Families in Nova Scotia will soon have a more efficient way to secure child care without the hassle of being on multiple daycare waitlists. The province is developing an online child-care portal that will feature a centralized daycare waitlist, as revealed during a recent session of the legislature’s public accounts committee.
The initiative, named “Child Care Connect,” aims to streamline the process for families by providing a single platform where they can register their child and view available options. Tracey Barbrick, deputy minister of Education and Early Childhood Development, highlighted that the portal will also serve as a platform for service providers to register, submit documents, and certifications to the department, replacing the current cumbersome reporting system.
Currently, there is a lack of data on the number of families waiting for daycare spots, posing a challenge for providers like Miia Suokonautio from YWCA Halifax in making strategic decisions. Suokonautio emphasized the importance of data-driven solutions and expressed that the online portal should have been established earlier during the transformation of the child-care sector in 2021.
Becky Druhan, a Liberal MLA and former education minister, acknowledged that the creation of an online portal and centralized waitlist was part of the plan but expressed concerns about the delay. She stressed the inefficiency of the current structure and the need for a comprehensive view of child care availability across the province.
The NDP education critic, Paul Wozney, echoed similar sentiments, highlighting the overdue nature of the program and emphasizing the importance of transparency in its execution. Despite concerns, Barbrick confirmed that the province has allocated $8.2 million for the project, with the portal expected to be operational in 2027 and the waitlist component to follow in 2028.
As the province evaluates contractor applications for the portal development, the initiative aims to address the challenges faced by families and child-care providers, ultimately offering a more efficient and accessible child-care system in Nova Scotia.