Parents and Caregivers

The Government of Prince Edward Island is committed to supporting Island families access high-quality, affordable and reliable early learning and child care services and is working strategically to increase capacity across the Island.

This page offers parents and caregivers resources to navigate and support your child (from infancy to age 12) through the different types of child care services all the way through to the transition to the public school system in Prince Edward Island (PEI).

On this page:

  • Enrolling in Early Learning and Child Care
  • Early learning and child care types
    • Licensed Child Care
    • Unlicensed Child Care
  • Support with Child Care
  • Universal Pre-Kindergarten
  • Kindergarten
  • Additional Resources

Enrolling in Early Learning and Child Care

childcare registry infographicFamilies seeking early learning and child care, including pre-kindergarten with a licensed centre must join the PEI Early Learning and Child Care Registry administered by the Early Childhood Development Association.

Parents can access and join waitlists for many licensed early learning and child care programs across PEI. Parents are encouraged to join the registry as early as possible.

What happens after you join the registry?

After you sign up, select the centres that best suit your family and child’s needs. This adds you to the waitlist of each centre. You can select as many centres as you wish.

When a space becomes available, a centre will contact the primary and secondary contacts on your child's account. If there is no response, they will offer the space to the next child on their list.

It is important to keep your account active to stay on a centre’s waitlists by logging in to your account at least once every 90 days.

Early learning and child care types

In Prince Edward Island, there are licensed and unlicensed child care services. Each type offers different learning experiences and providers follow different regulations set out by the PEI Early Learning and Child Care Board. Families should choose the type of care that best suits their child and family’s needs.

Licensed Child Care

Licensed child care services include Early Childhood Centres, Family Home Centres, Preschool Centres, and School-Age Centres. This means that anyone operating one of these programs is regulated and monitored by the PEI Early Learning and Child Care Board.

An Early Childhood Centre (ECC) is a centre that provides services for infants (0-22 months), preschool children (22 months old to school entry age) and/or school-aged children (school entry age to 12 years old).

  • ECC's that follow the early learning framework are called Early Years Centres (EYC's). They also have regulated parent fees ($10/day)

A Family Home Centre is located in a private residence that provides services for infants (0-22 months), preschool children (22 months old to school entry age) and school-aged children (school entry age to 12 years old), and they also have regulated parent fees ($10/day).

A Preschool Centre is a centre that provides half day early learning and child care services for children between the ages of three and five years. Regulated parent fees only apply for students participating in the universal pre-kindergarten program.

A School-aged Child Centre provides child care services for school-aged children (school entry age to 12 years old) on weekdays when they are not in school (ex: before and after school care, school hours when schools close for the day). They do not have regulated parent fees.

Licensed child care centres must have clear policies for parents, including details on:

  • The fees they charge;
  • Their procedures for dropping off and picking up children;
  • Their approach to child development and care;

Licensed centres are required to comply with regulations regarding:

  • The maximum number of children they care for;
  • The number of staff members responsible for caring for children;
  • Staff training requirements;
  • Food provided for children;
  • Programs that support children’s growth and development tailored to specific age categories;
  • Health and safety standards;
  • Annual inspections by the Province.

Unlicensed Child Care

Unlicensed child care services might be offered by a relative, friend, or neighbour. Individuals offering unlicensed care are not required to meet the same obligations as licensed child care providers. There are limits to how many children they can care for:

  • Five children with no more than two infants, or;
  • Six children if all are preschool-aged children, or a combination of preschool and school-aged children, or;
  • Seven school aged children.

This number includes the caregiver’s own children and does not increase if more than one caregiver is present.

woman reading a book to a child

Support with Child Care

The Child Care Subsidy Program assists Island families with the cost of child care services for children up to and including 12 year olds.

Preschool autism funding is available to help parents and licensed early childhood centres to hire an Autism Assistant for children.

Licensed early years and child care centres are also eligible for special needs grant funding for more staffing to support inclusion of children with special needs in their programs. 

How do I support my child when beginning early learning and child care?

It is normal for both you and your child to have strong feelings when beginning early learning and child care. There are many ways that you can help your child during this transition.

Before their first day:

  • Visit the child care centre with your child ahead of time;
  • Start out with shorter days, if you can;
  • Share information about your child with their educator or caregiver, including how to reach you;
  • Talk to your child about what to expect, such as activities and routines;
  • Pack a bag with your child the night before and label personal items (ex: clothing, etc)

On their first day:

  • Bring something from home, like a stuffed toy or family picture;
  • Create a morning routine;
  • Stay calm and positive before and during drop off;
  • Have a goodbye ritual.

Following their first day:

  • Build a trusting relationship with your child’s educator or caregiver;
  • Ask your child’s educator or caregiver how you can support your child’s learning at home.

There are many resources from early learning and child care experts that can support your child’s transition to their new learning environment.

little girl wearing a crown and looking at a book

Universal Pre-Kindergarten

The universal pre-kindergarten program is an optional play-based program for all Island children who will enter kindergarten the following year. It supports your child’s development and makes the transition to the public school system easier.

Through play, your child will work on social skills, creativity, language development, problem solving, motor skills and general knowledge, helping them adjust to kindergarten smoothly.

This program is 15 hours per week, offered at Early Childhood Centres and follows  PEI Early Learning Framework. Each child will have a Child Profile to track their growth and progress as they transition to school, which is shared with parents, educators, and kindergarten teachers. A copy is also kept in the child’s centre file.

How to register your child for pre-kindergarten?

If your child is already attending a licensed early childhood centre: Children already attending a licensed early childhood centre will move into pre-kindergarten in September, the year prior to entering kindergarten. Parents only pay a portion of their regular daily rate.

If your child is not enrolled with a licensed centre: Although pre-kindergarten is free and offered for any eligible child in PEI, families need to complete the registration process and then contact the centre(s) directly.

Children must be at least four years old on or before December 31 of the year they start in the pre-kindergarten program.

Kindergarten

Kindergarten is an exciting and important milestone in your child’s education. To help make the move to the public school system easier, you must first register your child with your local school. You can also help your child feel confident and supported for this transition with some practical tips.

Kindergarten Registration

Children turning five years old by December 31 the same year they are to begin kindergarten can register at their local English or French public school.

If you are unsure of their local school, you can contact either la Commission scolaire de langue française or the Public Schools Branch to find out.

Learn more about registering your child in Island schools.

How do I support my child going into kindergarten?

Getting ready to start Kindergarten is a big change for everyone in the family. Here are some tips to help with this transition. These ideas can be practiced at home, at the grocery store, in the backyard or anywhere to make the transition fun and help your kindergartener feel more independent and confident. 

Additional Resources

  • Family Resource Centres offer programs and resources for children and families. These include parent education and support groups, parent resources, prenatal nutrition programs, drop-in play, toy-lending libraries, and outreach for smaller Island communities.

  • PEI Public Library Services offers a variety of programs for children of all ages to promote literacy, learning, and social interactions. Visit Public Library Events to discover programs available at your local library.

  • PEI Literacy Alliance: Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is a free book gifting program devoted to inspiring a love of reading in young children.

  • The Province of Prince Edward Island is working strategically to increase capacity in the early learning and child care sector. Information on space creation can be found here: Early Learning and Child Care Space Creation Progress