Supported Child Care for Children with Special Needs

The goal of the Supported Child Care Program (SCC) is to ensure families of children with special needs have access to child care in their own communities regardless of the child's developmental needs.

Supported Child Care funding is based on the current need of the child care centre (i.e. what supports the program requires, or to successfully include a child or children with special needs in the daily routine of the child care centre).

Both the application process and use of the SCC funding are the responsibility of the child care centre. The funding is not attached to a child or diagnosis and does not automatically move to a new centre if the child transfers from one centre to another. It is the responsibility of the child care centre to apply for, and use SCC funding in a manner that enables the provision for an inclusive child care program.

Eligibility

This program is for both full and part day licensed child care facilities in the province. The facility is required to be in compliance with the Nova Scotia Day Care Act and Regulations and have at least one child enrolled who has a diagnosed special need. The program also needs to follow the standards of practice described in the Terms and Conditions of Child Care Subsidy and Supported Child Care Funding for Child Care Centres.

Next steps

To learn more about the Supported Child Care Program, please contact one of our Regional Offices to speak with an Early Childhood Development Officer (ECDO) call 1-877-424-1177.

Please provide feedback and/ or comments about web content to ELCC@gov.ns.ca

Related information

• Early Intervention Association of Nova Scotia
• SpeciaLink: The National Centre for Child Care Inclusion
• Special Needs Information Services (SNIS)
  Centre for Excellence for Children and Adolescence with Special Needs
• Directory of Licensed Child Care Facilities