Report To: Program Planning Committee
From: Lori Clark, Director of Integrated Human Services and
Amy Winnington-Ingram, Integrated Human Services Manager
Date: October 15, 2025
Re: Early Years and Child Care Service System Plan Update - Issue Report
Purpose
To provide the Board with an update on the implementation of the Early Years and Child Care Service System Plan. It is intended to inform the Board of actions completed to date, system adjustments in progress, and alignment with the Directed Growth Plan endorsed by the Manitoulin-Sudbury Network for Children and Families (MSNCF).
Progress to Date
Implementation of the Service System Plan is advancing across all five priorities and has been informed by ongoing collaboration with providers, community partners, and the Ministry of Education. Key highlights include:
• Expanding Access to Affordable and Inclusive Programs:
- Targeted infrastructure planning has continued, with priority on communities experiencing the greatest demand relative to operational capacity. The revised Directed Growth Plan was finalized and formally endorsed by the MSNCF. Work with providers is underway to pursue expansions that balance licensed capacity with realistic staffing levels and operational sustainability.
- A district-wide Child Care Needs Survey was launched in April 2025 to better understand family needs, barriers, and access patterns.
- New spaces were created in high demand areas, including 16 preschool spaces at Seedlings Early Learning Centre in Manitowaning, 4 home-based spaces in Espanola, and 2 additional homes-based sites through West Nipissing Child Care Corporation and Manitoulin Family Resources.
• Building and Retaining a Strong Workforce:
- Workforce development has been supported through multiple initiatives including the launch of a bilingual jobs portal, which has generated over 200 applications to date. A workforce survey was completed, and Early Childhood Educator recruitment and retention grants were distributed to support stabilization efforts, while a wage analysis is underway to inform advocacy on compensation and retention.
• Enhancing Quality and Program Delivery:
- The Supervisor Network and Pedagogical Leads collaborated to finalize a district-wide Orientation Plan through sector engagement. It consolidates expectations for onboarding, quality assurance, and system standards, ensuring new and existing staff have consistent resources to support program delivery.
- Organizational reviews continue to be conducted with agencies to strengthen governance and compliance, and tools such as an “Expenses by Age and Site Calculator” have been introduced to enhance financial accountability and operational transparency. A financial literacy workshop was held in October to strengthen agency competencies in budgeting, reporting and resource allocation, supporting improved financial accountability and more effective operational planning.
• Improving Communication and Partnerships:
- Mid-year provider meetings were held in July 2025, offering updates on funding, capacity planning, and leadership engagement. Sector input from this session directly informed adjustments to implementation tools, including the mid-year check-in template.
- The DSB continues to strengthen sector collaboration through regular Manitoulin Sudbury Network for Child and Families (MSNCF) and EarlyON Managers meetings, agency spotlights and improved communication tools. Funding and support have been issued to both the Indigenous Service Providers Network and the Local Service Providers Networks, who are conducting family surveys, hosting community pop-up events, connecting families with services and conducting outreach to support more families.
• Strengthening Service System Administration:
- The Service Manager continues to refine monitoring and reporting tools to track licensed capacity, enrollment, and waitlist trends. This ensures alignment between funding oversight responsibilities and sector needs while supporting system-level decision-making. A revised Purchase of Service Agreement is being developed to include new provisions on behaviour policy, recruitment planning, and utilization expectations.
Access and Utilization Trends
The district continues to experience strong demand for child care spaces, with waitlists remaining significant in several communities. Licensed capacity on paper does not always translate to operational availability, as staffing shortages and site-specific constraints limit utilization in some areas. While modest reductions in waitlist totals were observed following provider reviews, overall demand continues to exceed available spaces. Detailed enrollment, waitlist, and utilization data have been presented separately in the Child Care Infrastructure Issue Report for the Board’s consideration.
Next Steps
Implementation will continue through the remainder of 2025, with a focus on:
- Continuing workforce stabilization, recruitment and retention initiatives.
- Advancing infrastructure expansion in priority regions under the Directed Growth Plan.
- Rolling out of provider tools to strengthen program quality and financial accountability; and supporting community engagement and partnerships through various networks.
Recommendation
Staff recommend that the Board approve this Service Plan implementation update and continue to support the ongoing work of system planning, infrastructure development, and workforce initiatives in alignment with the Directed Growth Plan.
