Early Learning and Child Care
The Department of Education's (Education) Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) division is committed to fostering a future where all children in the territory have access to high-quality early learning experiences that are deeply rooted in Inuit culture, language, and values. We are guided by a Framework and Action Plan (under development) that is designed to meet the unique needs of each community across Nunavut—whether in small remote communities or larger populated areas.
When children are given the opportunity to grow and learn in a nurturing and caring environment, they can build strong, healthy relationships, and develop their own unique skills and capabilities. We support this by:
- Licensing child care centres, including family home daycares, and ensuring they meet established safety and quality standards.
- Offering culturally appropriate resources that reflect Inuit Societal Values and Inuktut to enhance pride in one’s identity.
- Administering financial support programs for licensed centres to maintain and improve the quality and inclusivity of services.
- Making financial support programs available to ensure child care is affordable.
- Implementing a comprehensive approach that supports access to culturally relevant child care throughout the territory.
ELCC Guiding Documents
- Early Learning and Child Care Quality Framework – Sets the vision and guidelines for high-quality, culturally relevant child care in Nunavut.
- Strategic Action Plan for Inclusion and Equity – Roadmap for inclusive, equitable early learning and child care, outlining steps to support all children and families in Nunavut.
Parents and Guardians
- Finding Child Care
- Licensed Child Care Centres in Nunavut – Contact information for all licensed child care centres in Nunavut, by region.
- Funding
- Young Parents Stay Learning Program – Child care funding for young parents who are under the age of 18 and enrolled in school.
- $10-a-day Child Care – Licensed child care for children under age 6 is subsidized, as part of the Canada-wide funding system. Contact a licensed child care centre to apply for a subsidized child care space.
- Healthy Children Initiative (Supportive child services stream) – A licensed child care centre or community organization offering early learning programming to children up to the age of 6 can apply for funding to provide additional supportive services for individualized needs (e.g., one-on-one support to attend an early learning program) to support children while attending the early learning program or licensed child care centre.
Opening a Licensed Child Care Centre or Family Home Daycare
- Getting Started
- A comprehensive resource list guides you through regulations, funding options, and best practices to help you get started.
- What You Need to Know to Start a Daycare: A detailed description of everything you need to know – This handbook is intended for people/organizations that are planning to open a licensed child care centre, including a home daycare, in Nunavut.
- Early Childhood Officers – You are not alone. Education has Early Childhood Officers (ECOs) in every region who are ready to answer questions and support you through the process of getting started.
- Nunavut Child Day Care Act and Regulations – See “Act, Regulations, and Agreements” section below.
- Funding
- Early Childhood Officers – Contact your regional ECO to discuss further eligibility for:
- Start-Up Funding – One-time source of money for licensed child care centres to help purchase the necessary toys, equipment, and program materials to open.
- Infrastructure Funding Program – Funding to increase the number of licensed child care spaces in Nunavut for children ages 0-6, or to reopen centres closed for more than 3 years.
Early Learning and Child Care Funding Programs
- Funding
- Early Childhood Officers – Contact your ECO to discuss further eligibility for:
- Early Childhood Educator Certification Funding – Helps with costs related to tuition and textbooks for licensed child care centre staff enrolled in Early Childhood Educator certification programs.
- Early Childhood Education Inuit Language and Culture Funding – Funding to promote Inuit language and culture in early learning, either by running internal programs or funding existing third-party operated programs. This funding is available to the District Education Authority, the Commission scolaire francophone du Nunavut, licensed child care centres, and community organizations offering early learning programming to children up to the age of 6.
- Healthy Children Initiative – A licensed child care centre or community organization offering early learning programming to children up to the age of 6 can apply for funding to provide additional supportive services to support the child while attending the early learning program or licensed child care centre. Funding for early childhood well-being under this initiative is available through two streams: Community Initiatives for programs like parenting workshops or healthy snacks, and Supportive Child Services for individualized needs like one-on-one support to attend an early learning program.
- Health and Safety Funding – Helps with costs related to meeting fire and health regulations (reporting form).
- Infrastructure Funding Program – Funding to increase the number of licensed child care spaces in Nunavut for children ages 0-6, or reopen centres closed for more than 3 years.
- Operation and Maintenance Funding – Helps with costs related to maintaining and operating a licensed child care centre.
- Wage Scale Program — Funding to licensed child care centres caring for children ages 0-6 to support equitable staff wages. Aimed at retaining quality staff and encouraging staff to become certified Early Childhood Educators.
- $10-a-day Child Care – Licensed centres can subsidize costs for families with children under 6, making child care affordable as part of the Canada-wide funding system.
Acts, Regulations, Policies, and Agreements
- Canada – Nunavut Early Learning and Child Care Agreement - 2021 to 2025 - Canada.ca – Known as the Extension Agreement, this agreement is a continuation of funding that was first established in 2017. The action plan for 2023-2025 is combined with the action plan for the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement. The 2023-2026 action plan includes details on how the funding aligns with the Multilateral and Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Frameworks to prioritize affordability, accessibility, inclusion, and quality.
- Grants and Contributions Policy – Document outlining the grants and contributions for Education. Several funding opportunities from ELCC can be found under Schedule B.
- Nunavut Child Day Care Act – Legislation that governs the licensing and operation of child care facilities in Nunavut.
- Nunavut Child Day Care Act Regulations – Specific rules and requirements that child care facilities in Nunavut must follow under the Act.
- Understanding Nunavut's Child Day Care Regulations: A manual for early childhood programs – A plain language guide that breaks down regulations to clarify their implications for both current and future licensed centre operators.
External Links
- Nunavut
- Education — Nunavut Arctic College – Early Childhood Education Applied Certificate and Diploma Programs
- Inunnguiniq Parenting/Childrearing Program – an evidence-based parenting/childrearing program based on Inuit childrearing philosophy, developed and delivered by the Qaujigiartiit Health Research Centre
- Inunnguiniq Childrearing Advice from Inuit Elders – Childrearing Advice from Inuit Elders created by Government of Nunavut and the Qaujigiartiit Health Research Centre.
- Pirurvik Guide - Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit principles are described in connection to early childhood education.
- QIA Daycare Resources – Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA) offers early childhood learning resources such as puppets, puzzles, books, and a pre-phonics program that reflect Inuit life and culture.
- Canada
- Early Learning and Child Care Information Hub (statcan.gc.ca) – A wide variety of resources related to the delivery of early learning and child care in Canada.
- Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care (IELCC) Framework – Principles for Indigenous early learning and child care where all Indigenous children have the opportunity to experience high-quality, culturally relevant early learning and child care programming.
- Inuit Submission to Employment and Social Development Canada Regarding National Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care (IELCC) Framework – IELCC is a framework aimed at re-imagining an Inuit early learning and child care system that can engage with the vision and priorities of Inuit children, families and communities.
- Inunnguiniq: Caring for Children the Inuit Way – Fact sheet published by National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health explaining the cultural teachings, its importance, and the need for its revival in Inuit societies.
- Understanding The Training Needs of Early Childhood Educators Across Inuit Nunangat - This document summarizes information on training gaps in the field of early childhood education in Inuit Nunanga and was developed by Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami.
- Other
- Atkinson Centre for Society and Child Development – Research hub on the social implications of early child development.
- Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada – Focuses on policy advocacy for Canadian child care.
- Childcare Resource and Research Unit – Provides research and resources on Canadian child care.
- Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development – A comprehensive resource for early childhood research and best practices.
- National Association for the Education of Young Children (an American organization) – U.S.-based organization focused on improving early childhood education.
- Nunavik Childcare - Welcome – Supports 14 child care centres in communities in Nunavik with the delivery of child care services.
- The Canadian Child Care Federation – Advocates for quality child care across Canada.
Early Learning and Child Care Certification Programs
- Algonquin College - Early Childhood Education Diploma Program
- Bow Valley College - Early Childhood Education Certificate Program
- Fanshawe College - Early Childhood Education Diploma Program
- La Cité - Early Childhood Education Diploma Program (French delivery)
- Lakeland College - Early Childhood Education Certificate and Diploma Programs
- Lethbridge College - Early Childhood Education Certificate and Diploma Programs
- Northwestern Polytechnic - Early Childhood Education Certificate and Diploma Programs
- Nunavut Arctic College – Early Childhood Education Applied Certificate and Diploma Programs
- Portage College - Early Childhood Education Certificate Program or Early Childhood Education Diploma Program
- Red Deer Polytechnic - Early Childhood Education Certificate or Early Childhood Education Diploma Program
- Saskatchewan Polytechnic - Early Childhood Education Certificate of Achievement and Early Childhood Education Diploma Program.
- Selkirk College - Early Childhood Education Certificate and Advanced Certificate Programs
- St. Lawrence College - Early Childhood Education Diploma Program
- Université Sainte-Anne - Early Childhood Education Diploma Program (French delivery)