Child services minister visits Casselman to get input on province’s new projects

The phase-in of full-day kindergarten, already under way, and the proposed establishment of Best Start Child and Family Centres in communities across the province were the top priorities for Laurel Broten, minister of child and youth services, when she visited Casselman recently.

The province is seeking input on the best way to provide more timely, effective and convenient supports to children and their families. The input will help the province develop Best Start Child and Family Centres in communities across the province.

Meetings were held in communities across the province.

"We are talking to parents because we want to hear about their kids' needs, what is working well and what we need to build on," Broten said in a recent press release. "This is an opportunity to influence how future services for kids and families will be provided."

Dr. Charles Pascal, Ontario's special advisor on early learning, presented a report in June 2009 recommending a phasing in of full-day kindergarten and establishing Best Start Child and Family Centres in communities across the province that would deliver more cost-effective and co-ordinated services to families.

"Study after study tells us about the crucial developmental importance of the early years," Pascal noted. "Developing Best Start Child and Family Centres is key to ensuring that families can access, in a more timely and effective manner, the supports they need to give their kids the best possible start."

Last September, 35,000 four- and five-year-old children in nearly 600 schools started full-day kindergarten.

Since 2003, Ontario has increased funding to early-years programs by almost $50 million.

Glengarry-Prescott-Russell MPP Jean-Marc Lalonde said establishing Best Start Child and Family Centres is an important part of the province's Open Ontario Plan to support young children and families and provide them with the foundation they need to succeed.

"We were so pleased that Minister Broten chose Prescott-Russell to host a public consultation," he told The Review. "She came to me and said she wanted to host a meeting in a francophone area and suggested Casselman. It was an honour to welcome her to this part of the province."

Both Pascal and Broten were present at the meeting in Casselman to answer questions and address concerns from parents and educators.

"Minister Broten recognizes there's not going to be a one-size fits all for each community," Lalonde remarked. "We want to get out into communities, learn from what they have in place and then start to talk about what the consistent issues should ... be across our Best Start Child and Family Centres framework."

Pascal said he expects this framework will be ready by the summer. The early learning expert also said one of the main concerns coming out of the meeting was there was "too much fragmentation" between services and that parents needed "timely supports."

Lalonde noted another issue that surfaced was the different needs parents and children living in rural areas have compared to those living in urban communities.

"The needs here in a rural area are much different than in an urban area," he said. "In some cases, parents are paying up to $60 a day per child for childcare. It's crazy and yet, it's the way it is. We need to find a way to meet all the needs in the area."