Wellington County is set to boost child care access following a successful recruitment campaign.
A two-month effort to recruit new licensed home child care providers has yielded promising results for the county and the City of Guelph.
The campaign, which ran from July to August, is expected to add 18 new providers by the end of 2024, increasing the total number of active homes to 54.
In March 2020, Wellington Home Child Care had 45 active providers in Wellington County and the City of Guelph. During the COVID-19 pandemic this number declined to 27 by 2022.
This expansion will create up to 108 additional licensed child care spaces, helping families access care for children under 13.
“The return on our investment for this campaign has been incredible,” said Social Services Chair David Anderson. “Adding up to 108 new licensed child spaces in our service delivery area in just two months will help support parents and caregivers so they are able to participate in the labour force or pursue educational opportunities.”