Excerpts
The YWCA Halifax proposed building a child-care centre that would serve kids with disabilities last July, seeking $3 million in funding from the province after finding there was an acute need for such a facility.
Almost a year later, the organization is still awaiting an answer.
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The centre would offer 80 spots, up to 27 of which would be reserved for kids with disabilities. There would also be specialized training for early childhood educators, a lower child-to-educator ratio with options for one-on-one support, and in-house specialists such as speech, physio and occupational therapists.
The non-profit organization is asking for the departments of education, health and community services to collaborate on the project, with the department of education contributing the most funding.
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When asked about the proposed centre at an unrelated daycare announcement on Wednesday, Education Minister Becky Druhan couldn't comment on the status of the proposal, but said the department is considering it.
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Before approaching the provincial government, the YWCA conducted a needs assessment of provincial inclusion requirements and inclusive child-care centres, comparing them to other areas in Nova Scotia, Ontario, Alberta and Saskatchewan.
It found that inclusive child care is severely lacking in the province. There isn't enough specialized training for early childhood educators, facilities are inaccessible and there is a lack of funding to meet the needs of children with disabilities, they found.
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