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Early childhood care and education in Canada: Provinces and territories 1998

Early childhood care and education in Saskatchewan
Planning and development Provincial context Legislation History Related services Planning and development Standards and regulations Space statistics Provincial context Child care services Provincial official responsible for child care Legislation Recent developments History Standards and regulations Children with special needs Child care services Key provincial organizations Recent developments Municipal role Administration Funding Standards and regulations Aboriginal child care Children with special needs
Funding SK


 
CHILD CARE FEE SUBSIDY PROGRAM

Fee assistance is paid directly to service providers on behalf of eligible parents.

There is a two-step eligibility process. To be eligible for consideration, parents must be employed or seeking employment, attending school or a training program, receiving medical treatment, or have a child with special needs. If the parent meets one of these criteria, an income test is applied.

Although the number of subsidies is not capped, the total funds available for subsidies is limited.

Subsidies are available only to non-profit child day care centres or regulated family child care homes. The minimum user fee is 10% of the actual cost of care. Centres and regulated family child care homes may surcharge subsidized parents above the 10% minimum. The average cost to a subsidized parent above the subsidy (surcharge) is 30%-40% of the fee.

Eligibility for fee subsidy (net income, 1998) 
  Turning point Break-even point
1 parent, 1 child $19,668 $31,920
2 parents, 2 children 20,868 45,720
The turning point is the income level up to which full subsidy is available. Partial subsidy is available up to the break-even point at which income subsidy ceases. Saskatchewan uses gross income level to determine eligibility; other provinces use net income.

Maximum monthly subsidy by age of child (1998)
  Regulated centre Regulated family child care homes
Infants $325 $265
Toddlers 285 265
Preschool 235 235
School-age 200* 200*
*Increases to $235/month for the summer months.

Average percentage of centre revenue from fee subsidies   35%

PUBLIC FUNDING FOR REGULATED CHILD CARE (1998)

One-time funding

Start-up grants
Centres $600/space
Family child care homes $200/home
Family child care homes (north) $300/home
School-age $360/space
Special needs equipment grants $50/month/child/yr

Recurring funding

Operating grants
Infants $40/space/month
Toddler $30/space/month
Preschool $35/space/month
School-age $20/space/month
 
Teen infant centre grants $425/infant space/month
  $350/toddler space/month
 
Wage grant $225/staff person/month
 
Equipment grants  
Family child care homes $50/space/year
Northern centres $100/space/year
Family daycare $400/space/year
 
Special needs funding  
Special needs supervision grants are funds to assist centres and homes with costs associated with caring for a child with special needs.
Level I program $200/month
Level II program $250/month
Level III program $300/month

Average percentage of centre revenue from government grants   21.7%

PROVINCIAL ALLOCATIONS FOR REGULATED CHILD CARE (1998)

Fee subsidy $9,900,959
One time funding  
      Start-up grant 68,200
      Special needs equipment grant 16,890
Recurring funding
      Centre operating grant 1,454,238
      Family child care home equipment grant 97,800
      Northern equipment grant 30,200
      Northern transportation grant 11,390
      Child development grant 754,725
      Teen/infant centre grant 747,712
      Preschool support programs 465,950
One-time capital grant for upgrading 993,509
Other funding 1,204,323
Total $15,745,896

Annual regulated child care allocation for each child 0-12 yrs (1998)  $86.42
(estimate based on provincial budget)

FEDERAL FUNDING

Entitlements on child care expenditures No longer available
(See FEDERAL ROLE for more information)

SALARIES (1998)

Mean gross hourly wage for child care staff
(full and part-time staff combined)
Centres
Assistant Teachers $8.45
Teachers 10.74
Teachers Directors 11.74
Administrative Directors 14.58
Family day care
Information not available

Average percentage of centre budget spent on wages and benefits  90.5%

FEES (1998)

Median monthly parent fees for full-time care
Centres
Infants (Age 0-17 mos) Information not available
Toddlers (Age 18 mos - 3 yrs) $405
Preschoolers (Age 3 yrs -5.11yrs) 380
School-age Information not available
Family day care
Age three $17.40

Average percentage of centre revenue from parent fees  38.3%

 
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INTRODUCTION | FEDERAL ROLE  | THE BIG PICTURE | THE LONG VIEW  | NOTES AND REFERENCES

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