Ontario's Children and Families Deserve Quality Child Care

TORONTO, March 26 /CNW/ - "The provincial government's decision to continue funding 8,500 subsidized child care spaces is commendable," says Eduarda Sousa, Executive Director of the Association of Early Child Educators Ontario (AECEO).

The AECEO's position is that Ontario's children and families, including the most vulnerable, deserve access to high quality child care. Ms Sousa comments that, "such programs are delivered each day by Early Childhood Educators (ECEs), professionally trained individuals who plan and implement programs that support children's social-emotional development, self confidence and learning readiness."

The AECEO believes that the government's decision honours a longstanding commitment to Best Start Program strategies, and safeguards a portion of the infrastructure necessary to deliver full day learning for four-and-five-year-olds, a program that will be taught this fall by ECEs and teachers. The AECEO is taking the government's decision not to cut child care funding as good faith that it remains committed to the full blueprint for a child and family system in Ontario as outlined in the report by the Premier's early learning advisor.

The AECEO is a non-profit, charitable organization. Over its 60 year history, the AECEO has promoted professional development and recognition of Early Childhood Educators on behalf of children in Ontario. To learn more about the AECEO, visit www.aeceo.ca.

For further information: Contact Days: Eduarda Sousa, Tel: [phone], ext. 24, Toll free: 1-800-932-3236