Nova Scotia Child Care Association

Nova Scotia Child Care Association Worthy Wage Day Initiative May 1, 2014 Worthy Wage and Recommended Salary Guidelines for Nova Scotia s Early Childhood Educators Nova Scotia Child Care Association 102 Chain Lake Drive, Suite 303 Halifax, NS B3S 1A7 www.nschildcareassociation.org

NSCCA Suggested Minimum Salary Guidelines For Trained ECE Professionals (2014-2016) For regulated Early Learning and Care Programs Classification Entry Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 ECE III Director ECE II Supervisor ECE II Resource $47,283 (22.73) $39,811 (19.14) $52,020 (25.01) $43,388 (20.86) $57,200 (27.50) $47,278 (22.73) $62,920 (30.25) $51,521 (24.77) $69,222 (33.28) $56,118 (26.98) NS DE&ECD (Dept. of Education and Early Childhood Development) Comparable to Level 2/3 Classification ECE I $34,195 (16.44) $37,252 (17.91) $40,622 (19.53) $44,283 (21.29) $47,923 (23.04) Child Care Worker II (in ECE training) Child Care Worker I $24,876 (11.96) $21,632 (10.40) $27,132 (13.04) $23,587 (11.34) $29,556 (14.21) $26,062 (12.35) $32,198 (15.48) $28,017 (13.47) $35,131 (16.89) $30,513 (14.67) Comparable to Level 1 and Entry Classification Notes: 40 hour week. Each level represents 3 years of experience. In this phase, increments are 9% for practitioners, 10% for directors. Early Childhood Educators or Administrators who are certified are paid $1500 above scale. ECE III (director) An ECE who manages the centre and its day to day operations. This person is accountable for program quality and has post diploma training and experience in management and administration. Executive Directors of large or multi-site centres may be paid above scale. ECE II (supervisor) An ECE whose job description includes a portion of the program s administration. The ECE II provides administrative or management support to help ensure quality centre-wide operations and has post diploma training and experience in management and administration. ECE II (resource) An ECE whose job description includes specialized responsibilities and duties with regard to program development and/or the inclusion of children with special needs. An ECE II will have a combination of post diploma experience and training in the area of specialization. ECE I Holds a diploma or degree in Early Childhood Education. Primary responsibility is the early learning and care of a group of children. The ECE has no program-wide administration duties. Child Care Worker II (in ECE training) A child care worker who has no formal ECE credential but who is actively pursuing an early childhood diploma or degree. This person works within a formal framework of supervision and support and will have a contractual agreement with the employer with regard to their training plan. This person is untrained or equivalent for purposes of the Daycare Act and may or may not be responsible for a group of children. Child Care Worker I A child care worker who has no formal ECE credential. This person is untrained or equivalent for purposes of the Daycare Act and may or may not be responsible for a group children. Certification is recommended for all eligible early childhood educators (1)http://www.ccsc-cssge.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/Projects-Pubs-Docs/2.25-WFChange_Main_Eng.pdf

The minimum salary guideline has been developed with the goal of promoting consistency within Nova Scotia s early learning and child care community. When used by centres to calculate salaries it will help determine how much more each centre in particular, and the field in general, would need in order to pay a wage that is reflective of the value of our work and appropriate for the degree of responsibility, skills, effort and education required for quality early learning and child care outcomes. The minimum salary guideline is offered by NSCCA as a tool for moving ahead collectively. Administering salaries is not a simple mechanical procedure. It is a direct expression of the values of the organization. When we confine our vision to the current limitations of our budgets there is a tendency to put policies and systems in place that actually lower standards and erode the quality of programs. It is our hope that centres will work to move their budgets toward the full cost of care by building their budgets around their quality needs. We invite you to join the Worthy Wage Campaign and to work with NSCCA to communicate revenue requirements to government on behalf of the early childhood workforce who continue to subsidize the child care sector with their low wages. How to use the guideline to determine the full cost of care: Assign a job description for each position in the centre. These descriptions define positions not the individuals who hold the jobs. An individual s job description will then determine their placement on the scale. Their years of experience will determine their level/step. Some centres many wish to move an employee up by a step or two to recognize a difference in educational credential. For example someone with a four year degree in early childhood might be placed a step or two ahead of a person with a two year diploma, experience being equal. If this approach is taken it is important to detail your rationale and make sure this practice is consistently applied. This practice means that the higher credentialed person starts earning more, earlier, but will also hit the ceiling sooner. Place all employees on the scale. Determine how much the salary budget would be if the scale were adopted and compare it with your current budget. The difference is the amount that would need to be made up by parents or government to pay your staff according to the minimum suggested guideline. That number can be used to advocate for change. Determine the % by which figures on the scale would have to be decreased to work within your current revenue. The scale can then become a goal toward which you can determine an incremental approach. Develop a strategic plan to address the changes you want to make. We suggest that 80% of current revenues be allocated for salaries and benefits. Join the Worthy Wage Campaign and work with NSCCA to communicate revenue requirements to government on behalf of the early childhood workforce. Don t let government fail to institute a formal system and budgetary support for quality early learning and child care in Nova Scotia. The vision of a quality early learning and child care system is good for all of us! Feel free to adopt the guideline scale as is, or customize it to reflect the job titles and responsibilities of your staff. Remember that this is the fourth phase of a suggested minimum guideline. Centres that exceed these guidelines are to be congratulated and we encourage you to continue doing so. You are true leaders in the field. 69% of Nova Scotia s centre based early childhood educators and assistants have a post-secondary credential (diploma or degree). 1 Nova Scotia s full time, centre based, early childhood educators are earning more but are not getting ahead. Our 2014-2016 guideline is set to keep our lowest paid classification roughly in-line with proposed changes to the minimum wage ($10.40 in 2014). (1)http://www.ccsc-cssge.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/Projects-Pubs-Docs/2.25-WFChange_Main_Eng.pdf

Working for a Worthy Wage Worthy Wage Why A Minimum Salary Guideline? NSCCA has a vision of a stable, professional, well paid and well trained workforce that is supported in offering high quality early learning and child care to children and families. We believe that the damaging impact of low wages must be made clearly visible so that planned growth in the licensed system does not happen on the backs of underpaid early childhood practitioners and educators. This minimum salary guideline will help child care programs determine a fair and equitable salary based on occupational standards and a classification system that recognizes education, experience and career progression. It is designed as a tool for advocacy that can help highlight the full cost of quality and the public investment needed to ensure a quality based early learning and child care system. RECRUITMENT & RETENTION WE KNOW: There is a link between wages, staff turnover and quality early learning and child care. You Bet We Still Care! Clearly demonstrated in 2013 1. Worthy wages offer financial rewards attached to increasing qualifications, role progression and professional development that supports quality care and early education for children. Consistency of care givers is a primary indicator of Quality Child Care LOWEST PAID IN CANADA Early Childhood Education Is an Economic Benefit WE KNOW: Nova Scotia s Early Childhood Educators are the lowest paid in Canada. The You Bet We Still Care! Clearly demonstrated in 2013 ECEs with post-secondary credentials in early childhood education are key to quality early ECEC experiences for young children. (CCHRSC, Training Report, 2007) Early Childhood Educators who are paid a worthy wage have a higher level of workplace satisfaction and are more productive as employees Low wages devalue the work Early Childhood Educators do. WE KNOW: Investing in Early Childhood Education is an economic investment. For every $1 invested there is an immediate return of 1.78 and a long term return of up to $17, particularily in at risk children (TD Economic Report, 2012) Child Care enables a strong workforce, allowing dual family incomes, increasing tax revenue. Over 75% of mothers in Nova Scotia with children under the age of six are working (Early Years Study 3 2011) What Can You Do? The NSCCA urges individuals and centres to advocate for, and work toward adopting, this minimum salary guideline. Centres can adapt it to reflect job titles and responsibilities that exist in their programs and advertise their use of the scale to help recruit qualified staff.we encourages all centres to move their budgets toward the full cost of quality which includes ensuring that 80% of centre revenues are allocated for salaries and benefits. The NSCCA recognizes the importance of professional development in quality early learning and child care. We recommend centres develop policies that support ongoing professional development for all early childhood educators and practitioners. NSCCA urges you to become an advocate for the field along with us! NSCCA offers professional support and resources to its members through standards of practice, a code of ethics, and affiliations with other early learning and child care organizations and associations. The Early Years Study, 2011 http://earlyyearsstudy.ca/en/ You Bet We Still Care, 2013 http://www.ccsc-cssge.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/projects-pubs-docs/en%20pub%20chart/youbetsurveyreport_final.pdf TD Economics Report on Early Childhood Educationhttp://www.td.com/document/PDF/economics/special/di1112_EarlyChildhoodEducation.pdf Child Care Human Resource Sector Council, 2007http://www.ccsc-cssge.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/Projects-Pubs-Docs/Training_StrategyFull_Eng.pdf

Nova Scotia Child Care Association Information on 2014 s Worthy Wage Day LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN To Directors and Educators of Licensed Child Care Centres in Nova Scotia, The Nova Scotia Child Care Association (NSCCA) would like to invite your centre to participate in the 4 th Annual Worthy Wage Campaign. Our goal is to raise awareness with our new provincial government of the importance of an Early Learning and Care System. We have created our updated suggested salary scale to reflect the education and experience required to implement these programs. We understand that with current funding arrangements most centres are unable to meet these minimum guidelines. We hope that with our current campaign we will convince the government to provide increased funding so that all centres can move closer to our recommended salary guidelines. This year we are asking early childhood educators to participate in a letter writing campaign. Enclosed you will find a generic letter discussing the importance of an early learning and child care system, that includes worthy wages for you, the early childhood educator. You and your centre can participate by asking family members, employees, friends, and members of the general public who support early learning and care to send this letter along with their story or comments to your local MLA, the Minister of Education, and the Premier of Nova Scotia. For this campaign to be successful we are hoping that all early childhood educators participate in this initiative. During the months of April and May we ask that you send your letter and your story to have your voice heard. Together we send a stronger message! Inside this Worthy Wage 2014 Package you will find: NSCCA Suggested Minimum Salary Guidelines Phase 5 (2014-2016). An open letter you can submit to your local MLA that includes a space for you to share your story (use a second sheet if required) Government contact information We hope that you will consider participating in this year s worthy wage campaign. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact us at info@nschildcareassociation.org Sincerely, PAST WORTHY WAGE DAY INITIATIVES The previous NSCCA Worthy Wage campaigns were highly successful in highlighting the issue of insufficient funding for child care in our province. Our 1 st Annual Worthy Wage Day, held on May 2, 2011 was our Hands Up for Worthy Wages celebration. Stickers and buttons were distributed and staff and families were asked to wear these to show their support. Our 2 nd Annual Worthy Wage Day held on May 1, 2012 was a virtual strike. Parents were asked to comment on how their family would be affected if the staff at their centre were to go on strike. We also created two videos on the importance of child care which can be viewed by clinking on the link on our website www.nschildcareassociation.org Our 3 rd Annual Worthy Wage Day held May 1, 2013 asked centres to participate by collecting as many signatures as possible for our Worthy Wage Petition. We collected over 2000 signatures and will be presenting these signatures to Minister of Education, Karen Casey when we meet with her on May 8, 2014 to ensure she is aware of the progress made with the previous NDP government. Kathleen Couture NSCCA Chair We encourage you to become involved! Together our voice is stronger!

A Tax Payers Voice Spring 2014 Dear MLA: I am a hard working citizen in your constituency. I earn a salary that does not reflect my education, experience or expertise, with very little recognition for the work I do. I am an Early Childhood Educator. Early Childhood Educators have the special privilege of working with the most innocent and vulnerable population in Nova Scotia, children aged 0-5. For years my salary has been subsidizing child care fees for other working families in Nova Scotia, while my family s finances feel the strain. I am writing this letter to make you aware of the how the lack of investment in the Early Learning and Child Care affects me as an Early Childhood Educator. 1. Early Childhood Educator Salaries subsidize Nova Scotia families. There has been no increase in the per diem rates for subsidies in 12 years (only removal of the parent portion). The low cap on income assistance for families with more than one child has not increased in over 12 years. The current $400.00 provided to families does not cover full time care for more than one child, therefore these parents cannot go to school or work to get out of poverty. With the lack of incoming funding to centres, Directors cannot continue to increase their fees to raise wages when parents cannot afford what they are currently being charged. 2. There is no provincial salary structure in place. The new You Bet We Still Care survey results were published in the Fall of 2013, and it shows that Nova Scotia s Early Childhood Educators remain the lowest paid educators across Canada http://www.childcarecanada.org/documents/research-policy-practice/13/02/you-bet-we-still-care 3. Low wages have been causing recruitment and retention problems for centres for over 40 years. Research has proven over and over again that Early Childhood Educators are the key influence in the quality of the interactions and relationships with children. Quality child care is a direct result of trained, qualified Early Childhood Educators. High Educator turnover in child care centres is a large concern because of the direct disruption in the care and the relationships that the children experience when an educator leaves her/his job. 4. Many Early Childhood Educators have a second source of income, either a spouse or a second job to make ends meet. For the Early Childhood Educators who are single, especially single parents, a second job is a must. The role of an Early Childhood Educator is demanding both physically and emotionally, adding a second job adds undue stress. The effect of this is a tired and stressed teacher who faces each day at a disadvantage. 5. Most Educators have a 2 or 4 year diploma/degree and are mandated by the province to continue their professional development annually with minimal to NO financial recognition for this. Thank you for taking the time to review my letter. Early Childhood Educators in Nova Scotia are anxiously awaiting action by your government. ALL Early Childhood Educators in Nova Scotia are feeling the impact of low wages. This is my story: Sincerely,, Early Childhood Educator