Child Care and Early Years Service System Plan (2025-2029)

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Service System Plan cover page

On April 30, 2025, City Council approved the Child Care and Early Years Service System Plan for 2025 to 2029.

This Service System Plan is the road map for the next five years that guides the planning and delivery of local early learning and child care services, ensuring programs are responsive to the needs of children 0 to 12 years old and their families. It establishes a shared vision, a five-year strategy statement, eight guiding principles, eight strategic priorities, and 55 actions (with outcomes).

The Service System Plan aims to:

  • simplify access for children and families,
  • reduce barriers and systemic inequities, and
  • create opportunities for meaningful reconciliation, all in support of strengthening the early learning and child care sector.

It also lays the groundwork for a strong future, as child care and early learning initiatives continue to evolve and align with the on-going implementation of the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care system.

The development of the Children’s Services Service System Plan is aligned with the City of Ottawa Strategic plan (2023-2026) and directly supports the strategic objective to "Simplify access to social services to support those in need, including housing, employment and child-care services."

On April 30, 2025, City Council approved the Child Care and Early Years Service System Plan for 2025 to 2029.

This Service System Plan is the road map for the next five years that guides the planning and delivery of local early learning and child care services, ensuring programs are responsive to the needs of children 0 to 12 years old and their families. It establishes a shared vision, a five-year strategy statement, eight guiding principles, eight strategic priorities, and 55 actions (with outcomes).

The Service System Plan aims to:

  • simplify access for children and families,
  • reduce barriers and systemic inequities, and
  • create opportunities for meaningful reconciliation, all in support of strengthening the early learning and child care sector.

It also lays the groundwork for a strong future, as child care and early learning initiatives continue to evolve and align with the on-going implementation of the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care system.

The development of the Children’s Services Service System Plan is aligned with the City of Ottawa Strategic plan (2023-2026) and directly supports the strategic objective to "Simplify access to social services to support those in need, including housing, employment and child-care services."

  • CLOSED: This survey has concluded.

    Child Care and EarlyON - Service System Plan Survey

    As Children’s Services works to update the Service System Plan it is important that we hear from parents, families, and caregivers and those expecting a child. Feedback will help identify community priorities, strengths, challenges or gaps, and areas for action.

    Your feedback will help ensure we are setting appropriate priorities for the next five years. The survey can be accessed and completed using the links below. The survey will remain open until April 10th, 2024.

    We are committed to ensuring that all participants can access and complete this survey. If you require accommodations, please email childrensservices@ottawa.ca by adding “Caregiver Child Care and Early Years Survey - accommodations” to your subject line. 

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  • CLOSED: These focus groups have concluded.

    Share your experiences in a family focus group

    The City of Ottawa and Children’s Services want to hear from you! Help shape child care and EarlyON services in Ottawa.   

    Together with several different partners across Ottawa, Children’s Services is working to coordinate focus groups to hear from parents and caregivers about their diverse experiences and needs related to child care and EarlyON services.   

    At this time, Children’s Services is looking to learn more about the child care and early years experiences from the following population groups: 

    • Parents and caregivers of children aged 0 to 12 with special needs
    • 2SLGBTQ+ parents and caregivers with children aged 0 to 12 
    • Francophone families, parents and caregivers of children aged 0 to 12  
    • Parents and caregivers of children aged 0 to 12 with disabilities 

    Please check back as more focus groups are added!

    If you are interesting in participating in a focus group, please email ChildrensServices@ottawa.ca, and include in the subject line: “Family Focus Group.” 
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Page last updated: 29 Oct 2025, 08:44 AM