Submission #2327

Good morning,

I am writing in my capacity as Chair of the Board of Directors of Hunter River Early Learning Center to express concern regarding reductions to pedagogical supports within early learning centres across Prince Edward Island.

Pedagogical supports are essential to the quality, consistency, and sustainability of our programs. Through mentorship, curriculum guidance, and support for inclusive practice, they are embedded in daily operations and play a key role in maintaining high standards of care.

Equally important, these supports are critical in managing educator workload and preventing burnout. In our centre, pedagogical staff provide in-program coverage that allows educators to complete planning, documentation, and reflection within their scheduled hours. Without this support, these responsibilities shift into personal time, leading to longer workdays, increased fatigue, and diminished work-life balance. Over time, this contributes to burnout, lower job satisfaction, and ongoing challenges with recruitment and retention.

Minister Croucher described early childhood educators as being resilient in the legislature. Resilience must not be interpreted as a justification for expecting them to work under unsustainable or unacceptable conditions. Resilience does not mitigate excessive workload demands, nor does it protect against burnout when systemic supports are reduced. When educators are placed in positions where they cannot reasonably meet expectations within their paid hours, the impact is not limited to staff wellbeing; it directly affects the quality, consistency, and responsiveness of care that children receive.

Given the existing pressures on the early learning workforce across Prince Edward Island, any reduction in pedagogical supports would have immediate and adverse implications. Increased workload demands, combined with reduced structural support, would heighten the risk of staff attrition and compromise program stability and quality.

As a Board of Directors, we are accountable for ensuring that our centre operates in a manner that is both high in quality and sustainable over the long term. Pedagogical supports are not supplementary; they are essential to meeting these obligations and to upholding the standards expected within the early learning sector.

Prince Edward Island has made meaningful progress in expanding access to early learning and child care. It is imperative that this progress be supported by sustained investment in the quality infrastructure that underpins these services. Pedagogical supports are a fundamental component of that infrastructure.

I respectfully urge the Government of Prince Edward Island to maintain and prioritize funding for pedagogical supports within early learning centres across the province.

Thank you for your time,

Debbie Smith, Chair of Hunter River Early Learning Center Board