Sask. launches website to help families find available childcare services near them

The provincial government has created an online portal to help parents locate licensed childcare services near them for their children, as part of a pledge to increase supports for childcare in Saskatchewan.

The site, called Parent Central, has been developed as part of the 211 Saskatchewan initiative, working with the Ministry of Education and United Way.

It allows parents to search for childcare services by location and offers up-todate availability information for licensed childcare spots open to children between the ages of 0 and 6 across the province. The portal will also share information about centres and early years programming available as well. "COVID-19 has demonstrated that accessing quality child care, as well as parenting information and services, is imperative for all,” said United Way Regina CEO Robyn Edwards-Bentz, in a press release. “We are proud to partner with the Ministry of Education's Early Years Branch to launch this portal. Whether it's through the phone, website, text or chat, 211 is there to help when you need it the most."

United Way will be coordinating with childcare centres regularly, to keep the portal updated with the most recent information.

Funding for the new project was provided by the provincial government through the Canada-Saskatchewan Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, and follows the announcement that Saskatchewan has pledged $75.5 million in budget funding to child care in 2021-22.

Parent Central is available at parentcentral.sk.211.ca.