Full-day learning for 4- and 5-year-old children : Full-day learning for four- and five-year-old children : building a stronger early learning and child care system in Ontario

The day-long OMSSA Forum included presentations reviewing the challenges and opportunities for the licensed child care system in communities with existing experience with some form of full-day kindergarten; workshop sessions on the implementation of full-day early learning; presentations exploring the role of CMSMs/DSSABs in service system management for early learning and child care; and roundtab [...] Setting up a system for full-day early learning that is integrated with the current child care and children’s services system is productive and efficient, putting the needs of families and children at the core. [...] We have further built our recommendations on the understanding that a sustainable full-day early learning and child care system does not destabilize other early childhood services and even enhances the funding and sustainability of the broader system of child care and special needs services. [...] It is imperative that the implementation of full-day early learning for 4- and 5-year-old children does not damage the current system of early learning and care for children. [...] More directly, when properly planned and resourced, the implementation of the full-day of learning offers as an excellent opportunity to improve the entire system of early learning and care services for children age 0 to 12.