In-Home Emergency Child Care Services for health care and other eligible frontline workers has been approved. Bruce County staff worked diligently with Grey Bruce Public Health to create a strategy and on April 21, 2020 the Ministry of Education granted approval for their plan. Emergency childcare allows eligible health care and other front-line workers to have the childcare support they need to continue protecting the health and wellbeing of Bruce County residents during this COVID-19 outbreak.

Bruce County Children’s Services is piloting the initial phase of its emergency childcare program for hospital staff with the South Grey Bruce Health Centre.

“We sincerely appreciate the efforts of Bruce County Children’s Services and the Grey Bruce Health Unit to secure this support for our health care workers,” says Michael Barrett, South

Bruce Grey Health Centre President and CEO. “Having a trusted resource available for our staff that do not have family or friends close by to help out with childcare, will be one less
worry for them during this challenging time.”

“I congratulate Bruce County and the South Grey Bruce Health Centre in supporting this collaborative effort to develop an innovative solution in an emergency situation.” Says Dr Ian Arra, Grey Bruce Medical Officer of Health. “Together, we have come up with a local response to a locally-identified issue that puts safety at the forefront. Other jurisdictions may follow this lead.”

Eligible workers, as identified by the Ministry of Education may submit their requests for emergency child care through Bruce County’s One-List child care application system.

Emergency child care services are reserved exclusively for children of eligible workers, who have no other alternatives; child care will be provided in the child’s home. Submitting a request does not guarantee emergency child care, this will be determined by the availability of providers.

To apply, please visit www.brucecounty.on.ca/covid19 under Children’s Services. Bruce County Children’s Services will follow up with each applicant to confirm eligibility requirements and the availability of resources.

Bruce County is seeking the support of Registered Early Childhood Educators (RECE) who were working in licensed childcare as of March 1, 2020 and are interested in providing temporary contracted childcare in the home of an eligible family.

If you are an RECE interested in providing In-Home Emergency Child Care support, please contact Tina Metcalfe, Children’s Services Manager at [email protected] 

“We are calling on Registered Early Childhood Educators in our community to provide support to medical staff and essential front-line workers. At times like these, it is important that we all pull together and provide support in any way that we can.” states Bruce County Warden Mitch Twolan.

Emergency childcare guidelines and supports have been developed in order to promote the safety of the children, parents and childcare professionals in the provision of care.

source: media release, Bruce County