2025 Trends in Childcare

Welcome to 2025: A Year of New Opportunities

As we embark on a new year, Ontario’s childcare sector continues to evolve amidst changing policies, workforce challenges, and a growing emphasis on inclusive and play-based education. This newsletter explores key trends for 2025 and offers practical solutions to help childcare centres thrive while effectively leveraging available resources.

1. Policy and Accessibility: Navigating the New Funding Model

The Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) program has brought significant benefits to families, particularly through its $10-a-day childcare initiative. In 2025, the focus has shifted to sustaining this model by stabilizing operational funding for centres while addressing increased demand for spaces.

Under the CWELCC system, centres must manage costs effectively to maintain both affordability and quality. One challenge is ensuring compliance with budgetary requirements while addressing unexpected staffing shortages.

Solution: To optimize your expense model, it is critical to understand how operational funding aligns with staffing costs. Utilizing on-call supply educators can bridge gaps in service without compromising your bottom line. Sentient HR can support your centre by providing flexible staffing solutions that ensure delivery of consistent care, all while staying within the expense structure of CWELCC funding.

2. Workforce Development: Addressing Educator Shortages with Practical Solutions

In 2025, the retention of Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) remains critical for the success of Ontario’s childcare sector. Addressing this challenge requires childcare centres to focus on practical, high-impact strategies that create a supportive and sustainable workplace environment.

Solution:

1. Competitive Compensation: Leveraging CWELCC funding to provide predictable salary increases and benefits helps centres to remain competitive in attracting and retaining talent.
2. Work-Life Balance: Offering flexible scheduling options allows educators to better balance personal and professional responsibilities, thus reducing burnout and improving job satisfaction.
3. Recognition and Belonging: Celebrating educators’ achievements and contributions fosters a sense of belonging and motivation. Simple gestures, such as employee appreciation days and public acknowledgment of their work, can significantly impact morale.
4. Career Advancement: Creating opportunities for specialization or advancement within your centre shows a commitment to staff growth. Pathways, such as mentoring new educators, developing expertise in play-based curriculum frameworks like ELECT, and taking on leadership roles encourage long-term commitment.
By addressing these key areas, childcare centres can build a resilient workforce, ensuring continuity and quality in the care they provide.

3. Reducing Screen Time: Empowering Families through Parent Education

As the prevalence of screens continues to grow, childcare centres are witnessing increased concerns around the effects of technology on young children’s development. Supervisors have an opportunity to guide families in reducing unnecessary screen time by educating parents on the benefits of active, play-based learning. Solution: Host Parent Education Workshops that provide practical strategies for reducing screen time at home.

Topics could include:

1. Alternatives to screen-based activities that encourage creativity and physical movement.
2. Tips for establishing healthy screen habits, such as designated tech-free zones and times.
3. Ways to integrate play-based learning principles into daily routines, drawing from ELECT and How Does Learning Happen?

Offering these workshops creates an opportunity to strengthen the partnership between centres and families while reinforcing the value of play-based education.

4. Parental Engagement: Strengthening Partnerships with Families

Building strong relationships with parents continues to be a priority in 2025. Engaging families in meaningful ways fosters trust and strengthens the childcare experience for everyone.

Solution: Introduce initiatives like ‘Parent Learning Nights,’ where educators share insights into play-based learning and offer tips for supporting development at home. Pair these events with hands-on activities that allow parents to experience the curriculum in action.

5. Back to Basics: Deepening the Connection to Frameworks

Ontario’s play-based curriculum frameworks ELECT (Early Learning for Every Child Today) and ‘How Does Learning Happen?’ remain vital tools for fostering children’s development. In 2025, there is an increased emphasis on applying these frameworks to create environments that support exploration and individualized learning experiences.

Solution: Conduct regular staff workshops to revisit the principles of these frameworks. Focus on embedding their concepts into everyday practices, such as designing play activities that align with children’s interests and developmental milestones.

Moreover, ensuring educators have access to supply staff during planning or training periods can enhance their ability to implement these frameworks effectively. Sentient HR’s on-call supply team can provide the coverage needed to prioritize professional development.

Looking Ahead

As we move through 2025, the childcare sector will continue to face both challenges and opportunities. By understanding the expense model under CWELCC, strategically utilizing supply staff, and prioritizing professional development, Ontario’s childcare providers can deliver high-quality care that meets the needs of families while at the same time supporting its educators. Together we can ensure 2025 is a year of growth and positive impact for children, families, and communities.

Wishing you a prosperous and impactful year ahead.

Respectfully,

Greg