Local service system managers

Under the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014, consolidated municipal service managers and district social services administration boards are designated as service system managers responsible, at the local level, for the planning and management of early years services, including child care and child and family programs.

Service system managers, in partnership with families, service providers, school boards and community agencies, lead locally-based planning and development to support an integrated approach to child care and early years services that respond to the needs of the community.

The ability to strengthen the quality of child care and early years experiences and enhance system integration requires the strategic leadership of service system managers to initiate, sustain and monitor local planning and development to achieve Ontario’s vision for the early years.

Service system managers are required to develop Service System Plans in accordance with provincial requirements. Service planning should be done in the context of the full range of coordinated early years and child care services for children and families, including before and after school programs for children in Kindergarten to Grade 6.

School boards

School boards play a critical role in the child care and early years sector. They provide an environment where services can be co-located and integrated for the purpose of reducing transitions, building cohesion and alignment across early years pedagogy and stronger connections between children, families and early years and school professionals and educators.

School board leadership is vital to supporting comprehensive and continuous education that supports children from birth to adulthood.

School boards include district school boards and school authorities as defined under the Education Act.

Duty to cooperate

Under the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014 (CCEYA) service system managers are required to consult with school boards in the development of service plans. The CCEYA also states that the service system manager, school boards and other identified child care and early years partners shall cooperate with each other for the purpose of implementing the service plan.

For the past several years, service system managers and schoolboards have worked in partnership to assess and jointly submit school-based early years capital funding projects to the ministry. As part of this process, service system managers and school boards work closely together to identify suitable early years capital projects that meet the eligibility, sustainability and priority requirements of the ministry, then jointly sign off on all proposals which are submitted for approval.

Through greater integration with early years, child care, and education services, more children will benefit from a seamless day and consistent quality of care that supports healthy child development, well-being and lifelong success.