Submission #2517

The pedagogical support position serves as a direct support to me in my role as Centre Director. Over the past 10 months, our centre has experienced significant growth, more than doubling in size. This growth has relied heavily on these support positions to help maintain a safe, high-quality learning environment that meets the evolving needs of our community.

With these supports no longer being available in the same capacity, our ability to sustain this growth and continue meeting the needs of the increasing number of young families on the Island will be significantly impacted.

Pedagogical supports play an essential role within every classroom by helping ensure quality programming, strong care practices, and consistent support for educators and children. They also provide a welcoming and reassuring presence for families, particularly those experiencing the major transition of leaving their children in care for the first time.

These changes will impact centres on many levels, and I cannot overstate the importance of maintaining access to these supports. They are critical in preserving the quality of care we are proud to provide, while also supporting families in returning to work with confidence, knowing their children are safe, happy, engaged, and well cared for.