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Child care subsidy change offers July refund for Yukon parents

Government will pick up cost of fees above existing subsidy for this month.
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Yukon Minister of Education Jeanie McLean expressed appreciation for early childhood educators and families who made extra efforts to keep kids home during the recent COVID-19 outbreak. The government announced that their subsidy to help families with children enrolled in licensed childcare will be based on enrollment rather than attendance for the month of July. (File Photo)

An expansion of the Yukon government’s early learning and child care program will help to cut down Yukon families’ expenses for the month of July.

Through the government’s Department of Education, the Yukon Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) contributes $700 per month, per child as a subsidy to families with children attending licensed child care programs full-time.

For July 2021, the subsidy will be based on enrolment rather than attendance, extending it to families of children who were voluntarily kept home due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The total amount of additional funds going to families and child care operators will be calculated based on refunds to families from operators. The Yukon government will then reimburse the operators.

“The Government of Yukon is facilitating a full refund of all additional parent fees charged by child care operators above and beyond the usual subsidy for this month. This additional funding support will help to alleviate the financial pressures of child care for families,” an announcement of the extended subsidy reads.

“It also provides all licensed child care operators in the Yukon with the support they need to continue paying staff and providing critical and essential child care services.”

According to the government, there were approximately 1,500 children registered in licensed childcare for the month of July.

The COVID-19 outbreak included exposures at child care centres in late June. Families were also asked to keep their children home if possible both to help limit the spread of the virus and to ensure there were child care spaces available for the children of essential workers.

According to the government, the outbreak in child care centres is now under control and the chief medical officer of health has recommended that the centres can now reopen to all children.

“While Yukoners pulled together to help contain transmission of COVID-19 among children, our licensed child care centres continued to provide valued, high-quality services to our community and essential workers during this exceptionally challenging time,” said Jeanie McLean, the Yukon’s Minister of Education.

“We appreciate our early childhood educators and the families who were able to make extra efforts to keep their kids at home. The health and safety of children and families is always our first priority and we want to support Yukoners by ensuring all costs for licensed child care are fully covered for the month of July.”

Contact Jim Elliot at jim.elliot@yukon-news.com



Jim Elliot

About the Author: Jim Elliot

I’m a B.C. transplant here in Whitehorse at The News telling stories about the Yukon's people, environment, and culture.
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