Improving access to inclusive child care

The governments of Canada and Alberta are making it easier for parents to access
inclusive child care for children with special needs.

As part of Alberta’s approach to supporting inclusive child care, an additional $3.6 million in
funding is being provided through a bilateral agreement with the federal government, bringing
the investment to $7 million.

Funding will go to five regional partner agencies across Alberta. These agencies will work with
licensed child care operators so they can better support children with special needs. Continuing on the work they have done over the past few years, $2.7 million is also being invested into GRIT to continue training on their inclusive child care model across the province.

The inclusive child care model will provide on-site training and supports for educators, which will increase the number of spaces and centres that can offer inclusive child care for children,
whatever their needs may be.

Prior to fully implementing the inclusive child care model, supports for programs caring for
children with special needs were inconsistent across the province. In 2021, the new model was
implemented through a pilot program, using funding from a bilateral agreement with the federal government.

Following the successful pilot, this funding will expand the inclusive child care model
provincewide to support more programs each year. This will provide consistency and allow
more centres across the province to support children with diverse needs.

This is just one step Alberta’s government is taking to improve access to inclusive child care
across the province. In 2022-23, $35.6 million is allocated to support children with special needs to participate in licensed child care programs, including continued expansion of the inclusive child care model. Of this funding, $21 million is from the Canada-Alberta Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement and $14.6 million is from the province. Further details on additional supports will be shared in the coming months.

Quick facts
 The five external inclusive child care agencies that will administer the inclusive child
care program are:
o Stepping Stones Child Care Society – Northwest region
o Providence Child Development Society – Northeast and Calgary regions
o Getting Ready for Inclusion Today (GRIT) – Edmonton region and west half of
North Central region
o Midwest Family Connections – Central region and east half of North Central
region
o Key Connections Consulting – South region
 Funding is being provided through the 2021-22 to 2024-25 Canada-Alberta Early
Learning and Child Care Agreement (signed in July 2021), which included $7 million
to support inclusive child care through grants to these five agencies. Approximately
270 programs are currently being served through these agencies.
 The Canada-Alberta Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement signed in November 2021 includes $202.6 million over five years to develop and fund child-care options to support vulnerable and diverse populations as well as children with extra support needs.