
Staffing at Dufferin EarlyON will decrease from fifteen to seven due to the service being ‘reimagined.’
On May 27, 2021, Dufferin County’s Committee of Health and Human Services received a staff report regarding an update of the service review occurring for Dufferin EarlyON. Several recommendations accompanied the document, one of which was for the council to direct staff to transition permanently to the new service model by June 25, 2021, reducing the EarlyON staff by eight. The report states that the County will provide human resources support to those impacted by the shift.
“The Pandemic created the opportunity to reflect and explore our service delivery methods,” the initial August 13, 2020, Dufferin EarlyON update pronounced.
As set out by the province, the core mandate of the EarlyON service is supporting early learning and development, engaging parents and caregivers, and making connections for families (such as with Public Health). Dufferin County has been examining the EarlyON service for approximately a year, with the first update going to the county council in August 2020. The act follows the County’s childcare service review and the closure of Jean Hamlyn Dare Care Centre.
“In Dufferin, we’ve always provided an EarlyON service that exceeded our mandated services and programming by the province. Always.” asserted Anna McGregor, Director of Community Services for Dufferin County, at the May 27, 2021, committee meeting. “The changes here, if we do follow them, means we’ll still actually be doing more than the mandated level.”
Dufferin County has the provincially mandated responsibility for delivering the region’s Childcare and Early Years services. Dufferin EarlyON offers community child play experiences and support services for parents. Funding for these programs comes from municipalities and the Ministry of Education. During the shutdowns, Dufferin EarlyON services have been offered virtually, with some indoor and outdoor programming. The report explains how five staff have operated this new service model, with the remaining ten on Infection Disease Emergency Leave, extended by the Ontario Government from January 2, 2021, to July 3, 2021.
“The reduced staffing model currently in place as a result of COVID-19 restrictions has been working well,” the May 27, 2021 staff report states. “Using the reduced staffing model the County could continue to meet its mandated core services, after COVID-19, with little municipal funding required.”
According to the most recent report, an external consultant performed a comprehensive review of the program over the first quarter of 2021. The study considered the delivery method of EarlyON services, getting full use of the provincial funding, and possibly reducing municipal contribution. Moreover, they looked at how funding could be changed to address areas where financial challenges still exist. Childcare funding was cited as an example. Clients, local partner agencies, and EarlyON staff working during the pandemic provided feedback during the review process.
“The change in service delivery has resulted in a more modern and responsive service delivery model,” the May 27, 2021 staff report says. “This is not about taking away the EarlyON services, it is about providing services in a more responsive way.”
The document reveals that a shift in the Dufferin EarlyON service could allow for an estimated $338,000 in savings to be redirected to child care fee subsidies and the Inclusion for Children with Additional Needs (i-CAN) program run by Dufferin Child and Family Services. It could also go towards general operating grants for the local childcare sector, enabling them to expand and improve their services. Council resolved to cover expenses associated with the transition, such as severance packages, with in-year savings and the Children’s Services Reserve Fund.
“The changes would mean that we could divert some of the municipal funding to other areas of essential services where we know that are ongoing needs,” McGregor informed the councilmembers.
The proposed 2021 work plan includes recommendations such as introducing a taxi voucher system to provide transportation to EarlyON locations and approved activities. Re-introducing a ‘dads’ program’ and increased hours of operation are also points presented in the plan. The new staffing structure is shown to be one supervisor, one early learning and quality coordinator, one program coordinator, and four resource workers. The work plan acknowledges that internet connectivity impacts some parents’ ability to access virtual programming. There are currently no planned site closures of any of the three EarlyON locations in Dufferin.
“This has always been a difficult item to try to balance, but we knew that this was going to come at some point,” declared Mono’s Mayor Laura Ryan, Chair of the Health and Human Services Committee at the May 27 meeting.
The report and proposed 2021 work plan passed committee on May 27, 2021, and was subsequently presented to Dufferin County Council on June 10, 2021.
References – Dufferin EarlyON Staff To Be Cut By 53%
- MAY 27, 2021 – HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE ADDENDUM TO AGENDA – DUFFERIN COUNTY
- MAY 27, 2021 – HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE MINUTES – DUFFERIN COUNTY
- MAY 27, 2021 – HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETING – DUFFERIN COUNTY YOUTUBE CHANNEL
- JUNE 10, 2021 – DUFFERIN COUNTY COUNCIL AGENDA – DUFFERIN COUNTY
- JUNE 10, 2021 – DUFFERIN COUNTY COUNCIL MINUTES – DUFFERIN COUNTY
- JUNE 10, 2021 – DUFFERIN COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING – DUFFERIN COUNTY YOUTUBE CHANNEL
- JANUARY 28, 2021 – HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE AGENDA – DUFFERIN COUNTY
- JANUARY 28, 2021 – HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE MINUTES – DUFFERIN COUNTY
- AUGUST 13, 2020 – DUFFERIN COUNTY COUNCIL AGENDA – DUFFERIN COUNTY
- AUGUST 13, 2020 – DUFFERIN COUNTY COUNCIL MINUTES – DUFFERIN COUNTY
More Dufferin News
- Dufferin County Road 109 & County Road 3: Roundabout?
- Town of Shelburne Re-Examining Land Acknowledgement
- Dufferin Oaks Front Entrance Project $94,500 Over Budget
- Contrary to Reports, Amaranth Flag Raising Policy Unused
- Shelburne Letters Signage Pushed Off For Time Being
- Shelburne Council Continues to Mull Giant Letters
- Plans for Giant Letters in Shelburne Park May Get Nixed
- Shelburne Pushes Ahead on Jack Downing Park
- More Filming of ‘Ruby and the Well’ in Grand Valley
- Dufferin County Council: Responding to Racism and Hate
- Amaranth Council: Investigate all ‘Residential Schools’
- Dufferin Receives Notice of Development Moratorium
- Haldimand Tract Moratorium: Current Practices Insufficient
- Haldimand Tract Moratorium: Dufferin Politicians Respond
- Grand Valley Commemorates Councillor Elizabeth Taylor
- Grand Valley Councillor Gives Notice of Resignation
- Grand Valley Council Seat Open to Public Nominations
- Orangeville Businesses Want Sidewalk Project Delayed
- $800k Dufferin Rail Corridor Resurfacing Project Approved
- Commissioner Report on Currie’s Pride Remarks Released
- Filming to occur in Grand Valley and Melancthon
- See Crime in Orangeville? Call the Police, Not Town Hall!
- WDG Public Health Holds Session on Vaccine Hesitancy
- Lockdown Protest Organizer May See ‘Expanded Charges’
- Bruce Trail Conservancy Makes Plea of Shelburne Community
- Dufferin Muslim Groups Make Demand of Local Politicians
- Drive-In Concert Coming to Mulmur – Get Tickets Now!
- Mulmur Council Wants Meetings Accessible Post-COVID
- Thumbnail Sketches: Artist Kayla Jackson
- ‘Overlord and the Underwoods’ to Film in Orangeville too
- New TV Show Will Be Filmed In Town of Mono
- Orangeville Police Service Board Talks Lockdown Protests
- Accessible Website? Fines Coming For Noncompliant Orgs
- Local Digital Marketing Firm Pushes Online Accessibility
- Some Organizations Face AODA Compliance Deadline
- UGDSB Scraps School Resource Officer Program
- Cannabis in Dufferin: What’s going on in Grand Valley?
- Reports of People ‘Squatting’ at Monora Park
- Cannabis in Dufferin: What’s going on in Grand Valley?
- Vaccination Clinic Coming to Grand Valley This Friday
- Dufferin County Holding Info Session on Tourism Strategy
- Big Upgrades Announced for Grand Valley Community Centre
- Task Force Advises UGDSB Cancel Resource Officer Program
- Shelburne Names Members to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee
- MELANCTHON’S NEW COUNCILLOR HAS BEEN CHOSEN!
- Candidates Seeking Vacant Seat Questioned By Melancthon’s Council
- Melancthon One Step Closer to Filling Council Vacancy
- WDGPH: ‘Number of factors at play’ BIPOC 5x more likely to catch COVID
- Andrew Cunningham: Black History Month in Dufferin
- Polvier Folkes-Grandison: Black History Month in Dufferin
- Trisha Linton: Black History Month in Dufferin
- Dufferin County Rejects WDGPH Request for Assistance
- Internet in Town of Mono: ‘No Home Left Behind’
- Shelburne’s Police Services Board – More Barriers Broken
- Township of Amaranth Council Vacancy Filled!
- A New Magazine with A ‘Local Purpose’ is On Its Way!
- Dufferin Marketing Firm Grows While Giving Back
- Vaccines: Headwaters Hospital Manager Puts Family First
- A Discussion with Orangeville Councillor Todd Taylor
- Two cars go off road in a week at Rolling Hills & McCannell
- WDPGH Releases COVID-19 Vaccine Information
- #Shoes4Shelburne 2020: An Overwhelming Success
- Rogers, Bank of China, Anti-Abortion Groups Take CEWS
- Shelburne’s Deck The Door Contest 2020 has a Victor!
- A Taste of Jamaica in Shelburne with Smokey Island Grille
- More on ‘Workplace Isolating’ in East Garafraxa Township
- East Garafraxa Public Works Staff ‘Workplace Isolating’
- Update on vacant council seat in Amaranth Township
- IS AMARANTH’S MAYOR CURRIE RESIGNING?
- AMARANTH MAYOR CURRIE UNLEASHES HIS FURY
- Amaranth Residents Call Out Mayor Currie’s Empty Threat
- Mayor Bob Currie Protests Donation to Food Banks
- IS AMARANTH’S MAYOR CURRIE RESIGNING?
- AMARANTH MAYOR DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO RAISE PRIDE FLAG FOR 2021
- AMARANTH’S DEPUTY MAYOR CALLS OUT MAYOR’S PRIDE INTOLERANCE
- AMARANTH MAYOR: WHY CAN’T WE USE THE RIVER TO FIGHT FIRES?!
- ‘Trojan Horse’ Proposed at Fung Loy Kok in Mono
- Dufferin County Councillor Brings Religion Into Politics
- Passionate Outpourings, A Life of Much Artistic Verve & Vitality!
- Shelburne Street Names Will Honour Black & Indigenous Past
- Robert Allen: A Man For All Seasons
- Orangeville Transit Hub Downtown Location Gets Nixed
- Orangeville Council Wants Access to Drive Tests Limited
- NEW DETAILS ON WE CHARITY ‘EXONERATION’
- MP Kyle Seeback Asks For Local Business Nominations!
- There is assistance for homeless men in Dufferin County!
- Dufferin News Contributor Gets 3rd at McMichael Art Show
- My Crafty Neighbour has a space with limitless opportunity!
- New Grand Valley Pizza Place Opens Tonight!
- “Please…symptoms can widely range…don’t assume it’s just a cold!”
- Town of Orangeville Staff tests positive for COVID-19
- Epidemiologist Calls Out Upper Grand DSB
- Ontario teachers, exposed to COVID, may still go to class
- UGDSB TRUSTEE CALLS BUSES “ROLLING INCUBATORS”
- IS ENOUGH BEING DONE TO KEEP LUNCHES SAFE IN THE UGDSB?
- ‘Glimmer of hope’ as Dufferin business community nears second wave
- Through the eyes of a Canadian female collective
- Robert Allen: A Man For All Seasons
- Marnie Cooke: “How do you turn off your ears?”
- Streams Community Hub: A New Age For The Dufferin Arts
- Tony Rose Pool Closure May Decimate Orangeville Otters!
- ORANGEVILLE USED IN MARKETING CROWD CONTROL TECHNOLOGY
- IRIS R&D Group Responds: We Don’t Own FaceMatch
- Orangeville Under Surveillance?! What is IRIS R&D?
- Orangeville Library Consolidation: Who Gets Hurt?
- Orangeville Food Bank Has Officially Moved!
- Is The Orangeville Banner Endangering Public Health?!
- Essential Worker? What’s it actually mean?
- Discussion on Development – Orangeville Councillor Todd Taylor
- Dufferin Speaks – Hansen Development: Discussion with Darrin Davidson
- Dufferin News – Videojournalism For Our Community
- Press Release: Dufferin’s Spotlight Production launches Online Community News Program
- Interested in Being A Contributor? Apply Here!