N.L. commits to offering medical benefits to early childhood educators by fall

Newfoundland and Labrador's education minister says she hopes to see medical benefits for early childhood educators in place by the fall.

Krista Lynn Howell announced the commitment on Tuesday in partnership with the federal government and the Association of Early Childhood Educators Newfoundland and Labrador (AECENL). The plan is expected to cost $1.8 million, partly funded through a $306 million early child and child-care agreement between Ottawa and the province.

Howell said the opt-in plan will come with some cost to child-care centres, but the federal government will also be contributing to the overall cost.

Benefits will be managed by AECENL and be available to anyone who has worked a minimum of three months at a regulated provider participating in the province's operating grant — including educators, trainees, other staff members and family child-care providers.

"I think we're at a really critical point where we finally recognize the value of these educators," Howell told reporters, adding benefits will be available to around 1,600 people. "The intent is to ensure that early childhood educators have access to flexible medical benefits that best meet their needs."

Having benefits was a key recommendation in a report released in March by the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour, which says 57 per cent of educators reported being unable to access health or dental benefits through their work.

The report also said that 42 per cent of surveyed educators were considering leaving the profession.

AECENL executive director Skye Taylor said that while details on the exact coverage plans are still in the works, any step to support and improve the quality of life of ECEs is welcomed.

"If we have someone that has high-cost medication, they will be able to afford things like prescriptions and be able to go to physiotherapy," Taylor said.

"We don't know what package we're going to land with, but AECENL would love to see something also, too, with some mental health components. With ECEs we're dealing with burnout and that, so we want to find a package that will support them."

Taylor told reporters that recruitment and retention of ECEs will be key going forward, noting a shortage of more than 600 workers as of a few months ago. The province currently has 9,400 $10-a-day care spaces, with about 2,000 more in development, according to Howell.

More details on the benefit plan and how people can avail of it is expected in the coming months, Taylor said.

Speaking with CBC News on Monday before the announcement, Federal Families, Children and Social Development Minister Jenna Sudds said the move is an important step to recognize the importance of bettering conditions for ECEs.

"In Newfoundland and Labrador, we have a seen a wage grid introduced, some grants be introduced to offset the cost of upgrading skills. But we continue to hear from ECEs that there needs to be more supports," Sudds said.

"The ability to have access to health benefits is incredibly important. This is a workforce that is vital, frankly, to our economy. When we have a healthy early childhood educator workforce, it enables moms and dads and other professions to be able to get in, get out and to get to work as well."

Download our free CBC News app to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Click here to visit our landing page.