register directly with the Registrar's Office by calling 204.725.8701 to register with a credit card.
• If you are not an active Assiniboine student in the Early Childhood Education program but are interested in taking a course(s), you may do so up to a maximum of 12 credits. To register, contact the Registrar's Office by calling 204.725.8701 to register with a credit card.

The deadline to register is the 20th of the month prior  however, you can register at any time - you don't need to wait for the deadline. For example, for February 1st courses, the deadline to register is January 20th.

If you are interested in the full program, applications are currently being accepted for the full-time, on-campus, day program.

Parkland Campus

Victoria Avenue East Campus

Program Information Sheet

Related News

Frequently asked questions.

Program information sessions are completely free to attend, and we invite you to bring a guest along as well. It's a good idea to register in advance so we know you're coming.

To find the complete schedule for our program information sessions and to RSVP, visit the program information session page .

You can find details about the program, including reimbursement amounts, on the province’s website .

Eligibility requirements for this reimbursement program can be found here .

Visit the following webpage to learn more about the application process and requirements

The current application requires proof of enrolment and tuition costs be submitted alongside your application. You can locate these required documents on your MyACC account. See the instruction sheet attached .

Please visit the tuition reimbursement webpage , which includes full program details, FAQs and contact information for the program:

Eligibility requirements for the tuition reimbursement program, can be found here .

Program Explorer

Early childhood education.

System Maintenance: July 13-14

The College’s online application, registration, and payment systems will be unavailable from 6am on Saturday, July 13, until approximately 6pm on Sunday, July 14.

Guide the next generation of learners and connect children, families and communities through education.

Learn to create environments that stimulate the intellectual, emotional and social development of young children.

Through the Early Childhood Education (ECE) program, you will develop the knowledge and skills and learn to provide quality, child-centred guidance to young children.

Through RRC Polytech’s nationally recognized training program, you’ll explore play-based curriculums, guidance techniques, child development and family relations while developing critical communication and professionalism skills. You’ll also build practical work experience under the guidance of centre mentors in vital work placement opportunities. This program offers the crucial training and engaging learning you need to succeed, pursue new opportunities and continue your lifelong learning journey, whether you’re new to ECE, currently working as a child care assistant (CCA) or planning to move and work in Manitoba.

• Program Type Full-time
• Credential Diploma
• Program Delivery Program courses are delivered primarily in person, with some components delivered online. See locations to understand where the in-person components of this program take place. In-person hybrid
• In-person Locations Notre Dame Campus, Interlake and Peguis – Fisher River Campus, Portage Campus and Winkler Campus
• Intake Fall
• Program Length 2 years
• Total Tuition / Fees for Courses Estimated total tuition fees for all terms of this program for domestic students. Other fees not included in this total include textbooks, supplies, application fee, etc. Learn more › $11,400 – $12,600
• How to Enrol This program requires a formal application. Find out how to apply › Application required
• Application Type RRC Polytech programs have different types of applications. Learn more about application types › Direct entry
• Work-Integrated Learning Work-integrated learning includes opportunities like co-op, field and clinical placements, internships and industry projects. Gain hands-on experience with real work opportunities
• International Program Find out about the services and supports available to international students. Learn more › Open to students from around the globe

Experience a Polytechnic Education

Full-time delivery: something new every term.

In this program, you’ll explore early childhood education techniques, learn to create meaningful and diverse educational experiences and prepare for Manitoba’s Level II ECE classification through in-depth classroom learning and work placement opportunities.

Explore the essentials of early childhood education and professional communication through a variety of foundational courses.

Build on your foundational knowledge and learn to plan play-based curriculums in preparation for your first practicum experience.

Develop practical skills, meet employers and expand your professional network through a dynamic practicum experience in an early childhood setting.

Strengthen your planning skills and learn to support and incorporate the diverse experiences of children, families and professionals in early childhood education.

Plan and implement a community-based project, explore advanced topics in child development and recognize the diverse experiences of Indigenous peoples.

Integrate your knowledge, skills and experience in a final practicum placement, preparing yourself for a successful career in early childhood education.

Employment Potential

Prepare yourself for career success, potential grad careers.

• Infant care
• Preschool programs
• Before and after school programs
• Nursery schools
• Family child care
• Family resource programs
• ECE supports in early years classrooms
• Supervisors and assistant directors
• Child development counsellor

Affiliations and Accreditations

What to Expect in This Program

Get prepared for the future of work.

Excel with practical learning and experienced instructors, all focused on your success. With an employer-driven education, you won’t just be ready for a career – you’ll be prepared to stay in front of what’s ahead.

Graduate Success

The Early Childhood Education program is vital in fulfilling Manitoba’s need for early childhood educators. RRC Polytech graduates are recognized as valuable, versatile and thoughtful professionals and are crucial for many families who require quality child care to work and study.

The statistics below represent the opinions and employment statuses of this program’s recent grads. They were retrieved from the 2019-2020 RRC Polytech Graduate Satisfaction and Employment Report.

100% – SATISFIED WITH RRC POLYTECH EDUCATION

Through the Early Childhood Education program, you’ll build the skills you need to attain a provincial ECE II classification and start a successful career after graduation. You’ll also have the communication, collaboration and learning skills you need to pursue further education and career advancement.

97% – RECOMMEND PROGRAM TO OTHERS

RRC Polytech’s blend of in-depth instruction and practical experience creates a strong foundation for success and opens the door to exciting new opportunities. As an Early Childhood Education graduate, you’ll have everything you need to lead, succeed, adapt and surpass employer expectations.

100% – CONSIDER INSTRUCTORS KNOWLEDGEABLE

RRC Polytech instructors constantly work with the community and are always welcoming new ideas and best practices. Your mentors and instructors bring this wealth of professional experience to the classroom, creating engaging, collaborative learning experiences that prepare you for a rewarding career.

“I come from a small northern Indigenous community; few attend post-secondary education. My mother was an ECE, and I wanted to follow in her footsteps. RRC Polytech helped me in that journey.” Sharlena Chippeway – Early Childhood Educator II Concordia Child Care Centre

“My path was paved by my dedicated ECE program instructors. They taught me to strive for the best version of myself as a student and as a newcomer to Canada. I am forever indebted to their generosity.” Anahita Aminian – Instructor, ECE Program Red River College Polytechnic

“With an education from RRC Polytech, I became better equipped to help people work through life’s challenges. I want to stay in childcare for a long time to help children who need additional support.” Anli He – Early Childhood Educator II

“The instructors bring expertise, experience and dedication to their students, creating a rich and inclusive learning environment where I could freely build on my strengths and explore my potential.” Faith Wong – Early Childhood Educator II

“A perfect day is when a child learns something that completely fascinates them. Credit to RRC Polytech’s practicums and hands-on learning for helping students encounter real-life job situations.” Robyn Clisby – Early Childhood Educator III, Team Leader Cairns Children’s Centre Inc.

Who Should Enrol?

Turn your talents into academic success.

As a student in the Early Childhood Education program, you enjoy spending time with children. You are a highly motivated, organized and self-disciplined individual who can take the initiative when helping others. You are also in good general health and can keep up with children for eight or more hours a day.

Students that excel in this program often share these interests, skills and personality traits.

PERSONALITY TRAITS

• Critical thinker
• Team-oriented
• Communication
• Positive attitude
• Early childhood
• Play and learning
• Child-inspired
• Young children
• Child development

All the Information You Need

Make an informed decision.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Ensure signup goes smoothly and understand program requirements before registering. Review required documents and procedures to make sure you’re prepared to enter this program.

LOCATION, DATES AND FEES

Start planning with peace of mind and get the information you need on one easy-to-find page. Review start dates, locations, book and equipment costs and program fees.

SCHOLARSHIPS

Celebrate and motivate your learning. Whether you’ve sprinted through the first term or just received your acceptance letter, find a variety of bursaries, scholarships and awards.

OTHER INFORMATION

Explore our Catalogue for more detailed information, including a program outline, course descriptions and everything you’ll need to plan and prepare for your future success.

DATES AND FEES

Start preparing with peace of mind. View information about courses and sections, including locations, delivery methods and costs. It only takes minutes to register and further your future.

LIST OF COURSES

Plan out your preferred learning journey. Review a summary of this program’s courses to discover what you’ll learn and how an RRC Polytech education will help your career.

Begin Your Journey

Get started with rrc polytech, start your application.

Your future is within reach, and we’re here to help you achieve it. Experience industry-focused opportunities available at RRC Polytech and develop the knowledge and skills to grow, lead and excel in your future career.

Funding Your Education

Support yourself while pursuing your RRC Polytech education. You may be eligible for loans, grants and scholarships to help tackle your financial needs.

Future Student Events

Explore our upcoming information sessions and events to learn more about our programs and to get your questions answered.

RRC Polytech campuses are located on the lands of Anishinaabe, Ininiwak, Anishininew, Dakota, and Dené, and the National Homeland of the Red River Métis.

We recognize and honour Treaty 3 Territory Shoal Lake 40 First Nation, the source of Winnipeg’s clean drinking water. In addition, we acknowledge Treaty Territories which provide us with access to electricity we use in both our personal and professional lives.

Learn more ›

• Education and Early Childhood Learning

Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning Structure

Strategic objectives.

From every part of Manitoba, from every background, all children and youth matter, belong, are respected, successful, and safe.

To ensure responsive, equitable, high-quality child care and learning that fosters belonging from early childhood through to high school graduation, and supports all children and youth to reach their full potential.

• Truth and Reconciliation
• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
• Relationships, Consultation, and Accommodation
• Learning and Continuous Improvement
• Transparency and System Accountability

To support the department's new mandate, vision, and mission, changes have been made to the divisions that make up Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning, to better align our team to our mandate. The department is now comprised of the following teams:

Early Learning and Child Care Division

The Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) Division ensures that all licensed child care services in Manitoba are in compliance with The Community Child Care Standards Act, and that they provide safe, accessible, affordable, and high-quality child care services for families. The division develops and administers legislation, regulations, best practices, policies, procedures, and new initiatives, and makes recommendations regarding multi-year planning.

The division is responsible for formally classifying and certifying all child care assistants (CCAs) and early childhood educators (ECEs), and it coordinates the Child Care Qualifications and Training Committee, which is primarily responsible for reviewing early childhood educator training programs offered by various educational institutions.

The division also oversees the parent fee subsidy program, which helps with the cost of child care for eligible families, and administers the Diversity and Inclusion Support Program, which helps children with additional support needs access child care. It also provides training, operating, and capital funding grants for child care providers.

Student Achievement and Inclusion Division

The Student Achievement and Inclusion Division is focused on improving student outcomes, ensuring equity, and promoting well-being and inclusion. The division is committed to working in the spirit of Truth and Reconciliation, in collaboration with the Indigenous Excellence, to embed Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and doing into all areas of education. The division is responsible for the design and implementation of a policy framework that improves classroom teaching, learning, and assessment; builds capacity; improves school effectiveness; and oversees best practices and evidence-informed policy through research, monitoring, and evaluation. The division is responsible for leadership in the four official school programs: English, Français, French Immersion, and Senior Years Technology Education. The division oversees and coordinates a range of inclusion support services to ensure the success and well-being of students with diverse learning needs. The division is also responsible for reporting and overseeing student outcomes, and oversees implementation of the K–12 Framework for Continuous Improvement. The division develops and maintains partnerships with external organizations to support the delivery of professional learning and works collaboratively with early childhood and post secondary partners to strengthen connections and to support students and families as they move into, throughout, and beyond the K–12 education system.

Indigenous Excellence

The Indigenous Excellence (IE) provides leadership and coordination of departmental initiatives that pertain to Indigenous education and training. IE works within the department in collaboration with Manitoba Economic Development, Investment and Trade and Indigenous Reconciliation and Northern Relations to ensure an inclusive approach to Indigenous education and training throughout the province. IE coordinates the development of the Manitoba First Nations, Métis, and Inuit education policy and supporting action plan to remove systemic barriers to Indigenous student success. This involves collaboration with partners to undertake research, policy, and strategic initiatives that enhance Indigenous student engagement, achievement, high school completion, and post-secondary education and labour market participation rates. Also, IE helps to ensure that all Manitoba students and educators, including those at the post-secondary level, learn about the histories and cultures of Indigenous Peoples, the legacy of residential schools, and the significance of Treaties and the Treaty Relationship in the present day. The Indigenous Excellence also oversees the Community Schools Program in partnership with community agencies, government departments, and the corporate sector to mobilize training, resources, and services for use in community school programs and network schools.

System Performance and Accountability Division

The System Performance and Accountability Division is responsible for the governance structures, policy, and planning for the K–12 education system, and is responsible for the stewardship of education funding and resources, including the design of sustainable funding structures. The division oversees the requirements and certification for the teaching profession in Manitoba, and leads the policy and oversight for independent and international education. The division ensures that the K–12 system in Manitoba is aligned and accountable in order to drive better student outcomes.

Corporate Services

Corporate Services provides centralized corporate leadership and coordination to the department for strategic departmental initiatives, business support services, and corporate policies, and oversees an integrated action plan based on the identified priorities. The division incorporates a whole-systems approach and ensures alignment across focus areas, including governance, funding, student achievement, and system performance. It also provides web and information services and translation services. The division oversees communications, sector engagement, strategic planning, FIPPA requests, and change management, along with other strategic initiatives, including the department's balanced scorecard and the employee engagement strategy.

Financial and Administrative Services

Financial and Administrative Services provides leadership on financial and administrative matters for the department. Responsibilities include ensuring that the comptrollership function of the department is appropriately maintained and meets the needs for financial control accountability. The division is responsible for reporting on and safeguarding financial and physical assets. The division also provides comprehensive support services in assessing resource requirements and allocations to programs and branches, including direction and support in financial and business planning, reporting, monitoring, and control policies, processes, and procedures.

Financial management and accountability activities include coordinating the annual estimates of the department and other financial planning processes; monitoring and reporting financial performance; conducting specialized financial reviews and analyses; preparing reports to support timely financial management decisions; safeguarding physical and financial assets; and providing accounting services to the department.

The expected results include the effective and efficient operation of financial management systems, timely management decisions, as well as compliance with all financial management, financial planning, and audit requirements of the Manitoba government.

• Sector Communications
• Kindergarten to Grade 12
• Indigenous Education
• Early Learning and Child Care
• 2007 to 2016 Fiscal
• Supplement to the Estimates of Expenditure
• Annual Reports
• Adult Learning and Literacy
• Apprenticeship Manitoba
• International Education
• Manitoba Student Aid
• Newcomer Education
• Post-Secondary Education

System Maintenance Downtime: July 13 – July 14, 2024

Due to system maintenance, the College’s online application, registration, and payment systems will be unavailable from 6:00am on July 13, 2024, until approximately 6:00pm on July 14, 2024.

FULL-TIME | WINNIPEG LOCATIONS EARLF-DP Early Childhood Education

• Two-year diploma
• Course-based registration  (students can take this program on a full-time or part-time basis)
• August entry date
• Notre Dame Campus, Winnipeg
• Interlake Campus, Selkirk, Manitoba
• Portage Campus, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba
• Peguis-Fisher River Campus, Peguis, Manitoba
• Winkler Campus, Winkler, Manitoba
• Optional joint degree with University of Winnipeg
• Athabasca University
• Louis Riel and Seven Oaks School Divisions ECE Programs (high school credits)
• University of Calgary
• University of Manitoba
• University of Victoria
• University of Winnipeg
• International applicants please visit  Academic Program, Dates and Fees  for a listing of programs for international students, current availability and online application instructions
• If you have a criminal record you may not be able to complete this program. If you are listed on a Child Abuse Registry you will not be able to complete this program. See  Program Progression Requirements  for more info
• A reimbursement of up to $5,000 per school-year is available to help cover the tuition-related costs of recognized ECE programs offered at post-secondary institutions in Manitoba that lead to an ECE II or ECE III certification in Manitoba. Application deadline: March 1, 2024. Students can apply here

Description

This program prepares you to provide quality childcare in the community. You will study practice based on:

• A child-centred focus
• Play-based curriculum
• Child development
• Guidance techniques
• Communication skills
• Family and community relations
• Professionalism

An emergent curriculum approach building on the interests of children, and working closely with families and communities is emphasized.

Additionally, the program is based on the study of child development within a developmental health perspective. You will learn about current, exciting research in a number of interesting areas.

Upon successful completion of the program you will be able to competently plan learning experiences that stimulate the intellectual, physical, emotional, and social development of young children.

This program provides you with practical experience working with young children at a variety of children’s centres.

Prior to starting the program, you may be invited to attend a program information session. Although optional, it is highly recommended you attend. You may also be asked to participate in an individual interview.

Program Explorer

Use RRC Polytech’s new Program Explorer tool to find the program that works best for you. Discover programs based on your interests or filter by location, credential, annual intake and other options.

SEE PROGRAM EXPLORER

Please take note of the following course code:

You will need to refer to this code for registration purposes.

Online Registration is not available for this course. Please contact your local registration office or click link below for other registration options.

Click here to learn about all the convenient ways to register.

Waitlist Request for Section #

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Join MCCA Today!

Latest news/events, employment opportunities, child care quality and compensation.

Quality early learning and child care is best provided by consistent, sensitive, responsive, well trained, and well compensated educators.  There are many rewards for working in child care but remuneration, for most,  is not one of them.  Child care has a deeply entrenched reputation as a poorly paying sector, vulnerable to changes in government, and in the economy.  Although there has been some progress on wages, most Early Childhood Educators earn 20-25% less than jobs that require similar qualifications and experience.

There is a long term shortage of Early Childhood Educators in Manitoba.  In 2013, 27% of licensed child care centres cannot recruit employees with the qualifications required by the Community Child Care Standards Act.

The highest  paying child care centres will have a better chance to  attract and retain the best qualified and skilled employees.  Children will benefit from consistent caregivers and long term relationships, experience  a higher  quality early learning environment, and parents are able to have confidence and security with their child care program.

How Much Should an ECE Earn? 

The board of directors of each child care centres establishes its own salary scale and should make competitive wages for all employees in all positions a priority. Most board members have little to no experience being employers so establishing a wage scale that reflects the qualifications they require,  is competitive with other child care centres and also with other sectors that hire ECE’s (like school divisions) is  an enormous challenge.  MCCA has a resource to help.

Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale for Early Learning and Child Care Centres

In 2007, MCCA retained People First HR Services to provide professional assistance in establishing a market competitive wage scale to enable the child care sector to compete more effectively with other sectors that have similar/comparable jobs. The development of the market competitive salary scale included an analysis of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of Executive Directors, Early Childhood Educators, and Child Care Assistants. These are described in the job descriptions included in MCCA’s Human Resource Management Guide for Early Childhood Programs . Early Childhood Programs that implement the Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale should also be using the job descriptions from MCCA’s Human Resource Management Guide.

MCCA indexes the scale annually, based on the average annual wage increases in Manitoba, as recommended to us from the data compiled by PeopleFirst.  In 2014, MCCA contracted with PeopleFirst HR Services to conduct another market review to ensure the salary guideline scale reflects current competitive rates of pay.  Adjustments were made as per their findings, including an enhanced adjustment for the Child Care Assistant to bring the Level 5 up to the average low for Educational Assistants.

Educational Assistant wages in Manitoba schools range from an average low of $30,500 to an average high of $51,300. The average maximum is $19.25/hour or $40,043.

As new spaces are licensed, competition for ECEs becomes harder. In addition, school divisions are hiring ECEs and are able to offer higher wages than most child care centres can afford to pay.

What’s New for 2023-2024?

The first research-based Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale was published by MCCA in 2007. Ten years ago, the recommended salary range for an ECE that works directly with children was $15.00 – $18.75 per hour.

MCCA has been indexing the MCSGS for 15+ years. This year, MCCA consulted and considered published data of both 2023 actual and 2024 predicted increases within Canada and Manitoba specifically, ultimately deciding on a 3.5% index for the MCSGS.

How much do ECEs currently earn?

According to the 2023-2024 Early Learning and Child Care Wage Grid [i] released by the Province of Manitoba (effective July 1, 2023), the starting point for hourly wages are:

• Director ECE III (51-150 spaces) – $32.18
• Assistant Director ECE II – $26.04
• Supervisor (ECE II) – $24.75
• ECE III – $23.66
• ECE – Entry Level – $20.73

[i] https://gov.mb.ca/education/childcare/students_workforce/print,wage_grid.html

Child care centres that cannot afford the most current Salary Guideline Scale should take advantage of the professional expertise that developed the MCCA salary scales, and use the most current scale that fits within the budget.

• Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale  2023-2024
• Market Competitive Salary Guildeline Scale 2022-2023
• Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale 20 20-2021
• Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale 2019-2020
• Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale 2018-2019
• Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale 2017-2018
• Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale 2016-2017 
• Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale 2015-2016
• Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale 2014
• Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale 2013
• Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale 2011
• Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale 2012 |  Click here for a black and white printer version
• Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale 2010 |  Click here for a black and white printer version
• Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale 2009
• Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale 2008
• Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale 2007 | Click here for a black and white printer version
• Guideline Scale Five 2005-2007
• Guideline Scale Phase IV
• Guideline Scale Phase III

Manitoba Early Learning and Child Care Program (ELCC)Average Hourly Rates of Pay

The Early Learning and Child Care Program, Government of Manitoba, is the child care  licensing authority.. They have provided average hourly rates of pay based on the financial information provided to them by not for profit child care centres in Manitoba.

• Manitoba Average Hourly Rate of Pay 2019-20
• Average Hourly Rate of Pay 2018-2019
•  Average Hourly Salaries 2017 – 2018
• Average Hourly Salaries 2014-2015
• Hourly Salaries 2013 – 2014
• Hourly Salaries 2012 – 2013
• Hourly Salaries 2011 – 2012
• Hourly Salaries 2010 – 2011
• Hourly Salaries 2009 – 2010
• Hourly Salaries 2008 – 2009
• Hourly Salaries 2007 – 2008
• Hourly Salaries 2006 – 2007
• Hourly Salaries 2005 – 2006
• Hourly Salaries 2004 – 2005
• Hourly Salaries 2003 – 2004

Links to Additional Information

Occupational Standards for Early Childhood Educators: click here

Occupational Standards For Early Childhood Educators, Infant Care Profile click here

Occupational Standards for Early Childhood Educators, School Age Profile click here

Occupational Standards for Child Care Administrators: Download a copy at click here

MCCA’s Human Resource Management Guide for Early Childhood Programs click here

Child Care Human Resource Sector Council

Information on the Classification of Early Childhood Educators and Child Care Assistants  in Manitoba

The Manitoba Child Care Association (MCCA) is a non-profit, membership-funded, non-partisan organization incorporated in 1974. Our mission is to advocate for a quality system of child care, to advance early learning and child care education as a profession, and provide services to our members.

MCCA’s vision is to promote and support an exceptional early learning and child care system by fueling our members to be proud and excited to belong to a progressive, respected profession.

Copyright 2024, Manitoba Child Care Association

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Canada ‒ Manitoba Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement - 2021 to 2026

Official title: Canada ‒ Manitoba Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement

Note: The Canada-Manitoba Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement (fiscal year 2021 to 2022 to fiscal year 2025 to 2026) has been amended – Amendment 1.

On this page

List of abbreviations.

• Canada-Manitoba Canada-wide early learning and child care agreement

1.0 Vision for Canada-wide early learning and child care

2.0 canada-wide early learning and child care objectives and areas of investment, 3.0 period of agreement, 4.0 financial provisions, 5.0 accountability, 6.0 long-term collaboration, 7.0 communications, 8.0 dispute resolution, 9.0 amendments to the agreement, 10.0 termination, 11.0 notice, 12.0 general.

• Annex 1: Multilateral Early Learning and Child Care Framework

Annex 2: Manitoba’s fiscal year 2021 to 2022 through fiscal year 2022 to 2023 Canada-wide action plan

Canada-manitoba canada-wide early learning and child care agreement.

• Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada (hereinafter referred to as “Canada” or “Government of Canada”) as represented by the Minister of Employment and Social Development Canada (“Canada”) and as represented by the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development (herein referred to as “the federal Minister”), and
• Her Majesty the Queen in Right of the province of Manitoba (hereinafter referred to as “Manitoba” or “Government of Manitoba”) as represented by the Minister of Families herein referred to as “the Manitoba Minister”)

Referred to collectively as the “Parties”.

Whereas , Canada and Manitoba agreed to a Multilateral Early Learning and Child Care Framework on June 12, 2017 which articulated their shared vision for early learning and child care and describes their approach to achieve this vision.

Whereas , Canada and Manitoba will work together to build a community-based system of quality, regulated early learning and child care, aiming for all families to have access to high-quality, affordable, flexible and inclusive early learning and child care no matter where they live.

Whereas , building on the 2020 Fall Economic Statement (FES), Budget 2021 commits almost $30 billion over 5 years and provides permanent ongoing funding to work with provincial and territorial, and Indigenous partners to support quality, not-for-profit child care, and ensure early childhood educators are at the heart of the system. Combined with previous investments announced since 2015, approximately $9.2billion per year ongoing will be invested in child care, including Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care, starting in fiscal year 2025 to 2026.

Whereas , Canada’s spending in early learning and child care is intended to increase until it is roughly shared with provinces and territories by fiscal year 2025 to 2026.

Whereas , to further support a lasting federal commitment, Canada is committed to tabling Early Learning and Child Care Legislation in fall 2021, following consultations with stakeholders, provincial, territorial, and Indigenous partners—to enshrine the principles of a Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) system into law.

Whereas , the Department of Employment and Social Development Act (DESDA) authorizes the federal Minister to enter into agreements with the provinces and territories, for the purpose of facilitating the formulation, coordination and implementation of any program or policy falling within DESDA.

Whereas , The Community Child Care Standards Act and The Executive Government Organization Act authorizes the Manitoba Minister to enter in agreements with the Government of Canada under which Canada undertakes to provide funding toward costs incurred by the Government of Manitoba for the provision of early learning and child care.

Whereas , Canada has, pursuant to its Policy on Transfer Payments, established a transfer payment program to provide funds to the provincial and territorial governments for the development and delivery of regulated child care programs and services.

Whereas , the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada has called “upon the federal, provincial, territorial, and Indigenous governments to develop culturally appropriate early childhood education programs for Aboriginal families”.

Whereas , Canada and the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the Métis National Council jointly released the co-developed Indigenous ELCC Framework in September 2018, which establishes overarching principles and sets a vision for happy and safe Indigenous children and families, strong cultural identity, and a comprehensive and coordinated system that is anchored in self-determination and centered on children and grounded in culture.

Whereas , Manitoba invests in early learning and child care for Indigenous children and Canada and Manitoba agree to work collaboratively with Indigenous communities and organizations to achieve a Canada-wide ELCC system.

Now therefore , Canada and Manitoba agree as follows.

1.1 Canada will be guided by the long-term vision and objectives set out in the Multilateral Framework in making investments in early learning and child care committed in Budget 2021 across jurisdictions. Canada and Manitoba agree that the long-term vision and objectives for Canada-wide ELCC set out in the Multilateral Framework will guide the investment of funds provided under this Agreement. This includes the vision that all families in Canada have access to high-quality, affordable, flexible and inclusive early learning and child care no matter where they live.

1.2 Canada and Manitoba aspire to the following objectives:

• providing a 50% reduction in average parent fees for regulated ELCC by the end of 2022 and reaching an average of $10 a day by fiscal year 2025 to 2026 for all regulated child care spaces
• creating more high-quality, affordable regulated child care spaces, primarily through not-for-profit and public child care and home-based child care providers
• addressing barriers to provide inclusive and flexible child care
• valuing the early childhood workforce and providing them with training and development opportunities

1.3 Canada and Manitoba agree that progress toward this vision will be undertaken by prioritizing federal investments in support of regulated early learning and child care and for children under age 7.

2.1.1 Canada and Manitoba commit to the following objectives:

• Manitoba commits to using federal funding to reduce out-of-pocket parent fees for regulated ELCC spaces for children under age 7 by an average of 50% from 2019 levels by the end of 2022
• Manitoba commits to using federal funding to reduce out-of-pocket parent fees for full-time regulated ELCC spaces for children under age 7 to an average of $10 per day by the end of fiscal year 2025 to 2026
• Manitoba commits to using federal funding to increase the net number of affordable, high-quality and inclusive early learning and child care regulated not-for-profit spaces by 23,000 for children under age 7 by fiscal year 2025 to 2026
• federal funding will be used exclusively to support not-for-profit, public child care providers/operations, as well as family-based child care
• federal funding will be exclusively used to support regulated child care delivery by licensed providers
• developing and implementing evidence based quality frameworks, standards, and tools for early learning and child care
• developing a wage grid for Early Childhood Educators and committing to its implementation
• increasing the percentage of child care workers providing regulated child care in the province who fully meet Manitoba’s certification requirements by 15 percentage points by fiscal year 2025 to 2026. This will be complemented by measures outlined in Annex 2
• Manitoba commits to develop and fund a plan to ensure that vulnerable communities, including children with disabilities and children needing enhanced or individual supports, Indigenous children, Black and other racialized children, children of newcomers, and official language minorities, have equitable access to regulated child care spaces with consideration to their assessed need for child care as part Manitoba’s enhanced public planning efforts to implement a Canada-wide system
• to track the number of inclusive spaces with inclusive programming created/converted as well as the annual public expenditures on child care programming dedicated to children from diverse and/or vulnerable families
• Manitoba commits to share financial and administrative data needed to monitor progress in establishing the Canada-wide system

2.1.2 Manitoba’s policy and approach to achieving these objectives is set out in its Action Plan attached as Annex 2.

2.2 Eligible areas of investment

2.2.1 Manitoba agrees to use funds provided by Canada under this Agreement to support the expansion of regulated child care, and prioritize not-for-profit (including publically delivered and home-based child care) early learning and child care programs and services, for children under the age of 7, where:

• regulated programs and services are defined as those that meet standards that are established and/or monitored by provincial/territorial governments and Indigenous governments and authorities
• not-for-profit providers/operations, which includes publically delivered operations, are defined as those that provide child care services to a community for a purpose other than generating a profit, typically improving family and/or child well-being and/or development. Providers may generate a profit, but the surplus earnings, or other resources, are directed towards improving child care services rather than distributed for the personal benefit of owners, members, investors or to enhance asset growth. Early learning and child care programs and services are defined as those supporting direct care and early learning for children in settings including, but not limited to, regulated child care centres, regulated family child care homes, early learning centres, preschools and nursery schools

2.2.2 In developing and delivering its ELCC programs and services, Manitoba agrees to take into account the needs of official language minority communities in its jurisdiction.

2.2.3 Acceptable investments under this Agreement may include, but are not limited to: capital and operating funding for regulated ELCC; fee subsidies; training, professional development and support for the early childhood workforce; quality assurance; parent information and referrals; and certain administration costs incurred by Manitoba to support the growth and expansion of the child care system, and the implementation and administration of this Agreement.

2.2.4 Canada and Manitoba also agree to promote, define, and deliver innovative approaches to enhance the quality, accessibility, affordability, flexibility, and inclusivity of ELCC systems, with consideration for those more in need.

2.2.5 Canada and Manitoba agree that funding will be targeted toward regulated programs and activities, as described above, for children under age 7, that will have an impact on families, including families more in need such as lower-income families, Indigenous families, lone-parent families, and families in underserved communities, including Black and racialized families; families of children with disabilities and children needing enhanced or individual supports; and families with caregivers who are working non-standard hours. Needs also include having limited or no access to ELCC programs and services in the children’s official language.

3.1 This Agreement shall come into effect upon the last signature being affixed and will remain in effect until March 31, 2026, unless terminated in writing by Canada or Manitoba in accordance with the terms hereof in section 10. Funding provided under this Agreement, in accordance with section 4, will cover the period from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2026.

3.2 Canada-wide early learning and child care bilateral agreements

3.2.1 Extension of this Agreement beyond March 31, 2026 will provide Manitoba and Canada the opportunity to review and course correct, if required, and realign new priorities in future Agreements based on progress made to date.

3.2.2 In the event this Agreement is extended in accordance with the terms of sections 3.2.1 and 9.0, Manitoba may continue to use funding provided to cover the same eligible areas of investment as those covered through funding received for the period 2021 to 2026 subject to the terms and conditions of that extended agreement.

4.1 These contributions are in addition to and not in lieu of those that Canada currently pays to Manitoba through the Canada Social Transfer in order to support early childhood development and ELCC within Manitoba.

4.2 Allocation to Manitoba

4.2.1 Subject to Parliamentary approval of appropriations, Canada has designated the following maximum amounts to be transferred in total to all provinces and territories under this initiative with a fixed base rate of $2 million per year for each province and territory and the balance of the funding on a per child (0 to 12) basis for the period starting on April 1, 2021 and ending on March 31, 2026. This funding includes financial commitments made as part of the 2021 to 2026 Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreements:

• $2,948,082,433 for the fiscal year beginning on April 1, 2021
• $4,489,349,839 for the fiscal year beginning on April 1, 2022
• $5,538,345,183 for the fiscal year beginning on April 1, 2023
• $6,492,201,954 for the fiscal year beginning on April 1, 2024
• $7,718,943,823 for the fiscal year beginning on April 1, 2025

4.2.2 Subject to annual adjustment based on the formula described in section 4.2.3, Manitoba’s estimated projected share of the amounts described in section 4.2.1 will be:

* The notional allocations for fiscal year 2021 to 2022 use Statistics Canada’s population estimates as at July 1st, 2020. Notional allocations for fiscal year 2022 to 2023 through fiscal year 2025 to 2026 are calculated based on Statistics Canada’s longer-term population growth models using the Medium Growth M1 Population Growth Scenario from the previous fiscal year. 

4.2.3 The final amount to be paid to Manitoba for the fiscal year will be calculated using the formula F x K/L plus $2 million, where:

• F is the annual total funding amount transferred to provinces and territories for the fiscal year minus the base funding from all provinces and territories
• K is the total population of children aged 0 to 12 in Manitoba on July 1 of that fiscal year, as determined using population estimates from Statistics Canada
• L is the total population of children aged 0 to 12 on July 1 of that fiscal year, as determined using population estimates from Statistics Canada

4.2.4 For the purposes of the formula in section 4.2.3, the population of children aged 0 to 12 for Manitoba for each fiscal year and the total population of children aged 0 to 12 in all provinces and territories for that fiscal year are the respective populations as determined on the basis of the preliminary estimates of the respective populations on July 1 of that fiscal year. These estimates are released by Statistics Canada in September of each fiscal year.

4.3 In this Agreement, “fiscal year” means the period commencing on April 1 of any calendar year and terminating on March 31 of the immediately following calendar year.

4.4 Payment

4.4.1 Subject to Parliamentary approval of appropriations, Canada’s contribution will be paid in approximately equal semi-annual installments as follows:

• in fiscal year 2021 to 2022, the first installment will be paid within 60 days after the signatures from both Parties are affixed to the Agreement. The second installment will be paid on or about November 15
• beginning in fiscal year 2022 to 2023, the first installment will be paid on or about June 15 of each fiscal year. The second installment will be paid on or about November 15 of each fiscal year once conditions in 5.2 are satisfied

4.4.2 The amount of the first installment will be an amount equal to 50% of the total amount of Canada’s maximum contribution to Manitoba for the fiscal year, which will be calculated using Statistics Canada 0 to 12 population estimates from the previous year.

4.4.3 The amount of the second installment will be an amount equal to the balance of Canada’s contribution to Manitoba for the fiscal year based on the actual amount of the contribution determined under sections 4.2.3 and 4.2.4 for the fiscal year.

4.4.4 Canada will notify Manitoba at the beginning of the fiscal year of their notional amount. The actual amount will be based on the Statistics Canada preliminary children (0 to 12) population estimates on July 1 of the preceding fiscal year.

4.4.5 In fiscal year 2023 to 2024, Canada shall withhold payment of its first installment if Canada has not received from Manitoba its planned Action Plan for fiscal year 2023 to 2024 to fiscal year 2025 to 2026, in accordance with requirements outlined in section 5.1.

4.4.6 Starting in fiscal year 2022 to 2023, Canada shall withhold payment of its first installment for a fiscal year if Canada has not received from Manitoba all information requested under section 4.4.8 for the payment of its second installment from the previous fiscal year.

4.4.7 Starting in fiscal year 2022 to 2023, Canada may withhold amounts payable in respect of fiscal year if Manitoba is unable to meet the objectives of the Agreement, in accordance with section 2.

4.4.8 Starting in fiscal year 2022 to 2023, Canada shall withhold payment of its second installment for that fiscal year until Manitoba provides an annual progress report outlining data and results achieved from the previous fiscal year in accordance with section 5.2.2 (a) and its annual audited financial statement of the previous fiscal year in accordance with section 5.2.2 (c).

4.4.9 The sum of both semi-annual installments constitutes a final payment and is not subject to any further adjustment once the second installment of that fiscal year has been paid, unless there is a debt due to Canada, which requires repayment in accordance with section 4.7.

4.4.10 Payment of Canada’s funding for each fiscal year of this Agreement is subject to an annual appropriation by the Parliament of Canada for this purpose. Likewise, use of the funding by Manitoba is subject to an annual appropriation by Manitoba’s Legislature.

4.5 Maximum annual contribution in respect of administration costs

4.5.1 Canada’s contribution in respect of Manitoba’s administration costs referred to in section 2.2.3 shall not exceed:

• in the fiscal years covered under this Agreement an amount up to 10% of the maximum amount payable for those fiscal years

4.6 Carry forward

4.6.1 In fiscal year 2021 to 2022, at the request of Manitoba and subject to approval of Canada’s Treasury Board, Manitoba may retain and carry forward to the following fiscal year any unexpended funds remaining from Manitoba’s annual contribution payable under section 4.2., up to a maximum of 55% of the contribution payable. Any unexpended funds in excess of 55% of the contribution payable represents an overpayment subject to section 4.7.

4.6.2 In fiscal year 2022 to 2023, at the request of Manitoba, and subject to approval of Canada’s Treasury Board, Manitoba may retain and carry forward to the following fiscal year any unexpended funds remaining from Manitoba’s annual contribution payable under section 4.2., up to a maximum of 15% of the contribution payable. Any unexpended funds in excess of 15% of the contribution payable represents an overpayment subject to section 4.7.

4.6.3 Starting in fiscal year 2023 to 2024, at the request of Manitoba, and subject to approval of Canada’s Treasury Board, Manitoba may retain and carry forward to the following fiscal year any unexpended funds remaining from Manitoba’s annual contribution payable under section 4.2., up to a maximum of 10% of the contribution payable. Any unexpended funds in excess of 10% of the contribution payable represents an overpayment subject to section 4.7.

4.6.4 Manitoba may only use the amount carried forward to the following fiscal year for expenditures on eligible areas of investment made under section 2.2 incurred that fiscal year.

4.6.5 For greater certainty, any amount carried forward under section 4.6.1 through 4.6.3 is supplementary to the maximum amount payable to Manitoba under section 4.2 of this Agreement during the fiscal year in which the funding is carried forward.

4.6.6 All amounts carried forward to the next fiscal year, pursuant to sections 4.6.1 through 4.6.3 must be spent by the end of that fiscal year. Manitoba is not entitled to retain any such carried forward amounts that remain unexpended after the end of that fiscal year, nor is it entitled to retain any balance of Canada’s contribution payable pursuant to section 4.2 that remains unexpended at the end of that fiscal year and is not carried forward in accordance with sections 4.6.1. Such amounts are considered debts due to Canada and shall be repaid in accordance with section 4.7.

4.7 Repayment of overpayment

4.7.1 In the event payments made to Manitoba exceed the amount to which Manitoba is entitled under the Agreement and/or unexpended funding is in excess of the carry forward allowance, the amount of the excess is a debt due to Canada and shall be repaid to Canada upon receipt of notice to do so and within the period specified in the notice.

4.7.2 Canada shall, in addition to any other remedies available, have the right to recover the debt by deducting or setting-off the amount of the debt from any future contribution payable to Manitoba under this Agreement.

4.8 Use of funds

4.8.1 Canada and Manitoba agree that funds provided under this Agreement will only be used by Manitoba in accordance with the areas for investment outlined in section 2.2 of this Agreement.

4.8.2 Canada and Manitoba agree that, within each fiscal year of the period of this Agreement, Manitoba may move funding between the individual programming categories outlined in its Action Plan in Annex 2 to ensure the maximum use of funding. Manitoba agrees to notify Canada in writing of any such change in funding allocation, including the rationale for the change. The change will be implemented upon agreement between Canada and Manitoba.

4.8.3 Canada and Manitoba agree that funds provided under this Agreement will be used to ensure improvements in ELCC as outlined in 2.1.1 and will not displace existing provincial or municipal spending in place on or before March 31, 2021.

5.1 Action plan

5.1.1 Manitoba has completed and shared its Action Plan for fiscal year 2021 to 2022 and fiscal year 2022 to 2023 (Annex 2). Subsequently, Manitoba will provide an Action Plan for fiscal year 2023 to 2024 through fiscal year 2025 to 2026 by the beginning of fiscal year 2023 to 2024. Manitoba will publicly release their Action Plan which:

• outlines an implementation plan towards achieving objectives set out in section 1, including priority areas for investment, and targets by indicator, within the Framework’s parameters
• total number of ELCC spaces available during the fiscal year - broken down by age groups of child and type of setting (for example, for profit/not-for-profit/public regulated child care centres, regulated family child care homes, etc.)
• the number of net new spaces created during the fiscal year – broken down by age groups of child and type of setting (for example, for profit/not-for-profit/public regulated child care centres, regulated family child care homes, etc.)
• total number of inclusive (as defined in section 2.1.1) spaces created/converted, broken down by age group of child and type of setting
• average daily parental out-of-pocket fee for regulated child care spaces at the end of each fiscal year, including at the beginning of fiscal year 2021 to 2022 and at the end of 2022
• number of children under age 6 and 6 to 12 years receiving fee subsidies, broken down by families receiving partial and full subsidies
• number and proportion of children under age 6 and 6 to 12 years in flexible regulated ELCC arrangements and number and proportion of centers/providers that provide flexible arrangements (that is non-traditional arrangements such as flexible/irregular hours, weekend and emergency services; and geographic distribution of spaces)
• number of children under age 6 and 6 to 12 years with disabilities and children needing enhanced or individual supports that are in regulated ELCC spaces
• number or proportion of child care service providers who provide services that are adapted to the needs of children with disabilities and children needing enhanced or individual supports
• number of Indigenous children under age 6 years in regulated ELCC spaces, distinction-based (First Nations, Inuit, Metis) where possible  
• number of racialized children, including Black children under age 6 in regulated ELCC spaces
• number and percentage of staff working in regulated child care programs in Manitoba who fully meet the Manitoba’s certification/educational requirements
• annual public expenditure on training and professional development of the early childhood workforce
• wages of the early childhood workforce according to the categories of certification, including any wage enhancements, top-ups and/or supplements
• identifies additional jurisdiction-specific indicators for tracking progress in relation to the objectives of the Agreement
• if available, number and proportion of children under age 6 and 6 to 12 years from families more in need that are in regulated ELCC spaces
• information about waiting lists to access regulated ELCC spaces
• total child care subsidies provided by parents’ income level
• average child-to-staff ratio among licensed child care service providers
• total annual investment in ELCC
• a description of consultation processes referred to in section 5.1.2, the type of groups consulted and annual priorities related to stakeholder feedback

5.1.2 Manitoba will consult with parents, child care providers, experts, Indigenous peoples, official language minority communities and other interested parties as an important step in developing and revising its future Action Plan. Manitoba will outline the results of consultations in its future Action Plan as well as through its annual reporting.

5.1.3 By the beginning of fiscal year 2023 to 2024, Manitoba commits to share with Canada its fiscal year 2023 to 2024 through fiscal year 2025 to 2026 action plan. The action plan shall include the elements described in section 5.1.1 a) to f). Once the Parties agree that the annual action plan is final, the action plan may be published by one or both of the Parties and Canada will be able to provide Manitoba with its first payment for the fiscal year 2023 to 2024 according to section 4.4.

5.2 Reporting

5.2.1 In the first fiscal year, Manitoba agrees to provide baseline data on indicators set out in their Action Plan as soon as possible after the Parties sign this agreement.

5.2.2 Starting in fiscal year 2022 to 2023, by no later than October 1 of each fiscal year during the period of this Agreement, Manitoba agrees to:

• description of the activities, expenditures and results of the Agreement as set out in Annex 2
• results achieved in working towards the vision for Canada-wide ELCC set out in this agreement, including average child care fees and progress toward the average 50% reduction in fees by the end of 2022 and reaching an average fee of $10 per day by fiscal year 2025 to 2026
• results achieved according to the indicators and targets referred to in Annex 2
• the impact on families more in need, as described in section 2.2.5, including progress toward specific Manitoba targets as described in Annex 2, such as the numbers of inclusive spaces supported by federal funding and by category. For the elements that Manitoba is unable to report, it should indicate in its Action Plan in Annex 2 how it plans to investigate the production of these elements over the course of the agreement
• additional available information to be reported annually that would be useful to assess progress
• description of any relevant consultation processes, the type of groups consulted and annual priorities related to stakeholder feedback referred to in Annex 2
• any additional results of an annual child care census as per section 5.2.2 (f) and any evaluation activities undertaken in the fiscal year, as available
• continue to provide to Canada available additional data required for the publication of the annual National Progress Report
• the revenue section of the statement shall show the amount received from Canada under this Agreement during the fiscal year, indicating:
• the total amount of funding used for ELCC programs and services under section 2.2
• the administration costs incurred by Manitoba in developing and administering ELCC programs under section 2.2.3
• if applicable, the amount of any amount carried forward by Manitoba under section 4.6
• if applicable, the amount of any surplus funds that are to be repaid to Canada under section 4.7 The financial statement shall be prepared in accordance with Canadian Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and the audit shall be performed by the Manitoba Auditor General or his/her delegate, or by an independent public accounting firm registered under the laws of Manitoba and shall be conducted in accordance with Canadian Generally Accepted Auditing Standards
• provide financial and administrative information, as required, to demonstrate progress in meeting the requirements in this Agreement
• Canada and Manitoba recognize the importance of reporting to the public on results achieved under this Agreement. Within 365 days of the end of each fiscal year during the period of this Agreement, Manitoba agrees to report to the people of Manitoba and Canada on the results and expenditures of ELCC programs and services. The report shall show separately the results attributable to the funding provided by Canada under this Agreement and be consistent with the Annual Report outlined under section 5.2.2 (a)
• to inform reporting on results related to Manitoba Action Plan, Manitoba agrees to undertake, and share results with Canada from, an annual census of child care providers and other participants in the sector in Manitoba to collect demographic, statistical and other non-identifying information, including: number of children enrolled, capacity (number of spaces), number of Early Childhood Educators (ECEs), ECE wages and qualifications, fee charged to parents, subsidies, and number of First Nations, Inuit or Metis child care spaces supported. Any costs to Manitoba for undertaking such a census would be eligible expenses under this agreement, to the maximum set out in section 4.5.1

5.2.3 Canada, with prior notice to Manitoba, may incorporate all or any part or parts of the Annual Report described under section 5.2.2 (a) into any public report that Canada may prepare for its own purposes, including any reports to the Parliament of Canada or reports that may be made public.

5.3.1 Manitoba will ensure that expenditure information presented in the annual report is, in accordance with Manitoba’s standard accounting practices, complete and accurate.

5.4 Evaluation

5.4.1 As per established policies and processes with respect to program effectiveness, Manitoba will evaluate programs and services receiving funds provided under this Agreement and make public the results of any such evaluations.

5.4.2 Manitoba may be asked to participate in the evaluation by Canada of the initiatives under this Agreement and agrees to provide information, where available, as requested by Canada during and following the Agreement in order for Canada to evaluate relevant initiatives under this Agreement. Evaluation results will be made available to the public.

6.1 Understanding that building a new social program is complex, and that both governments are committed to achieving $10 a day child care, Canada and Manitoba will create an officials-level Implementation Committee that will monitor progress towards this goal in consultation with stakeholders. Manitoba will share available data to support the work of the Implementation Committee.

6.2 Canada and Manitoba, through the Implementation Committee and/or Designated Officials, agree to meet at least twice annually, timed to coincide with the planning and reporting cycles, or as agreed to by the Parties to discuss and exchange on issues related to this Agreement, including:

• administration and management of the Agreement, including providing a forum for the exchange of information on annual planning priorities and reporting
• exchanging information on local challenges and priorities and the results of engagement with relevant stakeholders, including official language minority communities
• providing a forum to exchange information on best practices and have discussions related to the implementation of the Agreement, for example, status of data collection, results, expenditures
• improving data collection and dissemination on key ELCC information, including culturally oriented ELCC information for Indigenous children, Black and other racialized children, newcomer children, and other groups of children that may require additional consideration for accessing programs and services
• review and provide direction to resolve any issues arising from the implementation and management of this Agreement, and from the evaluation of provincial programs supported under this Agreement
• monitor progress towards the shared goal of $10 per day child care, in consultation with stakeholders
• in December 2022, report to the Governments of Canada and Manitoba on progress towards Canada and Manitoba’s shared goals to date and for the remaining term of the Agreement

6.3 Canada and Manitoba agree to share and release data as available, and share knowledge, research and information on effective and innovative practices in ELCC, to further support the development of and reporting on quality and outcomes. Canada and Manitoba agree to work together, and with stakeholders, towards the development of additional measures and indicators that could be included in bilateral agreements in the future that could reinforce the vision for Canada-wide ELCC.

7.1 Canada and Manitoba agree on the importance of communicating with citizens about the objectives of this Agreement in an open, transparent, effective and proactive manner through appropriate public information activities.

7.2 Canada and Manitoba recognize the importance of ensuring that the public is informed of Canada’s financial contributions to Manitoba’s ELCC programs and services, funded under this Agreement.

7.3 Manitoba agrees to acknowledge Canada’s contribution by including federal identification in all public communications and marketing products, promotional material and advertising.

7.4 Canada reserves the right to conduct public communications, announcements, events, outreach and promotional activities about the Framework and bilateral agreements. Canada agrees to give Manitoba 10 days advance notice of public communications related to the Framework, bilateral agreements, and results of the investments of this Agreement.

7.5 Manitoba reserves the right to conduct public communications, announcements, events, outreach and promotional activities about the Framework and bilateral agreements. Manitoba agrees to give Canada 10 days advance notice and advance copies of public communications related to the Framework, bilateral agreements, and results of the investments of this Agreement.

7.6 Canada and Manitoba agree to participate in a joint announcement upon signing of this Agreement.

7.7 Canada and Manitoba agree to work together to identify opportunities for joint announcements relating to programs funded under this Agreement.

7.8 Manitoba will make best efforts to require service providers, funded under this Agreement to display federal identification to recognize that the programs and services provided receive Canada’s financial assistance.

7.9 Manitoba agrees that promotional communications to all groups receiving funding through this Agreement (that is child care centres, regulated family child care homes, early learning centres, preschools and nursery schools, before-and after-school programming, businesses, associations, unions, training institutions, universities, colleges, and career colleges) will include federal identification and recognize Canada’s financial assistance.

7.10 Canada will provide a mutually agreed upon standard letter to Manitoba for use in notifying all recipients of funding from this Agreement, to include federal and Manitoba identification and recognize Canada’s financial assistance. Parties may collectively agree on an alternate version that appropriately identifies and recognizes both Parties.

8.1 Canada and Manitoba are committed to working together and avoiding disputes through government-to-government information exchange, advance notice, early consultation, and discussion, clarification, and resolution of issues, as they arise.

8.2 If at any time either Canada or Manitoba is of the opinion that the other Party has failed to comply with any of its obligations or undertakings under this Agreement or is in breach of any term or condition of the Agreement, Canada or Manitoba, as the case may be, may notify the other party in writing of the failure or breach. Upon such notice, Canada and Manitoba will endeavour to resolve the issue in dispute bilaterally through their Designated Officials.

8.3 If a dispute cannot be resolved by Designated Officials, then the dispute will be referred to the Deputy Ministers most responsible for ELCC, and if it cannot be resolved by them, then the federal Minister and Manitoba Minister shall endeavour to resolve the dispute.

8.4 If either party has failed to comply with its obligations or undertakings and where Manitoba and federal Ministers are unable to resolve related disputes, a termination of the agreement may be pursued in accordance with section 10.

9.1 This Agreement, including all attached annexes, except Annex 1, may be amended at any time by mutual consent of the Parties. To be valid, any amendments shall be in writing and signed by the Parties.

9.3 Failure by any Party to exercise any of its rights, powers, or remedies under this Agreement or its delay to do so does not constitute a waiver of those rights, powers, or remedies. Any waiver by either Party of any of its rights, powers, or remedies under this Agreement must be in writing; and, such a waiver does not constitute a continuing waiver unless it is so explicitly stated.

10.1 Canada may terminate this Agreement at any time if the terms of this Agreement are breached by Manitoba by giving at least 6 months written notice of Canada’s intention to terminate the Agreement. Manitoba may terminate this Agreement at any time if the terms of this Agreement are not respected by Canada by giving at least 6 months written notice of Manitoba’s intention to terminate the Agreement.

10.2 As of the effective date of termination of this Agreement under section 10.1, Canada shall have no obligation to make any further payments to Manitoba after the date of effective termination.

11.1 Any notice, information or document provided under this Agreement will be effectively delivered or sent by letter, postage or other charges prepaid. Any notice that is delivered will have been received in delivery; and, except in periods of postal disruption, any notice mailed will be deemed to have been received 8 calendar days after being mailed.

The address for notice or communication to Canada shall be:

Social Policy Directorate 140 Promenade du Portage Gatineau QC  K1A 0J9 [email protected]

The address for notice or communication to Manitoba shall be:

205 – 114 Garry Street Winnipeg MB  R3C 4V4

12.1 This Agreement, including Annexes 1 and 2 comprise the entire Agreement entered into by the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof.

12.2 This Agreement does not displace federal investments in ELCC, based on the Multilateral Early Learning and Child Care Framework, Annex 1, concluded on June 12, 2017.

12.3 This Agreement shall be interpreted according to the laws of Canada and Manitoba.

12.4 No member of the House of Commons or of the Senate of Canada or of the Legislature of Manitoba shall be admitted to any share or part of this Agreement, or to any benefit arising therefrom.

12.5 If for any reason a provision of this Agreement that is not a fundamental term is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be or to have become invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, it will be deemed to be severable and will be deleted from this Agreement, but all the other provisions of this Agreement will continue to be valid and enforceable.

12.6 This Agreement is drafted in English at the request of the Parties.

Signed on behalf of Canada by the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development in Ottawa this 9th day of August, 2021.

[Signed by] The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development.

Signed on behalf of Manitoba by the Minister of Families at 1:45 pm this 6th day of August, 2021.

[Signed by] The Honourable Rochelle Squires, Minister of Families.

Annex 1: Multilateral early learning and child care framework

Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers most responsible for Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) agree on the importance of supporting parents, families and communities in their efforts to ensure the best possible future for their children. For more details, please consult the  Multilateral Early Learning and Child Care Framework .

In this section

Introduction: manitoba’s existing early learning and child care system, manitoba’s approach to a canada-wide system, summary of manitoba’s priority areas for investment.

• Section 1:  Affordability

Section 2:  Accessibility

Section 3:  quality.

• Section 4:  Inclusivity
• Section 5:  Reporting
• Section 6:  Summary table of priorities and investments

Manitoba is committed to ensuring that families have increased access to a responsive, integrated and culturally receptive early learning and child care (ELCC) system for children from infancy to school entry. The ELCC Program within the Department of Families holds the legislated authority under The Community Child Care Standards Act and Regulations to ensure operational compliance of all regulated child care programs in Manitoba in the provision of safe, accessible, affordable and high quality child care services. This includes:

• providing leadership, coordination and collaboration in the development of legislation, regulations, standards, policies and practices related to ELCC programs for children
• licensing of regulated child care centres and family home-based programs
• funding and program support to regulated child care facilities/staff
• establishing standards for workforce training programs including Early Childhood Education (ECE) training and classification of those working in regulated child care facilities
• strategic planning directed at strengthening the system in offering high-quality, responsive and sustainable services
• cross-governmental/sectorial collaboration with stakeholders

Manitoba’s ELCC provincial spending

In fiscal year 2019 to 2020 total, provincial expenditures to support the ELCC regulated sector totaled $198.9 million with $195.1 million being directed to financial assistance and grants. This represents a 22% increase in provincial funding from fiscal year 2015 to 2016 when total expenditures were $162.7 million.

Manitoba’s child care options and support for families

Early learning and child care in Manitoba is delivered in not-for-profit and for-profit child care centres, and home-based child care facilities to provide child care options for children 0 to 12 years of age. In fiscal year 2019 to 2020, there were 729 licensed child care centres including 162 nursery school programs (targeted towards 0 to 6 years old), along with 443 licensed home-based facilities offering a total space capacity of 38,465 spaces of which 25,489 are spaces for preschool children aged 0 to 6 years. This provides a child care space for 26.8% of the total preschool children in the province. Not-for-profit centres offer 95% of the spaces in licensed child care centres. The for-profit sector only represents 5% of centres and spaces offered through regulated centre based child care. Although a small component of Manitoba’s larger system, for-profit operators are often family businesses committed to meeting community needs and not part of larger corporations.

Low-income families are supported in accessing child care through the child care parent fee subsidy program. In fiscal year 2019 to 2020, an average of 6,452 children received a child care fee subsidy in a 4-week billing period. As subsidy levels were last indexed by 5.3% in 2012, eligibility has been declining as net incomes above $16,420 result in partial subsidy support. Ensuring low and middle income Manitoban’s have access to child care to advance their ability to participate and maintain employment is critical, particularly as we continue moving through the pandemic experience.

For the past several years, Manitoba has been working to strengthen the regulated child care system across the province, focusing on concrete ways of providing quality, affordable, and accessible options for families particularly in higher need communities, while supporting and developing early childhood educators. The initiatives under Manitoba’s Action Plan in the fiscal year 2017 to 2018 through fiscal year 2019 to 2020 bilateral agreement with Canada and the fiscal year 2020 to 2021 extension agreement reflect these continued priorities. The funding allocation under the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement is an opportunity to expand on this important work and to continue to move forward with strengthening the province’s regulated child care system through lessons learned.

In 2019, the Manitoba Government launched an in-depth review of the provincial child care system and although it provided valuable insights from an external perspective, it denoted only one viewpoint for improvement towards a modernized system. It is recognized that there are a range of key stakeholders, including parents, child care providers, communities and employers who have important feedback to provide based on their first-hand experiences. With this, two key consultation mechanisms are now in place to provide direct information and feedback to the Minister of Families; the Child Care Parent Advisory Committee and an expanded Minister’s Consultation Table, with a new sub-committee focused on the regulated sector, and federal allocations. The Table was initiated under the fiscal year 2017 to 2018 through fiscal year 2019 to 2020 bilateral agreement with the intent of being the primary mechanism to regularly consult with a range of stakeholders from across the province’s child care sector.

• The Child Care Parent Advisory Committee is comprised of parents from across Manitoba with children up to the age of 12, representing diverse families and their unique child care needs, as well as other expert voices. Responsibilities of the committee include helping to execute public engagement with parents and caregivers on their priorities and needs for child care, and to provide feedback to the government on how to move forward with broader plans to improve Manitoba’s child care system
• The Minister’s Consultation Table provides valuable information and feedback to assist in modernizing Manitoba’s child care system, as well as strengthening the regulated ELCC sector through future multi-year agreements with the government of Canada. Membership includes a wide range of sector representatives that bring diverse perspectives to the table. Membership comprises family home child care providers (1), not-for-profit facilities (9) from urban low income (14) and rural communities (5), for-profit providers (3), sector advocacy organizations (4), post-secondary educators offering early childhood education programs (1), Indigenous (3) and French language child care representatives (3) and, non-regulated programs (1)

The child care review has led to a commitment by the Province to work towards transforming the provincial ELCC system over the next 3 years with the added focus of supporting Manitoba’s re-opening during the remainder of the COVID-19 pandemic and post-pandemic. A robust child care system is key in the province’s and families’ recovery. The full impact of the pandemic on the regulated child care sector remains unknown. A number of facilities choose to remain closed and it is anticipated some may never re-open. At the end of May 2021, 1,166 facilities were licensed to operate, however 1,129 were open to provide child care services; 604 centres, 431 homes and 94 nursery schools with a total space capacity of 35,395 spaces. Of these, 4,342 (12.3%) were vacant. This is not typical in Manitoba where families and child care providers have consistently expressed concerns about facility waitlists and the length of time experienced in securing a space for enrolment. New trends have been set through this experience with many office-based businesses establishing work from home or remote work locations for their employees. This resulted in greater demand from parents employed in critical and essential service areas that do not work regular business hours. This has exposed a significant gap in the Manitoba system to support families working irregular or extended hours, part-time and shift work.

The ELCC transformation project currently underway in the Department of Families is focused on strengthening and building on existing services to better support Manitoba parents to be employed, return to work or undertake training. This 3-year transformation plan includes 6 key pillars that align with the principles in the ELCC Multilateral Framework and Canada-wide Agreement, and will measure the strategic, targeted outcomes of this priority work:

• accessibility : improved responsiveness of the early learning and child care system (that is, greater flexibility in operational hours, wider array of child care choices) resulting in increased access to quality services and improved accountability of the system
• affordability : balanced affordability of child care fees with financial assistance for providers through a modernized, equitable funding approach
• quality and inclusivity : improved quality of services through creative recruitment and retention initiatives and a certification process that supports career laddering, and improved adaptable curriculum framework to integrated Indigenous, cultural and community perspectives
• sustainability : greater, longer-term sustainability of the early learning and child care sector through targeted funding supports, training, and shared service initiatives
• reporting : IT business solutions that better support internal functions, child care providers and parents
• a new legislative framework (anchoring the other 5 pillars)

Manitoba and Canada share a common set of principles as set out in the ELCC Multilateral Framework and a vision that all families have access to high‐quality, affordable, flexible and inclusive ELCC services. Manitoba is committed to a 50% average parent fee reduction by the end of the 2022 calendar year and the shared goal of achieving an average $10 per day out-of-pocket parent fee for preschool children, particularly for lower and middle income households and accomplishing this by the end of the 2022 to 2023 fiscal year.

To achieve this goal, Manitoba will be implementing a new parent fee and subsidy ELCC model as well as fee adjustments across household incomes in order to achieve an average out-of-pocket $10 per day fee for preschool children. The adjusted lower out-of-pocket parent fees will be implemented through a new income-based approach based on gross income levels and the difference in the parent fee portion paid on behalf of parents directly to facilities.

The fiscal year 2021 to 2022 to fiscal year 2025 to 2026 Canada‐wide ELCC (CW-ELCC) Agreement and Action Plan describes investments for the first 2 years of the Agreement. The Agreement invests $129.31M in fiscal year 2021 to 2022 and $197.35M in fiscal year 2022 to 2023 towards establishing an accessible, affordable, and flexible Canada‐wide child care system with average $10 per day out-of-pocket parent fees, while at the same time improving quality and inclusivity. The funding allocations under the Agreement will prioritize investments in Manitoba towards regulated child providers and services for preschool children 0 to 6 years old. Investments will be directed towards:

• reduction in parent fees by an average of 50% from 2019 levels by the end of calendar year 2022
• implementing a parent fee system based on gross household income that supports $10 per day average out-of-pocket parent fees for spaces serving children 0 to 6 years old by the end of fiscal year 2022 to 2023
• increasing the number of child care spaces in not‐for‐profit centres and homes by 23,000 by fiscal year 2025 to 2026
• supporting all regulated providers through this transition to a Canada-wide system
• increasing the percentage of child care workers providing regulated child care in the province who fully meet Manitoba’s certification requirements by 15 percentage points by fiscal year 2025 to 2026
• modernizing the curriculum framework and workforce certification to support high quality and inclusive services
• development of a comprehensive, integrated and culturally responsive curriculum framework promoting inclusive programming will also set the stage of supporting culturally-based programs and ensuring learning experiences encouraging acceptance of diversity and the histories and cultures of Indigenous peoples in all programs
• developing a minimum wage grid for ECEs to support their attraction and retention
• supporting responsive, integrated and culturally receptive child care programming and services
• developing and funding a plan to ensure that vulnerable communities, including children with disabilities and children needing enhanced or individual supports, Indigenous children, Black and other racialized children, children of newcomers, and official language minorities, have equitable access to regulated child care spaces with consideration to their assessed need for child care as part Manitoba’s enhanced public planning efforts to implement a Canada-wide system
• share available financial and administrative data needed to monitor progress in establishing the Canada-wide system
• conduct an annual census of child care providers with standard data elements and will share the results with the federal government
• a letter to Canada on the results of its modelling exercise (that is, fee structure) and next steps

With both levels of government committed to working towards a more responsive, affordable, inclusive and high-quality system where child care is available to all families that need it, Manitoba and Canada will create an officials‐level implementation committee to monitor progress and re-evaluate established targets throughout the 5-year term of the Agreement. This will ensure goals based on a common vision and related targets actually support the Manitoba landscape of family and community needs. In December 2022, this Committee will report to the Governments of Canada and Manitoba on progress towards meeting Canada and Manitoba’s shared goals to date and for the remaining term of the Agreement. The Committee will jointly review and evaluate the following areas at regular intervals during the course of the Agreement:

• actual child care demand based on the impact of lower parent fees
• progress toward the creation of 23,000 new not-for-profit spaces by fiscal year 2025 to 2026
• the parent fee/subsidy model and fee adjustments across household incomes in order to achieve the average $10 per day
• data reporting requirements and potential IT solutions
• opportunities for further development of a phased approach to implementing a collective wage grid
• development and phased in implementation plan of an annual census survey of child care providers

In 2020, there were approximately 121,000 children aged 0 to 6 years in Manitoba out of the total population. Currently, there are child care spaces for 26.8% of preschool children.

Manitoba’s priority areas of investments under the 2‐year Action Plan are as follows.

1. Improving affordability

Reducing out-of-pocket parent fees for regulated early learning and child care spaces by an average 50% from 2019 levels by the end of the 2022 calendar year through a percentage threshold increase to the current child care subsidy program having an immediate impact for lower income families. Establishing an average $10 per day out-of-pocket parent fee for children 0 to 6 and working towards implementation of this goal by the end of the 2022 to 2023 fiscal year.

2. Increasing access

Creating 23,000 new full-time equivalent regulated not-for-profit spaces for children age 0 to 6 years by fiscal year 2025 to 2026. Support child care space development in higher need communities (low-income, newcomer, Indigenous, Francophone, coverage rates below the provincial average – child care deserts) through capital funding. The space target will be reviewed by the joint implementation committee at regular intervals to ensure space development targets are consistent with actual demand for child care.

3. Supporting quality and inclusive care

To support quality, in the first Action Plan foundational work will be undertaken to set the stage for future initiatives directed at increasing quality and expanding inclusivity of child care services. Modernizing the workforce certification requirements and process to endorse continued professional development and career laddering in the early learning field will set the stage to ensure the workforce is delivering services based on current early learning information and approaches. Through these initiatives Manitoba will work to increase the percentage of child care workers providing regulated child care in the province who fully meet Manitoba’s certification requirements by 15 percentage points by fiscal year 2025 to 2026.

Future initiatives will be directed at core training to promote increased inclusivity of services respectful of Indigenous history and culture, new Canadians, racialized communities and accessibility for all children. Development of a comprehensive, integrated and culturally responsive curriculum framework promoting inclusive programming will also set the stage of supporting culturally-based programs and ensuring learning experiences that encourage acceptance of diversity and the histories and cultures of Indigenous peoples in all programs.

Manitoba will continue its current investments, and is confident the partnership with Canada, will result in further improvements in quality, affordability, inclusion, and accessibility across the continuum of ELCC programs and services. This will provide children with the opportunity to thrive early in life, better positioning them for success at school entry and parents’ success in entering and maintaining continuous employment.

To support inclusion, Manitoba will develop and fund a plan to ensure that vulnerable communities, including children with disabilities and children needing enhanced or individual supports, Indigenous children, Black and other racialized children, children of newcomers, and official language minorities, have equitable access to regulated child care spaces with consideration to their assessed need for child care as part Manitoba’s enhanced public planning efforts to implement a Canada-wide system.

Manitoba will also continue to focus on growing child care in harder-to-reach and vulnerable communities through a strategic growth process based on consultations with the Child Care Parent Advisory Committee and the Minister’s Consultation Table and sub-committees. As well, ongoing assessment of the regional provincial coverage rates for child care will consider evidence of need such as demographic data, employment rates, income levels, and the presence of existing early years programs and services. Additionally, the province will adopt innovative approaches and programming that are appropriate to the developmental capabilities of the child, provided by trained individuals, and considers the social, cultural, jurisdictional, and linguistic needs of Manitobans.

Finally, Manitoba will establish a process that focuses on Indigenous ELCC goals and promotes opportunities for partnership with lead organizations implementing the Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care (IELCC) Framework. The Minister’s Consultation Table will be expanded to include representatives from IELCC in key forums to support Indigenous perspectives across the 6 pillars of Manitoba’s plan and a sub-committee launched to build and strengthen child care services for Indigenous families.

Section 1: Affordability

Manitoba has the second lowest parent fee structure in Canada among provinces with regulated rates for facilities receiving operating funding. Licensed facilities that do not receive an operating grant for its spaces can set their own parent fees. However, if the parents of a child who is enrolled in an unfunded facility are entitled to a child care parent fee subsidy, the facility can only charge up to the maximum regulated amount for that space.

Funded facilities follow a schedule of maximum daily parent fees that can be charged for the type of child care spaces being offered. The maximum daily fees per child vary by the type of child care and hours of service.

Table 3: Maximum daily child care fees by care type and age group (funded facilities)

Note: This table was changed for accessibility reasons.

Manitoba’s Child Care Subsidy Program provides provincial support to eligible families to help with the cost of care by reducing child care fees for children from the ages of 12 weeks to 12 years. There is a $2 per day non-subsidized fee that all families must pay, including those who receive a full child care subsidy.

To ensure affordability for all families, Manitoba will move to a household income based approach to determine child care fees for low and middle income families to achieve an average $10 per day out-of-pocket parent fee per child. As a first step, a percentage threshold increase will be implemented in the current subsidy system to ensure additional lower income families receive a full subsidy and only pay the out-of-pocket $2 daily fee per child. The threshold increase will be implemented by the end of the calendar year in 2022. This will allow for dedicated focus to be placed on re-developing Manitoba’s financial assistance/subsidy program for parents that will support achieving a $10 per day out-of-pocket average parent fee per child by March 2023, 3 years ahead of the target. The $10 per day average parent fee will apply to all types of child care spaces for children 0 to 6 years of age. Child care parent fees will be determined based on gross household income with the subsidized portion being paid directly to regulated child care facilities.

Manitoba is currently undertaking a full review of its existing fee structure and updating its modelling to better reflect provincial and Canada-wide objectives. This work is expected to be completed in the fall 2021 and will inform Manitoba’s future approach to income-based subsidies and child care fees. Once the revised modelling is complete, Manitoba will provide Canada with a letter outlining its findings and next steps in a Canada-wide system.

Threshold increase for subsidies

A percentage threshold increase for parent fee subsidies will be made in the current system to support full subsidy for families with a gross household income that is equivalent to a net income of $35,000. This will result in a reduction in out-of-pocket parent fees immediately for approximately 4,800 additional children and lower income families. 

Financial assistance system for parent fees

As part of the ELCC transformation project, a new financial assistance and subsidy system will be developed to support income-based parent fees to achieve an average out-of-pocket $10 per day fee per for preschool children aged 0 to 6. This will increase the number of families receiving financial assistance through full and partial subsidies paid directly to regulate child care facilities and out of pocket fees ranging from $2 to $10 per day for lower and middle income households.

Parent fee revenue supplement

A supplement to cover the difference/loss in revenues for child care providers from lower parent fees for over 26,800 spaces for 0 to 6 in not-for-profit centres and homes will be developed.

Affordability targets

• By the end of 2022, up to 4,800 additional children from families with an equivalent average net household income of $35,000 or lower will be eligible for a full child care subsidy and pay no more than $2 per day per child resulting in an average fee reduction of 50% from 2019 levels
• By the end of fiscal year 2022 to 2023, parent fees for an additional 10,000 children will be fully or partially subsidized
• By March 2023, all regulated child care spaces for children aged 0 to 6 years will reach an average of $10 per day across Manitoba
• By March 2023, approximately 26,800 child care spaces will have lower parent fees supported by the parent fee supplement to cover parent fee revenue loss
• By March 2022, Manitoba will provide Canada with a letter outlining the results and next steps of its updated fee structure modelling

Regulated space overview

In Manitoba, regulated ELCC spaces for preschool children from 0 to 6 years old are provided by child care centres, nursery schools and home based child care providers (family child care and group child care homes) primarily operated by women as a self-employment business.

The majority of Manitoba’s child care spaces (95%) are located within not-for-profit child care facilities. Private, for-profit child care centres, which provide only 5% of spaces in Manitoba compared to 30% of licensed facilities in Canada, are businesses and owner-operated, mostly by women. They generate revenue from parent fees, and have a parent advisory committee. In contrast, non-profit child care centres generate revenue from a combination of provincial operating grant funding and parent fees, under the authority of a board of directors. Under current legislation, for-profit child care centers are not eligible for provincial grant funding, including capital, start-up and operating grants, but they are eligible for parent fee subsidies providing they charge the regulated maximum fees to subsidized families.

For-profits mainly rely on parent fees for revenue, and they establish parent fees that support their business models with infant fees ranging between $30.00 per day to $88.00 per day; and preschool fees ranging between $20.80 per day to $69.65 per day. In comparison, Manitoba’s current funding model provides non-profit child care facilities in receipt of operating grant funding with a daily revenue of $73.75 per infant space and $36.88 per preschool space.

Home-based child care is an important element in Manitoba’s ELCC system. Family child care homes are licensed for up to 8 children, while group family child care homes employ staff or have a second licensed holder and may be licensed for up to 12 children. Licensed home-based providers provide a total of 3,282 spaces. Manitoba has increased operating grant funding to home-based providers over fiscal year 2017 to 2018 through fiscal year 2019 to 2020 to encourage the growth of child care spaces through this child care option.

As of March 31, 2021, Manitoba had a total of 2,992 licensed spaces in facilities offering nursery school programming for less than 4 continuous hours in a morning and/or an afternoon session, per day. The majority of programs offer 2 sessions in a day that are 2.5 hours in length. Typically nursery school programs operate 10 months of the year (September through June). Effective January 1, 2021, Manitoba began to transition to a single-funding model for nursery school programming which resulted in increased operating grants funding to regular nursery schools which represent the majority of programs.

Extended hour child care which provides child care services in the evenings, weekends or overnight, is a vital component of modernizing Manitoba’s ELCC system to be more flexible and responsive to current needs of families. As of March 2021, there were 262 regulated extended hour child care spaces. The recent COVID-19 experience highlighted the need for child care outside of regular business hours for essential service workers and it is expected that this will continue as service sectors such as retail and hospitality re-open to full capacity while many office based businesses continue with remote work locations. In addition, with demand out-pacing available spaces pre-pandemic, child care facilities could fill their licensed space capacity with full-time enrollments with regular business hours. This resulted in limited flexibility to offer part-time child care services through a shared space and parents with part-time employment often having to pay for a full-time space. In order to support parents as they return to the workforce or seek education or training opportunities, a flexible child care system that offers options for families is crucial, particularly for families that require non-standard hours of child care services. Greater flexibility is required to support part-time child care needs and this will be addressed through this agreement with a per diem for shared spaces.

The number of accessible ELCC spaces differ widely across the province, with the most availability in urban communities and the least in rural and Northern areas. Smaller and remote communities are often child care deserts with limited or no child care available. Within Winnipeg, accessibility varies between higher and lower income neighbourhoods. These differences illustrate the specific ELCC needs within communities and across family income levels. Manitoba is taking a flexible approach to child care transformation with options that are intended to address this discrepancy in coverage rates by meeting the specific needs of families for child care services, such as parents who have difficulty finding spaces because they work non-standard hours.

Agreement initiatives

Manitoba is committing to using federal funding to further meet the need for child care by increasing the net number of full-time equivalent regulated ELCC spaces in the province by 23,000 not-for-profit spaces for children 0 to 6. Manitoba will discuss with Canada progress and demand levels at regular intervals leading up to fiscal year 2025 to 2026 at the joint officials’ implementation committee. This will allow Manitoba and Canada to continually evaluate child care demand through the term of the Agreement to make future adjustments to ensure development is in line with actual demand.

Manitoba will develop an expansion plan and strategy to guide the development of new spaces. This expansion plan may include, for example:

• work with infant and preschool centres, in line with The Early Learning and Child Care in Schools Policy , on school properties wherever there is enough space
• continue to work with post-secondary institutions to create on-campus child care facilities
• conduct an inventory of space in provincially owned buildings to explore co-locating child care
• assess the feasibility of collaborating with local government to co-develop child care in municipal buildings, such as libraries and community centres
• consider construction of child care centres in communities most in need

Extended hour child care benefit

In order to support parents as they return to the workforce or seek education or training opportunities, a flexible child care system that offers options for families is crucial, particularly for families that require non-standard hours of child care services. The extended hour child care benefit will offer operating support for facilities that provide child care services outside of regular business hours that are equivalent to full-time child care: greater than 4 hours per day based on the Community Child Care Standards Act and Regulations.

Manitoba’s experience throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has shown that a number of employment sectors, particularly those employing lower- and middle-income workers, require employees for non-standard hours of work. As we continue to recover from the pandemic, essential service workers and, for example, those workers in the hospitality, retail and manufacturing industries will need greater access to child care outside of traditional business hours. The extended hour child care benefit will help expand child care services for families who have said they need expanded hours of child care to serve the demands of their employment.

Shared space per diem

Manitoba will increase the number of part-time child care spaces, which will provide more options for families who do not need full-time child care services. This will support up to 1,450 part-time spaces, and require an investment of $3.24M.

These initiatives will increase the province’s ELCC coverage rate by increasing flexibility and options in Manitoba’s ELCC system that will be responsive to all families, including those more in need of child care. Part-time child care is often required by parents newly entering or re-entering the labour market. This is often the first stage to employment for many lone and younger parents that need affordable as well as flexible child care.

Employment transition program

Manitoba’s Employment and Income Assistance (EIA) program assists Manitobans in regaining their financial independence by helping them transition from income assistance to gainful employment. EIA supports increased self-sufficiency by reducing barriers to employment and providing low-income Manitobans with increased opportunities to learn, earn and save. The EIA program works collaboratively with other provincial departments, other governments and non-governmental stakeholders to support economic inclusion and access to benefits for multi-barriered low-income Manitobans.

One of the groups experiencing the greatest challenges to make and fulfill employment plans are lone parents which are households largely led by women. A primary barrier for this group is accessible and affordable child care.

To support the transition from EIA benefits to financial independence, Manitoba will develop a pilot project to remove barriers such as access and affordability for child care by supplementing the total costs of child care for parents on EIA for 6 months as they enter the workforce. These guaranteed child care spaces will provide low-income parents time to establish themselves in their jobs without having to immediately manage the search and cost of child care. By providing funding for a targeted 100 guaranteed spaces (spaces in which parent fees and operating grants are both subsidized regardless of utilization), beginning in late 2022 (investment of $1.0M for the partial year) and a total of 300 spaces in existing programs going forward (investment of $3.6M annually), up to 600 low income parents can have a good start on employment each year.  This will also provide ample time for parents to find a permanent community space and apply for the financial assistance/subsidy program.

Capital development

Previous capital grant funding has been provided through the community capital building fund to support new space development in non-profit centres. Successful project proponents received funding support based upon a percentage of total project costs; 40% up to a maximum of $600K. With grant funding eligibility being restricted to non-profit child care providers, boards of directors have a project management role including the responsibility for securing full financing for the development project along with managing the construction of the new or expanded facility. This model has resulted in many delays as boards are largely made up of parent volunteers with limited experience and a high turn-over rate in board membership. Additionally, funding based on the full project cost rather than cost per space development resulted in lower value for the money invested, particularly for expansion projects with limited new space increases.

To work towards the 23,000 space target, new space creation through capital investments will be based on a $12,000 per space development grant. This will allow for greater flexibility in the scale of projects by eliminating maximum grant ceilings and confirm investments are directed at increasing the net number of regulated non-profit spaces. Requests for capital grant funding will be accepted from municipalities, communities, organizations and existing child care providers to support the development of new non-profit child care spaces in higher-needs communities, with highest priority given to areas where there are very limited services – also known as child care deserts. Proposals for capital development projects will be assessed for priority funding based on community need and percentage of child care spaces to 0 to 6 population in the region, presence of other child care programs in the immediate community and the utilization level of those spaces, and child care services directed at supporting Indigenous, newcomer, minority language, low-income or racialized communities.

Capital funding commitments will be identified to support a development target of 5,890 child care spaces to begin working towards the commitment to create 23,000 spaces by the end of fiscal year 2025 to 2026.

Accessibility targets

• By fiscal year 2022 to 2023, the creation of 1,700 extended hour care spaces offering evening and weekend child care will be created using federal investments
• By fiscal year 2021 to 2022, up to 1,036 part-time spaces will be created for families not requiring full-time care
• By fiscal year 2022 to 2023, up to 1,450 (including the initial 1,036) part-time spaces will be created for families not requiring full-time care
• By fiscal year 2025 to 2026, create up to 5,890 spaces through the Capital Development for communities in need
• Overall, by fiscal year 2025 to 2026, 23,000 full-time equivalent new regulated spaces will be created to be operated by not-for-profit, public, and family-based child care providers 
• By the end of fiscal year 2021 to 2022, 300 guaranteed child care spaces will be established in existing programs
• By the end of fiscal year 2022 to 2023, 700 children of parents transitioning into regular employment will be supported through access to regulated child care

Manitoba has a history of providing high-quality, accessible, and affordable child care, and has made efforts to maintain education and training standards for child care staff, including Child Care Assistants (CCA), and Early Childhood Educators (ECE) level 2 and level 3. The Government of Manitoba provided $9.4M to child care providers in the 2019 to 2020 fiscal year directed at supporting the workforce. Aspects of this funding included a wage adjustment grant, tuition support, pension reimbursements, staffing replacements grants, and College Expansion and Scholarships for ECE education and training. The budget for these last 2 items was transferred to the Department of Education in fiscal year 2020 to 2021 for administration as they have the infrastructure to more effectively offer and manage such funding.

Manitoba will increase the percentage of child care workers providing regulated child care in the province who fully meet Manitoba’s certification requirements by 15 percentage points by fiscal year 2025 to 2026. Manitoba’s initiatives that support a quality ELCC system include supports for wages through operating funding, the re-development of ELCC curriculum framework and modernization of the workforce certification requirements and process. These foundational items will be developed to support greater inclusivity in child care services and programs to build a comprehensive, integrated and culturally responsive child care system. This will occur through the implementation of curriculum requirements that promote including Indigenous knowledge, teachings and perspectives into daily programming activities, and ensuring re-certification includes requirements for professional development focused on the capacity of the workforce to deliver services based on current early learning approaches encouraging increased inclusivity of services respectful of Indigenous history and culture, new Canadians, racialized communities and accessibility to all children.

Across Canada, the ELCC sector advocates consistently and raises concerns about low wages for the level of work performed in educating and taking care of children in the early learning stages of development. In Manitoba, the average hourly wages for child care staff is not standard and there is a wide range of wages being paid as illustrated below.

Table 7:  Average hourly rate of pay in fiscal year 2020 to 2021

*CCA (IT) is a child care assistant in training

The proposed minimum wage grid in the Canada-Wide Agreement provides a blue print to enhance wages for the ELCC sector in Manitoba. However, facilities operate as private businesses, and boards of directors are responsible for establishing wages at non-profit centres, and owner/operators at for-profit facilities. The minimum wage grid will provide guidance to non-profit boards in developing equitable wage scales by establishing a minimum wage based on the position and classification of the employee. The average wage for a position will assist in developing further levels/steps within a range that can be supported through revenue potential from operating funding and parent fees. With a far reaching range of wages offered in Manitoba’s regulated sector, implementing a standard wage scale would result in a number of outlier wages being reduced or frozen. The minimum wage grid allows boards of directors in non-profit centres the ability to address this with greater flexibility as long as CCAs and ECEs are paid the minimum wage and all the wages in a position and classification reach the average.  This model preserves the authority of boards and owner/operators while ensuring competitive wages are provided to the workforce to foster retention and recruitment of new ECEs into the field.

Implementing the Minimum Wage Grid may require regulatory amendments under The Community Child Care Standards Act or through the proclamation of The Early Learning and Child Care Act . Reporting on implementation and wages actually paid will be monitored and reviewed through required annual audited financial statements each funded centre must provide to receive continued funding. In addition, each non-profit facility in receipt of funding must also submit annual budgets outlining forecasted expenditures including wages paid to their employees.

Implementation of the new wage grid will require an increase in revenue generated by non-profit centres and funded family-based providers. A wage grid supplement through operating funding will be offered to support these increased operational costs.

Workforce certification and training

Manitoba has a history of supporting education and training for the ELCC sector. The table below illustrates several initiatives, including training reimbursement for CCAs, staff replacement grants for facilities to hire substitutes and support CCAs in attending training to obtain their ECE certification, tuition support, and college expansions and scholarships.

Research shows that well-educated, well-trained professionals are the primary factor in providing high-quality early childhood education and care. In Manitoba, competencies for early childhood education programs are established by the Child Care Qualifications and Training Committee (CCQTC). Under section 28 of The Community Child Care Standards Act, members of the CCQTC are appointed to research, review and make recommendations about any matter relating to the qualifications, preparation and training of all staff working in early learning and child care facilities and early childhood educators. This includes reviewing new and existing formal education programs offered at post-secondary institutions and making recommendations to the Minister for program approvals. The committee has recently developed new competencies for the 2-year early childhood educator level 2 training programs offered by post-secondary institutions that includes participation in learning experiences encouraging acceptance of diversity and the histories and cultures of Indigenous peoples. The Manitoba Early Childhood Educator Level 2 Competencies ensure that Indigenous perspectives will be integrated into training curricula for students in early childhood educator programs. At the core of these training competencies is the idea that citizenship is an inclusive value creating a sense of belonging, which in turn leads to success in supporting the development of all children to promote school and social readiness.

Under the Early Childhood Workforce Agreement Manitoba plans to secure a consultant to work with the CCQTC and develop a continuum of competencies addressing the full early learning and child care career landscape. This will assist in developing training programs with clear and comprehensive career laddering to attract individuals into an early childhood educator career path and retain them with the opportunities to grow and advance through the system

Building on this, funding under the Canada-Wide Agreement will be allocated to a consultant to lead modernizing Manitoba’s workforce certification requirements and process. The consultant will work collaboratively with the ELCC program and the CCQTC to identify requirements, frequency and mechanisms to support on-going professional development of certified staff. This will also ensure consistent and clear certification requirements for child care assistants to ensure they enter the workforce with the foundational core competencies to perform their jobs and create positive learning environments for young children. Currently there are no standard requirements for these entry level positions outside of completing a 40 hour course related to early childhood education.

Currently, once CCAs and ECEs become certified they remain certified without any re-certification requirements to ensure continuous learning and skill development to make certain they are performing their critical positions with an understanding of the current information and research about early learning and development. Embedding professional development requirements in a re-certification process at prescribed intervals will encourage ongoing training in early child education and development and elevate the quality of services in regulated child care facilities. By fiscal year 2025 to 2026, Manitoba will be increasing annual spending for training and professional development at least in proportion to the increase in regulated child care spaces. This training will be reflective of Manitoba’s modernization of its ECE certification program and the redevelopment of the “Early Returns” Curriculum.

In Manitoba, regulated infant, preschool and nursery school programs are required to have curriculum as part of their licensing requirements. Current curriculum is based upon Manitoba’s “Early Returns” curriculum framework for infants, preschool and nursery school programs, developed in 2011. Although not regulated to have a formal curriculum, home-based providers are strongly encouraged to implement a play-based curriculum in their facilities. With Bill 47, The Early Learning and Child Care Act , the requirement for a formal curriculum is planned to be included for all types of child care.

Manitoba is committed to ensuring that children from birth to school entry and their families have increased access to comprehensive, integrated and culturally responsive early childhood programs that support healthy early childhood development and improved outcomes for all children, through the development of a strong curriculum framework. To support this initiative, Manitoba will secure a consultant to lead the development of an updated, adaptable curriculum framework that establishes a foundation on which child care providers can build their programming. An updated curriculum will align with Manitoba’s updated ECE level 2 competencies for ECE education and training programs, by integrating Indigenous perspectives into culturally safe and inclusive programming. This will support new grads to apply and incorporate Indigenous knowledge, teachings and perspectives learned during their post-secondary studies into daily programming activities with children in their care. The development of a new curriculum framework will be advantageous for long-time sector staff who have not recently enrolled in post-secondary studies to learn and reflect as they plan, develop and implement age-appropriate activities that promote a shared understanding of Canada’s Indigenous peoples and reconciliation. Consultation related to this work will include the Minister’s Consultation Table sub-committee on Indigenous child care to ensure development is aligned with the principles outlined in the Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework and the priorities of Manitoba’s Indigenous communities.

The Community Child Care Standards Act is a law of general application. Manitoba has provided early learning and child care consultation and guidance to First Nations communities at their request for many years, but does not enforce a formal role in licensing under the authority established in the legislation. The preferred approach is to meet and engage when invited.

All children are accepted into regulated child care settings and spaces, including children who live on reserve if their preferred child care option is a facility off the reserve community. To advance Indigenous based programming an Indigenous equipment and programming grant has been offered for the past 3 years initially targeting the 15 regulated child care facilities that have self-declared as offering culturally based programs and most recently to facilities with a plan to begin offering Indigenous content. The Child Care Qualifications and Training Committee has also been supporting Louis Riel College in the development of the ECE training program that targets training Indigenous ECEs to increase their presence in the workforce. 

Home-based child care

To increase quality and be responsive to community needs, Manitoba will work with community organizations through requests for proposals to establish a local agency-based model for recruiting, licensing, monitoring and supporting home-based providers.

Manitoba has launched a number of initiatives in an attempt to better support this valuable part of the regulated sector including a mentorship program for new home-based providers and training opportunities exclusively planned for licensed child care homes. Additionally, under an Agreement with Family Dynamics, supportive and professional development services have been offered to providers in Winnipeg with the goal of reducing isolation and encouraging networking. Despite these efforts and 3 increases in operating funds, retention of home-based child care providers continues to be a point of concern.

It is anticipated that the focused support that could be offered in an agency-based model to support, monitor and license home-based child care providers will result in greater retention and quality programming that can respond to higher need communities. Manitoba will maintain funding to home-based providers to ensure that they continue to provide quality, subsidized child care in existing spaces at reduced fees, but move to block funding to allow for flexibility in the type of spaces offered to be responsive to changing child care demands, particularly in smaller rural communities. This model will promote better networking between providers, focused support for the unique challenges in offering home-based child care and training that reflects community and family needs that are accessing the home-based child care services. This is expected to result in greater recruitment and retention of home-based providers.

Business improvement grant

With moving towards a Canada-Wide system for parent fees and to support increased flexibility and responsiveness of regulated programs, facilities will need to make business management improvements. This grant will support the equipment and training needed to support these transitions to increase the quality of services. The grant will allow child care facilities to upgrade or secure technology solutions and equipment to meet business needs.

Quality targets

• In 2022, a Minimum Wage Grid will be established
• By fiscal year 2022 to 2023, 3,400 ECEs and CCAs will see a wage increases as a result of operating funding supplements to support the increased wages
• By fiscal year 2022 to 2023, development of a comprehensive, integrated and culturally responsive curriculum framework promoting inclusive programming
• By fiscal year 2022 to 2023, modernization of certification requirements and processes to support required professional development and training requirements to support continued certification
• By fiscal year 2021 to 2022, up to 75% or 870 facilities will receive a Business Improvement Grant
• By fiscal year 2022 to 2023, 2.5% or 125 annual net increase in home based spaces

Section 4: Inclusivity

To support the commitments of the Canada-wide vision, Manitoba will use federal investments to develop and fund a plan to ensure that vulnerable communities, including children with disabilities and children needing enhanced or individual supports, Indigenous children, Black and other racialized children, children of newcomers, and official language minorities, have equitable access to regulated child care spaces with consideration to their assessed need for child care as part Manitoba’s enhanced public planning efforts. This plan will be discussed by the Implementation Committee to determine future actions to promote inclusion of all children.

Currently, Manitoba already funds the Inclusion Support Program (ISP) that provides supports to children with disabilities and children needing enhanced or individual supports to allow their participation in child care by building the overall capacity of providers as well as directed supports for a child. On average 57% of centres and 5% of homes receive additional funding to directly support children with additional needs. All regulated child care facilities are required to have an inclusion policy that supports the enrollment of children with additional support needs. Since fiscal year 2010 to 2011 on average 1,507 unique children receive supportive funding through the Inclusion Support Program. The fiscal year 2019 to 2020 annual investment per child was $10,200. Additionally many facilities receive support from child development workers to increase their overall capacity. In fiscal year 2019 to 2020, 21 training sessions were offered by child development workers and assistance was provided in developing 88 consultations on improving capacity. These actions benefitted approximately 3,200 children.

The Inclusion Support Program (ISP) assists early learning and child care facilities to address barriers to inclusion, allowing a child with additional support needs to meaningful and effectively participate in programming and activities with their peers. All services are provided in response to an identified need and could include: training, behavioural interventions, equipment/modifications or grants to enhance the staffing ratio and support inclusion.

As part of Manitoba’s Action Plan under the Canada-Manitoba Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, the department implemented a dual-stream service and funding approach with focus on integration and coordinating services. In order to achieve this, the department hired 3 Child Development Workers to support individual facilities, provide training and increase sector capacity to enhance inclusive practices.

Specialized training

Training in Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) is offered in partnership through St. Amant Centre, providing the sector with increased skills to work with children with diverse needs. Additionally the Circle of Security (COS) program has been integrated as part of ISP, providing training to staff to work with children with additional behavioral and emotional support needs focusing on attachment and addressing the reason behind the behaviour not the behaviour itself. These programs are funded under the Canada-Manitoba ELCC Agreement, and will be part of the extension of this Agreement.

Some of the key achievements of ISP in fiscal year 2020 to 2021 include:

• through the Inclusion Support Program dual stream service approach, supported 1,159 unique children with additional support needs to attend child care by assisting eligible child care facilities in addressing barriers to allow all children to participate in programming
• child development workers provided support to 36 unique child care centres, benefiting an anticipated 646 children and 114 child care staff
• provided presentations, workshops, coaching and mentorship supports to 421 child care staff from 74 child care facilities, to receive training in autism spectrum disorder and overview of ABA principles and applications while supporting 81 children in child care facilities

Indigenous and francophone funding

The Government of Manitoba is committed to engaging with Indigenous governments toward achieving an ELCC system that is inclusive of all Indigenous peoples. It is also committed to ensure that children from diverse communities, including official language minorities, have access to regulated child care.

For example, the Indigenous Programming Grant, and the Francophone Training Enhancement Grant are both offered under the ISP umbrella, and are funded under the Canada-Manitoba ELCC Agreement, and will see continuation under the forthcoming extended Action Plan for fiscal year 2021 to 2022 through fiscal year 2024 to 2025. 

The Indigenous Programming Grant provides financial resources to self-identified Indigenous programs, which can be used to purchase resources and equipment supporting an Indigenous-focused curriculum that is responsive to the needs of staff, children, and families in their communities. In Manitoba’s fiscal year 2017 to 2018 to fiscal year 2019 to 2020 Action Plan, 15 self-identified Indigenous ELCC facilities, serving 530 children received $126,000 in grant funding to support their Indigenous programming and curriculum. At the time, this represented 100% of the existing self-identified Indigenous facilities in Manitoba.

The Francophone Training Enhancement Grant has provided up to $50,000 to Fédération des parents de la francophonie manitobaine (FPFM) to support training and professional development in fiscal year 2019 to 2020.  The purpose of the grant was to engage FPM to ensure ELCC resources and professional development are accessible to the Francophone child care community throughout Manitoba.

The Science of Early Child Development (SECD) Access Portal, currently funded under the Canada-Manitoba ELCC Agreement, will continue in the forthcoming Action Plan for 2021 to 2022.  Under the Canada-Wide ELCC Agreement, Manitoba will implement an initiative to have the SECD Access Portal modules translated into an official French Language version, in order to increase inclusivity, and continue supporting the Francophone ELCC community.  The estimated cost to translate all the necessary modules in SECD would be $900,000.

Manitoba will build on existing initiatives to advance inclusive services with a focus on areas that support skill development and specialised programming in higher need communities.

Expansion of the Minister’s consultation table

As one of the primary mechanisms to support stakeholder consultations to continually build and strengthen Manitoba’s child care system, the Minister’s Consultation Table membership will be expanded to include representatives from the provincial organizations executing the Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care (IELCC) Agreements. A sub-committee on Indigenous child care will be established to identify opportunities for partnership to advance delivery of culturally based programs.  Manitoba will develop a collaborative plan with relevant First Nations and Métis Nation organizations in Manitoba to ensure that Indigenous children resident in Manitoba will have access to affordable, high-quality and culturally appropriate ELCC.

Abecedarian program expansion

Currently in Manitoba there is one full Abecedarian child care program offering the full wrap-around service for the children and families connected to the centre. This facility has successfully improved literacy skills in children and parents in this higher need community. Through the Canada-Wide funding an additional 4 sites will be established in higher need communities.

Abecedarian is an intervention that focuses on children with multiple risk factors in their lives that are barriers to learning. Abecedarian sees language as the core of early learning; strong language skills allow for greater cognitive and social/emotional development. The approach is also based on an understanding that language grows best in respectful, responsive, reciprocal relationships. In partnership with training and support offered by Red River College, Lord Selkirk Park Child Care Centre opened in February 2012, and began implementing the Abecedarian approach. Early Development Instrument (EDI) results showed that a large number of children living in this area were not ready for school. The high quality early childhood intervention reversed this trend in this high need, low-income community.

Manitoba access portal: Science of early child development

The Manitoba Access portal was launched under the Canada-Manitoba Early Learning and Child Care Agreement to allow province-wide access to all Manitobans but specifically to support the ELCC workforce to continually advance their knowledge and skills on early child development based on the most recent research offered through the living text book modules. The tool only offers the introductory module in French, which limits its capacity to support the Francophone sector. Investments will be made to begin translation of the additional modules to support the same professional development and learning opportunities across the system.

Diversity programming funding

Manitoba has a diverse population with many communities expressing the need to preserve their culture and learn more about others at all stages of life. Integrating more culturally based programming in child care encourages acceptance of diversity and increases inclusivity as a core principle in lifelong learning. A one-time funding opportunity will be offered to facilities, up to $40K, to implement cultural programming.

Ka Ni Kanichihk building expansion

Ka Ni Kanichihk is a non-profit community organization with a long history of providing a range of supportive services to Indigenous peoples. The organization is undertaking a significant project in constructing a new building that will include a 48 space child care centre, as well as supportive programming to the community. A provincial capital grant was approved for the project. Under the Canada-wide funding an additional $300,000 development and programming grant will be provided to address costs of integrating a full cultural-based curriculum in the child care program.

Inclusion targets

• By fiscal year 2022 to 2023, 50% or 34 Francophone facilities will access Manitoba’s living textbook through the Manitoba Access portal
• By fiscal year 2022 to 2023, 4 sites will fully implement the Abecedarian Approach which supports improved literacy skills of up to 240 children and parents in higher need communities
• By the end of fiscal year 2022 to 2023, the development of a new comprehensive, integrated curriculum to support culturally-based and inclusive programming
• By fiscal year 2022 to 2023, to support quality and inclusive programming for the Indigenous communities, federal funding will be invested in the development of a new comprehensive, integrated curriculum to support culturally-based and inclusive programming by the end of fiscal year 2022 to 2023
• By fiscal year 2022 to 2023, 50 facilities will receive a $40,000 grant to implement culturally based programming and curriculum
• By fiscal year 2022 to 2023, Manitoba will use federal investments to develop and fund a plan to ensure that vulnerable communities, including children with disabilities and children needing enhanced or individual supports, Indigenous children, Black and other racialized children, children of newcomers, and official language minorities, have equitable access to regulated child care spaces with consideration to their assessed need for child care as part Manitoba’s enhanced public planning efforts. This plan will be discussed by the Implementation Committee to determine future actions to promote inclusion of all children

Section 5: Reporting

Manitoba is currently undertaking a modernization exercise of its early and learning and child care system. The current legislative, policy and funding frameworks for Manitoba's early learning and child care system are outdated and do not enable a responsive and flexible system to support the evolving needs of children, families or employers. This transformation project is intended to achieve the strategic outcomes anchored by the 5 principles in Bill 47:  The Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) Act :

• ELCC services should ensure the health, safety, development and well-being of children
• access to early learning and child care services should enhance the economic opportunities available to parents
• ELCC services should be available on a continuum that is responsive to the diverse needs of families
• promoting inclusion and respect and accommodating diversity should be inherent in the provision of ELCC services
• public funding should promote fiscal responsibility and the sustainability of ELCC services

The strengths in the provincial system and opportunities will support the development of a more efficient and equitable policy framework aimed at increasing child care options that support the continued economic development of Manitoba. This will be anchored by a new legislative framework that allows for responsive quality services, equitable funding support for providers and families, while ensuring high standards in child safety and accessible high quality programs. Work will be focused on improvements in 4 key areas over a 3 year period:

• IT Business Solutions that support internal business functions of managing the ELCC program, support licensing, grant payment and reporting system, financial assistance system for parents
• modernized funding approach focused on developing an equitable funding approach to support operational costs of facilities
• operational improvements including improved governance structure, workforce certification and training and expanding child care options
• new legislative and policy framework

This project was launched in January 2021 and will continue through to July 2024. Initial work has focused on developing new legislation and regulations and identifying IT business support needs and working towards competing business requirements to support an IT road map.

As part of Manitoba’s commitments to ensure a Canada-wide system, Manitoba will:

• share available financial and administrative data needed to monitor progress in establishing the Canada-wide system as detailed in the Canada-wide ELCC Reporting Indicators listed below
• provide a letter outlining the results and next steps of its updated fee structure modelling
• conduct a study on how Manitoba could enhance its public management of its system, planning and reporting

Canada-wide ELCC reporting indicators

Manitoba will work to provide available data on the Canada-wide ELCC Indicators. A Canada-wide system requires significant enhancement and expansion of Manitoba’s current data and reporting to ensure a system that is accessible, affordable, and inclusive for all Canadian families. The table below provides an outline of data to be collected that will be help monitor progress, identify gaps in the system and inform policy development to support Canada-wide child care vision. The Implementation Committee will discuss data reporting requirements and potential IT solutions. The Committee will also address the development and phased in implementation plan of an annual census of child care providers.

Table 11: Canada-wide ELCC reporting Indicators

Table 12:  Subsidies rates, breakdown of age per setting

The subsidy rate is the maximum amount paid by the provincial/territorial government to the service to cover all or part of the parent fee.

Table 13:  Minimum wage grid for fiscal year 2022 to 2023

As articulated in section 3, Manitoba will work towards the creation and implementation of a minimum wage grid through regulatory amendments under The Community Child Care Standards Act or through the proclamation of The Early Learning and Child Care Act .

Section 6: Summary table of priorities and investments

Table 14: Summary of fiscal year investments

Administrative funding:  $32,667,088:  additional staff, equipment, information technology (IT) platforms, MCT, Consultations.

Total federal investment:  $314,208,764.

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Home / Programs  / Post-Secondary Certificate and Diploma Programs  / Early Childhood Education Diploma

Early Childhood Education Diploma

Introduction to early childhood education.

This course presents an overview of early childhood care and education. Students will gain an appreciation of the historical development of child care, including Canadian and Indigenous perspectives, as well as provincial regulations and their impact on a variety of program approaches to curriculum.

Course Code: ECE-250 Level: Year 1 course Course Requirements: None

Written Communication Skills

This course focuses on the development and practice of writing skills and other forms of written communication. Students learn to create documents and use online tools that are required for success in the early childhood education program.

Course Code: ECE-210 Level: Year 1 course Course Requirements: None

Interpersonal Communication

The focus of this course is to help students understand, evaluate, and improve their interactions with others in their personal and professional lives. Students will learn to recognize issues regarding listening, conflict resolution, assertiveness, and non-verbal communication. Emphasis is on mastering skills to prevent issues with miscommunication in the daily lives of students.

Course Code: ECE-220 Level: Year 1 course Course Requirements: None

Child Development 1: Early Years

This course will provide students with an understanding of the historical and current theories of child development, including research approaches to prenatal, infant, and toddler development.

Course Code: ECE-200 Level: Year 1 course Course Requirements: None

Observation and Documentation

This course is a foundational introduction to observation and documentation. Students will learn how to write anecdotal observations and use the webbing tool to explore deeper interests, concept and skill development, as well as the link to program planning. Students will also create a documentation board based on an observation as a visual representation of children’s learning.

Course Code: ECE-230 Level: Year 1 course Course Requirements: Written Communication Skills

Indigenous Perspectives in Early Childhood Education

The course will provide students with an introduction to perspectives related to working with Indigenous families in Canada, particularly in Manitoba. Students will explore historical perspectives, current trends, and new directions for the future of education of Indigenous peoples and Canadians.

Course Code: ECE-460 Level: Year 1 course Course Requirements: None

Child Development 2: PreSchool Years

This course is a continuation of Child Development 1: The Early Years, with a focus on children from 3 to 6 years of age. Students will develop an understanding of the major theories and research findings that examine physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and language skills development so that they may work with children effectively within a holistic and inclusive environment.

Course Code: ECE-300 Level: Year 1 course Course Requirements: Child Development 1: Early Years

Play and the Environment

This course focuses on early learning programs and child care for children from infancy to 6 years of age. The importance of play and building relationships through responsive interactions is explored. Students will apply knowledge of planning and implementing developmentally-appropriate curriculum to support learning in an inclusive environment.

Course Code: ECE-240 Level: Year 1 course Course Requirements: Child Development 1: Early Years,Written Communication Skills,Observation and Documentation,Introduction to Early Childhood Education

Health and Safety

This course provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote the well-being of children and explores topics such as illness recognition, prevention, and universal precautions. Students will learn about the provision of a safe environment in childcare and the role and responsibilities of the early childhood educator in recognizing, preventing, reporting, and handling child abuse and neglect as per licensing standards and ”best practice“ protocols.

Course Code: ECE-270 Level: Year 1 course Course Requirements: Written Communication Skills,Observation and Documentation,Introduction to Early Childhood Education

Guiding Young Children 1

This first guiding course introduces students to basic guiding strategies that promote prosocial behaviour in children, as well as positive child and early childhood educator relationships. The course examines typical characteristics and needs of children across various chronological and developmental stages.

Course Code: ECE-291 Level: Year 1 course Course Requirements: Child Development 1: Early Years,Written Communication Skills,Observation and Documentation,Play and the Environment,Introduction to Early Childhood Education

Curriculum and the Environment 1

The first course of four curriculum courses will introduce students to curriculum and pedagogy, as well as key approaches and frameworks. Topics will include literacy and storytelling, process-based art and blocks, as well as the set-up for each. Students will create and adjust learning experience plans based on feedback, which they will implement during practicum.

Course Code: ECE-320 Level: Year 1 course Course Requirements: Child Development 1: Early Years,Written Communication Skills,Observation and Documentation,Play and the Environment,Introduction to Early Childhood Education,Child Development 2: PreSchool Years

Practicum Seminar 1

This seminar prepares students for the ECE Practicum 1 experience, including the practicum placement, observation, and evaluation processes. Topics include key practicum roles and responsibilities, assignment requirements, and evaluation structure.

Course Code: ECE-305 Level: Year 1 course Course Requirements: Child Development 1: Early Years,Written Communication Skills,Interpersonal Communication,Observation and Documentation,Play and the Environment,Introduction to Early Childhood Education,Health and Safety,Guiding Young Children 1,Child Development 2: PreSchool Years,Curriculum and the Environment 1,Indigenous Perspectives in Early Childhood Education

Early Childhood Education Practicum 1

This practicum is the foundational experience within a series of three practicums in the Early Childhood Education Program. Students will put newly acquired knowledge and skills into practice. This experience provides opportunities to build positive relationships, practice positive guiding strategies, implement learning experience plans and participate in authentic play experiences with children. Students will engage in reflective practice and apply feedback to enhance emerging skills. Curriculum focuses on story-telling, process-based art, and blocks.

Course Code: ECE-310 Level: Year 1 course Course Requirements: Child Development 1: Early Years,Written Communication Skills,Interpersonal Communication,Observation and Documentation,Play and the Environment,Introduction to Early Childhood Education,Health and Safety,Guiding Young Children 1,Child Development 2: PreSchool Years,Curriculum and the Environment 1,Indigenous Perspectives in Early Childhood Education

Early Childhood Education Capstone 1

The Early Childhood Education Capstone 1 course provides students an opportunity to debrief their Practicum 1 experience. Students will explore their unique professional self through reflective practice and create a professional portfolio. Through this course, student will develop collaborative solution-focused problem-solving skills.

Course Code: ECE-370 Level: Year 1 course Course Requirements: Child Development 1: Early Years,Written Communication Skills,Interpersonal Communication,Observation and Documentation,Play and the Environment,Introduction to Early Childhood Education,Health and Safety,Guiding Young Children 1,Child Development 2: PreSchool Years,Curriculum and the Environment 1,Indigenous Perspectives in Early Childhood Education,Practicum Seminar 1,Early Childhood Education Practicum 1

Guiding Young Children 2

This course builds on the concepts introduced in Guiding Young Children 1 with a focus on strategies that encourage and promote prosocial behaviour. Students will explore the role of rules and consequences, as well as how guiding language shapes behaviour.

Course Code: ECE-292 Level: Year 1 course Course Requirements: Child Development 1: Early Years,Written Communication Skills,Observation and Documentation,Play and the Environment,Introduction to Early Childhood Education,Guiding Young Children 1,Child Development 2: PreSchool Years,Early Childhood Education Practicum 1,Health and Safety,Curriculum and the Environment 1,Indigenous Perspectives in Early Childhood Education

This course explores the changes to family life in Canada. Students examine a variety of family challenges and issues that have direct relevance to early learning and child care.

Course Code: ECE-260 Level: Year 1 course Course Requirements: Interpersonal Communication,Introduction to Early Childhood Education

Professionalism

Students will explore and develop an appreciation for their role as a professional in the lives of young children. They will look at ways to be a change agent through advocacy and work within Manitoba.

Course Code: ECE-330 Level: Year 1 course Course Requirements: Interpersonal Communication,Introduction to Early Childhood Education

Personal Development

This course helps students gain vital planning, organizational, and communication skills that prepare them to make the most of their learning.

Course Code: ECE-280 Level: Year 2 course Course Requirements: Interpersonal Communication

Advanced Behaviour Guidance 1

Building on themes from the earlier guidance courses, this course explores how the physical environment affects behaviour. Students will be introduced to the running record tool and the seven-step process to problem solving.

Course Code: ECE-401 Level: Year 2 course Course Requirements: Child Development 1: Early Years,Written Communication Skills,Interpersonal Communication,Observation and Documentation,Play and the Environment,Introduction to Early Childhood Education,Health and Safety,Guiding Young Children 1,Guiding Young Children 2,Child Development 2: PreSchool Years,Practicum Seminar 1,Early Childhood Education Practicum 1,Curriculum and the Environment 1,Professionalism,Early Childhood Education Capstone 1,Indigenous Perspectives in Early Childhood Education

Curriculum and the Environment 2

This is the second course in a series of four curriculum courses. Key topics will include sensory play, music and movement and dramatic play, as well as the set-up for each. Students will create and adjust learning experience plans based on feedback, which they will implement during practicum.

Course Code: ECE-410 Level: Year 2 course Course Requirements: Child Development 1: Early Years,Written Communication Skills,Interpersonal Communication,Observation and Documentation,Play and the Environment,Introduction to Early Childhood Education,Health and Safety,Guiding Young Children 1,Child Development 2: PreSchool Years,Practicum Seminar 1,Early Childhood Education Practicum 1,Curriculum and the Environment 1,Early Childhood Education Capstone 1,Indigenous Perspectives in Early Childhood Education

Inclusive Practices in Early Childhood Education

This course provides an introduction to the diversity of Canadian culture with an emphasis on empathy and creating an inclusive classroom. Understanding the diversity of Canadian classrooms and ways this affects personality, language, cognitive development, and socialization is a crucial skill for an Early Childhood Educator. In this course, students acquire skills for creating inclusive learning environments and curriculum in Early Childhood Education.

Course Code: ECE-450 Level: Year 2 course Course Requirements: Child Development 1: Early Years,Written Communication Skills,Observation and Documentation,Play and the Environment,Introduction to Early Childhood Education,Health and Safety,Guiding Young Children 1,Guiding Young Children 2,Child Development 2: PreSchool Years,Early Childhood Education Practicum 1,Curriculum and the Environment 1,Indigenous Perspectives in Early Childhood Education

Practicum Seminar 2

This seminar prepares students for the ECE Practicum 2 experience, including the practicum placement, observation, and evaluation processes. Topics include key practicum roles and responsibilities, assignment requirements, and evaluation structure.

Course Code: ECE-495 Level: Year 2 course Course Requirements: Child Development 1: Early Years,Written Communication Skills,Interpersonal Communication,Observation and Documentation,Play and the Environment,Introduction to Early Childhood Education,Health and Safety,Guiding Young Children 1,Guiding Young Children 2,Child Development 2: PreSchool Years,Practicum Seminar 1,Early Childhood Education Practicum 1,Curriculum and the Environment 1,Early Childhood Education Capstone 1,Advanced Behaviour Guidance 1,Curriculum and the Environment 2,Inclusive Practices in Early Childhood Education,Indigenous Perspectives in Early Childhood Education

Early Childhood Education Practicum 2

This practicum is the second in a series of three Early Childhood Education practicum experiences. This experience will provide opportunities to foster positive relationships with families and children, strengthen guiding techniques, and refine health and safety practices. Students will implement learning experience plans and expand on play experiences with children. Students will engage in reflective practice and apply feedback to enhance emerging skills. Curriculum focuses on sensory play, music and movement, and dramatic play.

Course Code: ECE-500 Level: Year 2 course Course Requirements: Child Development 1: Early Years,Written Communication Skills,Interpersonal Communication,Observation and Documentation,Play and the Environment,Introduction to Early Childhood Education,Health and Safety,Guiding Young Children 1,Guiding Young Children 2,Child Development 2: PreSchool Years,Practicum Seminar 1,Early Childhood Education Practicum 1,Curriculum and the Environment 1,Early Childhood Education Capstone 1,Advanced Behaviour Guidance 1,Curriculum and the Environment 2,Inclusive Practices in Early Childhood Education,Indigenous Perspectives in Early Childhood Education

Advanced Behaviour Guidance 2

This is the final course in the series of four guidance courses. Students will explore aggressiveness and bullying behaviour in children and effective guiding strategies. Students will also be introduced to the ABC Observation tool and Tally Sampling Record.

Course Code: ECE-402 Level: Year 2 course Course Requirements: Child Development 1: Early Years,Written Communication Skills,Interpersonal Communication,Observation and Documentation,Play and the Environment,Introduction to Early Childhood Education,Health and Safety,Personal Development,Guiding Young Children 1,Guiding Young Children 2,Child Development 2: PreSchool Years,Practicum Seminar 1,Early Childhood Education Practicum 1,Curriculum and the Environment 1,Professionalism,Early Childhood Education Capstone 1,Advanced Behaviour Guidance 1,Indigenous Perspectives in Early Childhood Education

Family and Community Relationships

This course focuses on the partnership between the parent and early childhood educator while promoting the importance of parent education and parent involvement in the centre. Students will learn how to make reports to parents and understand the diversity of families and the needs of families with atypical or mainstream children. Students will develop their knowledge of the community, as well as how to access community services and contribute positively to their community.

Course Code: ECE-430 Level: Year 2 course Course Requirements: Interpersonal Communication,Introduction to Early Childhood Education,Family

Curriculum and the Environment 3

This is the third course in a series of four curriculum courses. Key topics will include outdoor play, nature-based play and STEAM, as well as the set-up for each. Students will create and adjust learning experience plans based on feedback, which they will implement during practicum.

Course Code: ECE-440 Level: Year 2 course Course Requirements: Child Development 1: Early Years,Written Communication Skills,Interpersonal Communication,Observation and Documentation,Play and the Environment,Introduction to Early Childhood Education,Health and Safety,Guiding Young Children 1,Child Development 2: PreSchool Years,Practicum Seminar 1,Early Childhood Education Practicum 1,Curriculum and the Environment 1,Early Childhood Education Capstone 1,Indigenous Perspectives in Early Childhood Education

School-age Development and Curriculum

Students will develop knowledge and skills for working with children aged 5 through 12. The course focuses on the unique needs of school-age children and how these needs are met through a developmentally appropriate approach to programming. Students will learn about child development patterns and milestones in middle childhood. Attention is paid to the various roles of the early childhood educator in the designing, planning, and implementing of an inclusive environment with emphasis on developing an appropriate physical, social-emotional, and cognitive atmosphere.

Course Code: ECE-470 Level: Year 2 course Course Requirements: Child Development 1: Early Years,Written Communication Skills,Interpersonal Communication,Observation and Documentation,Play and the Environment,Introduction to Early Childhood Education,Health and Safety,Guiding Young Children 1,Guiding Young Children 2,Child Development 2: PreSchool Years,Practicum Seminar 1,Early Childhood Education Practicum 1,Curriculum and the Environment 1,Early Childhood Education Capstone 1,Curriculum and the Environment 2,Indigenous Perspectives in Early Childhood Education

Child Nutrition

This course addresses fundamental concepts of nutrition. Students will study essential nutrients and learn about promoting healthy eating for children. Students will develop a working knowledge of Canada's Food Guide and utilize this knowledge in the planning and preparation of healthy snacks and meals.

Course Code: ECE-420 Level: Year 2 course Course Requirements: None

Professional Behaviour Practices

Career resilience in the ever-changing field of early childhood education depends on current knowledge, key competencies, evidence-based practices, and lifelong learning. Through guided discussion, this course will examine key performance indicators of high quality early childhood care programs and how professional behaviour practices contributes to this outcome. Students will define a professional philosophy to help guide career decisions and strategies. The impact of emerging political, regulatory, and social change on early childhood education advocacy work will also be explored.

Course Code: ECE-480 Level: Year 2 course Course Requirements: Interpersonal Communication,Introduction to Early Childhood Education,Personal Development,Professionalism

Practicum Seminar 3

This seminar prepares students for the ECE Practicum 3 experience, including the practicum placement, observation, and evaluation processes. Topics include key practicum roles and responsibilities, assignment requirements, and evaluation structure.

Course Code: ECE-505 Level: Year 2 course Course Requirements: Child Development 1: Early Years,Written Communication Skills,Interpersonal Communication,Observation and Documentation,Play and the Environment,Introduction to Early Childhood Education,Health and Safety,Personal Development,Guiding Young Children 1,Guiding Young Children 2,Child Development 2: PreSchool Years,Practicum Seminar 1,Early Childhood Education Practicum 1,Curriculum and the Environment 1,Professionalism,Early Childhood Education Capstone 1,Advanced Behaviour Guidance 1,Advanced Behaviour Guidance 2,Curriculum and the Environment 2,Child Nutrition,Inclusive Practices in Early Childhood Education,Indigenous Perspectives in Early Childhood Education,School-age Development and Curriculum,Professional Behaviour Practices,Practicum Seminar 2,Early Childhood Education Practicum 2

Early Childhood Education Practicum 3

This practicum is the final in a series of three Early Childhood Education practicums. This experience will provide opportunities to initiate non-positive, judgmental relationships with families and children, refine guiding techniques, and lead health and safety initiatives. Students will implement learning experience plans and seize teachable moments during play experiences with children.

Students will engage in reflective practice and integrate feedback appropriately into future actions.

Curriculum focuses on outdoor and nature-based play and STEAM.

Course Code: ECE-510 Level: Year 2 course Course Requirements: Child Development 1: Early Years,Written Communication Skills,Interpersonal Communication,Observation and Documentation,Play and the Environment,Introduction to Early Childhood Education,Health and Safety,Personal Development,Guiding Young Children 1,Guiding Young Children 2,Child Development 2: PreSchool Years,Practicum Seminar 1,Early Childhood Education Practicum 1,Curriculum and the Environment 1,Professionalism,Early Childhood Education Capstone 1,Advanced Behaviour Guidance 1,Advanced Behaviour Guidance 2,Curriculum and the Environment 2,Child Nutrition,Inclusive Practices in Early Childhood Education,Indigenous Perspectives in Early Childhood Education,School-age Development and Curriculum,Professional Behaviour Practices,Practicum Seminar 2,Early Childhood Education Practicum 2

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Early Childhood Education

The Early Childhood Education diploma is designed to maximize students’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for employment and advancement in the field of early childhood education. The program is implemented using adult learning principles, has opportunities for individualization, and recognizes prior learning through a Prior Learning Assessment Recognition process.

Program graduates are prepared to provide quality care and education to children in a variety of settings. Emphasis is placed on learning within the context of Northern Manitoba and, in particular, within Indigenous communities. Affirmation of Indigenous world views, values, perspectives, and traditions are an integral part of this program.

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40 Hour Child Care Courses

The 40-hour courses provide an introduction to the child care field and one is required by child care assistants within their first year of working within a licenced child care facility. UCN will provide one 40-hour course face to face on campus each term as well as a distance option. Courses are transferable to the regular program. Please contact Continuing Education for details on dates and times. There are no admission requirements for these courses.

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The two-year, face to face diploma program on Campus or in a Community Based Program is an outcome/competency-based program. There are no test or exams in the program. Students show their knowledge, skills and abilities through papers, assignments, projects and hands-on learnings.

Four Applications of Learning, one per term, provide students with the hands-on everyday skills required of a professional Early Childhood Educator in the field.

Admission Requirements: Manitoba Grade 12 with English 40S or equivalence or mature student (see 2.01 in academic calendar). Prior to Application of Learning students must present a clear Criminal Record Check, Child Abuse Registry and Immunization Requirements. Early Childhood Education Workplace Program via Distance The Early Childhood Education Workplace Program student completes the diploma program by attending classes via Zoom two full days per week and remain in their place of employment for three days per week.

The program integrates the experience of employed Child Care Assistants with the knowledge and skills required to become an Early Childhood Educator Who should apply: Child Care Assistants who are currently employed in a licensed family, school age, infant, toddler or preschool child care center with a minimum of two years of experience working in child care. Students must also meet the admissions requirements of the Diploma program.

Early Learning and Child Care Post Diploma Certificate in Administration The post diploma certificate will provide further education for Early Childhood Educator II who are looking to pursue leadership as a Director of a Child Care Center. Graduates will have the administrative skills to lead early learning and child care programs. Graduates will be eligible to apply for classification as and ECE III from Manitoba Early Learning and Child Care Admission Requirements: Students entering the certificate program must have obtained a classification as an ECE II from Manitoba Early Learning and Child Care and have worked in the child care field for two years. Students must provide a copy of their classification and provide a letter of proof of child care experience from a Director or Board Member of a Child Care Facility.

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• Open access
• Published: 09 July 2024

A scoping review of the links between early childhood caries and clean water and sanitation: the Sustainable Development Goal 6

• Yasmi O. Crystal 1 , 2 ,
• Yuanyuan Laura Luo 2 ,
• Duangporn Duangthip 1 , 3 ,
• Maha El Tantawi 1 , 4 ,
• Habib Benzian 5 , 6 ,
• Robert J. Schroth 1 , 7 ,
• Carlos Alberto Feldens 1 , 8 ,
• Jorma I. Virtanen 1 , 9 ,
• Ola B. Al-Batayneh 1 , 10 , 11 ,
• Aida Carolina Medina Diaz 1 , 12 ,
• Ana Vukovic 1 , 13 ,
• Verica Pavlic 1 , 14 ,
• Tshepiso Mfolo 1 , 15 ,
• Hamideh A. Daryanavard 1 , 16 ,
• Balgis O. Gaffar 1 , 17 ,
• Anas Shamala 1 , 18 ,
• Morẹ́nikẹ́ Oluwátóyìn Foláyan 1 , 19 &

Early Childhood Caries Advocacy Group (ECCAG)

BMC Oral Health volume  24 , Article number:  769 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

246 Accesses

Metrics details

Introduction

The United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 calls for universal access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), which are crucial elements of health and well-being and fundamental for a life in dignity. Early childhood caries (ECC) is a preventable disease affecting health and quality of life of millions of young children worldwide. This scoping review aims to explore the connection between ECC and access to clean water and sanitation.

This scoping review, registered on the Open Science Framework and following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, conducted a thorough search in databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Google Scholar, SciELO) and websites (via Google) in November 2023. The search, without date limitations, targeted studies in English and Spanish linking ECC to SDG6. Exclusions were made for studies solely focusing on ECC without a direct connection to clean water and sanitation. Descriptive statistics summarized the retrieved papers.

The initial search yielded 303 articles. After removing duplicates, 264 articles remained for title and abstract screening after which 244 were excluded and one report was added through citation searching. The 21 remaining articles underwent full text review. There were no studies on a direct association between access to clean water and sanitation and the prevalence of ECC. There were nine studies that showed indirect associations between ECC and access to clean water and sanitation through the links of: water and sanitation access as a marker for poverty ( n  = 1), water consumption as a feeding practice ( n  = 4), and the effectiveness of water fluoridation ( n  = 4). These were used to develop a conceptual model.

Conclusions

While it is conceivable that a direct link exists between ECC and access to clean water and sanitation, the available body of research only offers evidence of indirect associations. The exploration of potential pathways connecting water access to ECC warrants further investigation in future research.

Peer Review reports

Early childhood caries (ECC) is defined as: “the presence of one or more decayed (non-cavitated or cavitated lesions), missing (due to caries), or filled surfaces in any primary tooth of a child under six years old (≤ 71 months)” [ 1 , 2 ]. A meta-analysis from cross-sectional studies using the World Health Organization’s caries diagnostic criteria showed the global prevalence of ECC was 48% [ 3 ], indicating areas of highest prevalence in Oceania (82%) and lowest prevalence in Africa (30%) with differences among regions [ 4 ]. When left untreated, ECC can cause pain and infection, with a direct impact on the oral and general health of young children [ 5 ]. Severe ECC can impact children’s quality of life affecting the child’s school attendance and performance, as well as having an impact on the family unit [ 6 , 7 ]. As one of the most common chronic oral diseases among children, ECC is of significant public health importance due to its high global prevalence and impact [ 8 ].

Systematic reviews have identified numerous risks factors for ECC, the most relevant include socioeconomic factors (maternal education, family income), behavioral factors (early introduction of sucrose in the diet, frequent consumption of sweet beverages and snacks, non-use of fluoridated toothpaste, poor oral hygiene) and biological factors like high levels of mutans streptococci and lactobacilli, and presence of enamel defects) [ 9 , 10 ].

Dental caries is a multifactorial disease as is its prevention. Diet, hygiene practices, daily fluoride exposure, selective use of fissure sealants and patient education, are all crucial factors in the prevention of dental caries [ 11 ]. In addition, macrolevel factors, like social and economic determinants of health play a major role on disease etiology and its prevention that has to be considered [ 12 ]. Visible plaque on the teeth is indicative of poor oral hygiene and is cited as a major risk factor for ECC [ 13 ]. Good oral hygiene practices may be dependent on access to water and sanitation just as good hygiene practices may are dependent on access to water and sanitation [ 14 ]. However, there is little known about the relationship between ECC and access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene services (WASH) in children younger than 6 years of age. A study on adolescents living in the street suggests that such a link is plausible through an association between good water collection, storage practices and oral hygiene practice [ 15 ]. The shortage of access to water and sanitation particularly affects people living in severe poverty such as those living in slums, rural areas and villages [ 16 ]. An estimated 26% of the world population is struggling for drinking water and 46% for sanitation [ 17 ].

More and more countries are experiencing water stress, and increasing drought and desertification is already worsening these trends [ 18 ]. It is projected that at least one in four people will suffer from recurring water shortages by 2050. The global burden of disease and mortality rates could be reduced by about 9.1% and 6.3%, respectively, if rapid success is attained in facilitating access to water, sanitation, and hygiene services [ 19 , 20 ]. The UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, which aims at ensuring access to basic services for water, sanitation and hygiene for all by 2030 [ 21 ], provides the main political and programmatic thrust to reduce or eliminate WASH-related health and education impacts. ECC may be a health problem associated with WASH access as the prevalence of ECC is also highest among socially vulnerable children, whose level of poverty predisposes them to live in slums, rural areas and villages where access to water is also a challenge [ 22 , 23 ]. However, the reality may be more complex, since a number of countries with poor WASH access, notably in sub-Saharan Africa, exhibit low prevalence of ECC [ 3 ]. This highlights the need for an understanding of the effect of WASH on ECC prevalence.

Attempting to correlate ECC prevalence by country [ 4 ] to availability of WASH services by country [ 24 , 25 ] is halted by the lack of data from many regions, different times periods of data collection, and the overall heterogeneity of the available information. All these facts emphasize the knowledge gap created by the limited information on the link between SDG 6 and the global burden of ECC. The aim of this scoping review was thus to systematically map and synthesize current evidence on the links between access to water, sanitation and hygiene services and the prevalence of ECC.

A scoping literature review was conducted to explore the links between WASH and ECC. A scoping review adopts a broad search strategy while allowing reproducibility, transparency, and reliability on the current state of literature.

Research question

This review was guided by the question: What is the existing evidence on the links between access to water, sanitation and hygiene services and ECC?

Protocol and registration

The protocol was registered on the Open Science framework on April 29, 2023, (registration https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/VZ7U6 ). This scoping review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology [ 26 ] and reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines [ 27 ].

Articles identification

The initial search was conducted in five electronic databases namely: PubMed, Embase, SciELO, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, as well as gray literature from organizations’ websites in July 2023. The search was performed using the pre-generated query string for the SDG 6 presented in the advanced search function of each database shown in Appendix 1. Search terms were tailored to the specific requirements of each database.

Eligibility criteria and selection

Inclusion criteria were: 1. Articles published in English and Spanish with no date restrictions, 2. Primary research studies such as clinical trials, case–control, cross-sectional, cohort, and case studies, and those reporting on the link between caries in children under six years of age and access to clean water and sanitation at home, school, and other settings, 3. Systematic Reviews were only included for full-text review if their abstract included some reference to a relationship between water and ECC, 4. Reports from organizations’ websites were only considered if they included some reference to the relationship between water and ECC.

Exclusion criteria were: 1. Review papers were excluded from the full-text review and analysis but were screened for appropriate references.

Selection of sources of evidence

All identified publications were transferred to reference management software EndNote (X9, Thomson Reuters). Articles that did not meet our inclusion criteria were removed and duplicate articles were removed using the “find duplicates” function. The title and abstract screening of eligible articles were screened by two independent reviewers (YOC, LYL). When there were disparities in findings, this was resolved by consensus between the two reviewers. No authors or institutions were contacted to identify additional sources. All conflicts generated through the screening states between the two reviewers were discussed until consensus was reached.

Synthesis of results

The information extracted from the publications were the author name, publication year, study location, study design, study sample size and age, study aim, data collection methods, and main findings. The extracted information from each publication was compiled and summarized into Table  1 , and a descriptive analysis of the information was conducted. A conceptual model on the link between access to water and sanitation and ECC was developed.

Figure  1 shows the details of the results of the search of databases, removal of duplicates, screening by title/abstract and full text review. Full text analysis showed that none of these studies described a direct association between access to clean water and sanitation and the prevalence of ECC, but nine studies showed a link between ECC and access to clean water and sanitation-related factors: water as a marker for poverty ( n  = 1) [ 15 ], water consumption as a form of feeding practices ( n  = 4) [ 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 ], and effectiveness of community water fluoridation ( n  = 4) [ 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 ]. A summary of the 9 included articles and their extracted data is presented in Table  1 .

PRISMA flow chart

The nine included studies were conducted in Chile [ 33 , 35 ], Africa namely Uganda/Tanzania [ 32 ], Switzerland [ 29 , 31 ], and India [ 28 ], Palestine [ 30 ], one study included data from UK, Ireland and Canada [ 34 ], and one study included global data by country [ 15 , 22 , 36 ].

The papers were published between 1995 and 2023, the majority ( n  = 4) between 2011 and 2020). Publication details are included in Table  1 . The study designs ranged from ecological [ 15 ] to cross-sectional [ 28 ]; [ 30 , 32 , 33 , 35 ], longitudinal [ 29 ], qualitative study nestled within a clinical trial [ 31 ] and a systematic review [ 34 ].

The single study on the link between ECC and access to clean water and sanitation mediated through poverty was an ecological study that indicated that access to water and sanitation had an inverse relationship with the prevalence of ECC [ 15 , 22 , 36 ]. The four studies on the link between ECC and access to clean water and sanitation mediated through feeding practices indicated that the children who consumed alternatives such as sugar-sweetened beverage [ 28 , 31 ], juice [ 28 ], milk [ 28 ] and breastmilk throughout the night [ 30 ] increased the risk for ECC. In addition, the four studies on the link between ECC and access to clean water and sanitation mediated through fluoridation of water indicated that access to fluoridated water was associated with lower prevalence of ECC [ 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 ]

The findings from this scoping review were used to develop a conceptual model illustrating how access to clean water and sanitation may be associated with, as depicted in Fig.  2 .

Conceptual model of clean water and sanitation’s associations with the prevalence of ECC

Populations with no access to water and sanitation but on a healthy natural diet, exhibit low ECC. Populations whose diet includes sweet beverage consumption and poor oral hygiene, even with WASH access, have high ECC. Poverty is identified as a dual risk factor affecting both: access to clean water and sanitation [ 15 , 22 , 36 ], and caregiver education [ 29 , 30 ]. In situations where clean water and sanitation is accessible, the incorporation of water fluoridation serves to reduce the risk of ECC [ 32 , 34 , 35 ]. We postulated that the risk for ECC is further mitigated, even in the presence of fluoridated water, when mothers have access to pre- and postnatal educational interventions [ 33 ] that may improve the prioritization of water consumption over other beverages, including prolonged and nighttime breastmilk and other forms of milk [ 28 ]; [ 29 , 30 , 31 ]. Maternal educational programs would also foster adherence to good oral hygiene practices encompassing effective toothbrushing starting at an early age with the use of fluoridated toothpaste [ 30 ]. Even though clean water and sanitation facilitates establishing oral hygiene practices and water drinking over other beverages, these factors seem to be more strongly related to caregiver education and in turn to poverty (being able to afford the tools in addition to having the knowledge to choose healthier habits.

This is the first study exploring the relationship between ECC and access to clean water and sanitation. Although the search results did not identify any articles reporting a direct association between access to clean water and sanitation and the prevalence of ECC, nine articles showing links between access to clean water and ECC in children younger than 6 years of age were identified.

First, we noted that attempting to establish a connection between inadequate access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services and ECC may pose challenges due to numerous confounding variables. For instance, people in sub-Saharan Africa have heightened morbidity and mortality due to poor water access [ 37 ]. However, the prevalence of ECC in this region is notably low [ 3 , 38 ]. Also, programs designed to enhance WASH accessibility, aligned with the SDG6, have demonstrated successful outcomes in reducing dental caries prevalence in permanent dentition when implemented in schools [ 39 ] Paradoxically, these positive outcomes may not have translated to a similar decline in ECC prevalence as sustained high or increasing prevalence of ECC was observed in these regions in children below age 6 [ 40 ]. Notably, successful oral hygiene programs attribute caries prevention outcomes to daily toothbrushing interventions without explicitly mentioning water or clean water. This lack of specificity may explain the absence of studies addressing oral hygiene (toothbrushing) in our findings. The absence of studies defining the importance of water and sanitation on oral-health related hygiene practices and their link with ECC is puzzling because without access to water, personal and oral hygiene are affected. When there is no water in the household, opportunities for hygiene practice are more challenging and often forgone. Without water in schools, hand and oral hygiene programs become difficult to implement, limiting health education and practice [ 41 ]. For this reason, SDG 4, which focuses on education, includes a target for universal WASH services in schools.

Second, one of the nine studies that showed a link between access to clean water and sanitation and ECC prevalence suggested that the multifaceted improvements resulting from investments in WASH may have resulted in changes in lifestyles that could potentially increase the risk for ECC in ways unrelated to oral hygiene [ 15 ]. This is conceivable as improvements in the standard of living lead to alterations in dietary patterns, including an increase in consumption of unhealthy food which increases the risk for ECC [ 42 , 43 ]. The study reinforces previous evidence that ECC is strongly linked to poverty [ 44 , 45 , 46 ] and poverty is linked to poor WASH access [ 47 ]. In addition, WASH access may be a significant socioeconomic marker that may also affect diet, a risk factor for ECC [ 42 ]. This risk is mitigated when there is a choice of including water as the main beverage instead of sugar-containing alternatives, which seems to be dependent on the education of parents and caregivers and their (oral) health literacy, and when there is access to fluoridated water, as represented in our conceptual model depicted in Fig.  2 . There is reported evidence of different relationships between income and ECC, including inverse linear, positive linear, U-shaped, inverse U-shaped, and no relationship [ 48 ] [ 42 , 49 , 50 , 51 ], This relationship seems to vary based on the local/country/regional trajectory along economic development and the nutrition transition, and rural vs. urban location, primarily mediated by family practices. Epidemiological studies report that minority groups living in poverty in high-income nations with good access to clean water and sanitation, have a higher prevalence of ECC [ 52 ]. This has been attributed to low health literacy, limited access to a healthy diet, and reduced access to oral health care. Commercial determinants of oral health may also be at play as low-cost cariogenic foods and beverages are heavily marketed to low-income, ethnic-minority populations. Oral health literacy that comes with education, is key to help vulnerable populations make the right healthy choices. Further research is needed to explore the connections between access to clean water and sanitation and ECC risk. Such studies can help understand the economic and dietary changes that co-occur with successful WASH interventions and may be related to ECC risk.

Third, access to naturally fluoridated water and community water fluoridation reduces the risk of ECC [ 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 ]. Access to optimally fluoridated water is less likely when access to centrally-managed piped water systems is poor. Identified studies on the effect of water fluoridation on children aged 6 and under indicated that exposure to fluoridated water reduces the risk for and severity of ECC [ 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 ]. Community water fluoridation as a public health measure is considered a safe, effective, and socially equitable means of achieving community-wide protection against dental caries [ 53 , 54 ]. regardless of age, education, income level, or access to routine dental care [ 55 ]. For these reasons, there is a call for the prevention of dental caries through access to optimum fluoridated water [ 8 ]. Achieving the goals of SDG6 would facilitate the promotion of this public health measure. However, some studies highlight that the impact of fluoride on the risk of caries may be obscured by the impact of other behavioral variables such as excessive sugar consumption, the presence of plaque or length of breastfeeding [ 32 , 56 ], underscoring the overriding impact of education. In addition, the continued call for water fluoridation is complex as there are concerns surrounding both the ethics [ 57 ], and the efficacy of systemic fluoride for caries prevention [ 58 ]. To further complicate this topic, there is strong evidence that areas with poor access to clean water and sanitation and therefore no water fluoridation, have low ECC prevalence [ 3 ] and countries without community water fluoridation can achieve impressive caries reductions through programs that offer continuous oral health promotion programs from birth [ 59 , 60 ].

Fourth, we also found studies suggesting that feeding practices that included water rather than sweetened beverage, were protective against ECC [ 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 ], in agreement with evidence on the protective effect of consuming water versus sweetened beverages [ 61 ]. A study also reported that children who transition directly from breastfeeding to water had no increased risk of ECC [ 31 ]. This finding does not have such a strong connection to clean water availability as much as it has to the access to information by the child’s caregiver to know to choose between drinking water vs. drinking other beverages [ 28 , 29 , 31 ]. This introduces yet another layer of complexity on the link between access to water and ECC, as education may mediate this link.

An additional related fact is that access to unsafe water and poor sanitation increases the risk of children to diarrhea [ 62 ] and malnutrition [ 63 ], leading to anemia [ 36 , 64 ] and all are risk factors for defective enamel formation [ 65 ], a known risk factor for ECC [ 66 ]. Carefully designed studies are therefore needed to assess the impact of access to clean water and sanitation on the risk for ECC, and to understand the pathways for the impact.

A limitation of this study is that we only searched and included studies published in English or Spanish which were the languages the literature search team were proficient in. There may have been publications in other languages that were not included which potentially underestimates the literature on the studied association. However, we covered the bulk of the literature which is usually produced in English. Another limitation of this specific topic is that databases of clean water and sanitation availability as well as those that report ECC prevalence by country, are not comprehensive. There is missing data from many regions, heterogeneity on the periods of data collection, and little data reported on children younger than school age. Since the SDGs were adopted in 2015, research conducted within the context of SDGs in relation to health aspects might still be lacking, which may explain the limited findings in our search. Limitations also arose due to variations in the definition and diagnostic criteria of ECC [ 44 ] which we addressed by expanding the search terms. Another limitation is that the literature review was limited to associations between WASH and ECC, thereby possibly not capturing studies involving older age groups where associations may be different than in the age groups affected by ECC [ 22 , 39 , 67 ].

The strengths of our study lie in the fact that we registered and followed a strict protocol adhering to recognized guidelines, and the search was conducted with the help of an experienced librarian at a major university. After the data was extracted by a core group, a team of 17 authors each from different countries, ethnic backgrounds and work settings, critically appraised and discussed the findings, bringing in diverse perspectives.

The findings from this scoping review reveal a paradox in relation to SDG 6, which aims for universal access to clean water and sanitation. Despite the goal’s success in reducing the burden of water-related systemic diseases, regions with poor water access, notably sub-Saharan Africa, exhibit low prevalence of ECC. In addition, WASH programs, while successful in improving permanent dentition outcomes, do not always reach the children that at younger ages are not yet in school settings that would allow them to benefit from such programs. Furthermore, access to clean water and sanitation serves as a socioeconomic marker influencing ECC risk, and it affects the likelihood of accessing fluoridated water. Education is suggested to mediate the link between water access and ECC, adding complexity and emphasizing its role in achieving SDG 6 objectives. The multifaceted nature of the ECC-water link aligns with SDG 6's comprehensive approach, necessitating carefully designed studies to assess the impact of water and sanitation access on ECC, considering the interplay of health, education, and socioeconomic factors. Studies are also needed to clearly delineate the links between water availability and hygiene practices including toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste in young children.

In conclusion, though it is plausible for there to be a direct association between ECC and access to clean water and sanitation, the current body of research-based evidence only provides evidence on indirect associations. The conceptual framework developed from the body of evidence needs to be explored further as more research is conducted in these areas. The study findings contribute to a nuanced understanding of the challenges in directly associating water access with ECC prevalence. The complexities identified underscore the importance of holistic strategies that address various determinants, aligning with the comprehensive goals of SDG 6. Further research and tailored interventions are essential for achieving sustainable improvements in water, sanitation, and hygiene which will lead to better oral health outcomes.

Availability of data and materials

All data is provided within the manuscript and supplementary information files.

Abbreviations

Early childhood caries

Sustainable Development Goal #6

Water access, Sanitation and Hygiene

United Nations

Low income countries

Middle income countries

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Acknowledgements

Early Childhood Caries Advocacy Group (ECCAG). With acknowledgment to Mr. Richard McGowan, Head of Education and Clinical Support at New York University Health Sciences Library (NYUHSL), for his help with the scoping review search.

No external funding was received for this research.

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Authors and affiliations.

Early Childhood Caries Advocacy Group, Winnipeg, Canada

Yasmi O. Crystal, Duangporn Duangthip, Maha El Tantawi, Robert J. Schroth, Carlos Alberto Feldens, Jorma I. Virtanen, Ola B. Al-Batayneh, Aida Carolina Medina Diaz, Ana Vukovic, Verica Pavlic, Tshepiso Mfolo, Hamideh A. Daryanavard, Balgis O. Gaffar, Anas Shamala & Morẹ́nikẹ́ Oluwátóyìn Foláyan

Department of Pediatric Dentistry, College of Dentistry, New York University, 234 24th Street, New York, NY, 10010, USA

Yasmi O. Crystal & Yuanyuan Laura Luo

College of Dentistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA

Duangporn Duangthip

Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Dental Public Health, Faculty of Dentistry, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt

Maha El Tantawi

Department of Epidemiology & Health Promotion and WHO Collaborating Center Quality Improvement & Evidence-Based Dentistry, College of Dentistry, New York University, New York, NY, USA

Habib Benzian

Stellenbosch Institute of Advanced Study, Stellenbosch, South Africa

Department of Preventive Dental Science, Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, Departments of Pediatrics and Child Health and Community Health Sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada

Robert J. Schroth

Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Universidade Luterana Do Brasil, Canoas, Brazil

Carlos Alberto Feldens

Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway

Jorma I. Virtanen

Department of Orthodontics, Pediatric and Community Dentistry, College of Dental Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

Ola B. Al-Batayneh

Department of Preventive Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan

Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics Department, Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics Department, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Centro Medico Docente, Caracas, Venezuela

Aida Carolina Medina Diaz

Clinic for Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, School of Dental Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia

Ana Vukovic

Department of Periodontology and Oral Medicine, Medical Faculty University of Banja Luka, 78000, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Verica Pavlic

Department of Community Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa

Tshepiso Mfolo

Dental Department, Dubai Health, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Hamideh A. Daryanavard

Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry - Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia

Balgis O. Gaffar

Department of Preventive and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Science & Technology, Aden, Yemen

Anas Shamala

Department of Child Dental Health, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Morẹ́nikẹ́ Oluwátóyìn Foláyan

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All authors were involved in the conceptualization of the study and developed the review protocol. YOC and LYL did the literature search, evaluated manuscripts and extracted data. YOC, LYL, MOF, and MET evaluated the results and drafted the paper with substantive contributions from HB, DD, RJS and CAF. All authors read, commented critically, and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Yasmi O. Crystal .

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All authors declare no conflicts of interest that could impact their perspective on the development or the discussion of this study.

Duangporn Duangthip is an Associated Editor with the BMC Oral Health. Jorma Virtanen is a Senior Editor Board member with BMC Public Health. Morenike Oluwatoyin Folayan and Maha El Tantawi are Senior Editor Board members with BMC Oral Health. All other authors declare no conflicts.

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Crystal, Y.O., Luo, Y.L., Duangthip, D. et al. A scoping review of the links between early childhood caries and clean water and sanitation: the Sustainable Development Goal 6. BMC Oral Health 24 , 769 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-024-04535-9

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Received : 26 December 2023

Accepted : 26 June 2024

Published : 09 July 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-024-04535-9

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• Early Childhood Caries
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