Some families in Chatham-Kent who are unable to provide child care for school-aged kids next week will once again get a helping hand.
The Municipality of Chatham-Kent will provide emergency child care during the province-wide stay-at-home order at no cost to eligible families, starting on Monday.
The provincial government recently announced that all students will switch to remote learning once spring break ends. The province also announced that free emergency child care for school-aged children will be available to eligible health care and frontline workers. Childcare for non-school-aged children will remain open.
The emergency child care program was previously available to some families while schools were closed to in-person learning.
The Municipality's Child Care and Early Years Division is currently working with the public health unit, licensed care providers, and school boards in order to open emergency child care locations.
“We continue to work with our partners at the Ministry of Education to ensure children in Chatham-Kent have access to welcoming, engaging, and safe environments throughout this pandemic,” said Kelly Emery, director of Child Care and Early Years for the Municipality of Chatham-Kent.
Information on who qualifies for free child care services is posted online once safety policies are confirmed. Further questions can be directed to the Child Care and Early Years Division at ckchildcare@chatham-kent.ca or 1-866-720-7975.