Fall 2024 Call Out for Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Directed Growth for London-Middlesex (Not-for-Profit only)

After the implementation of the CWELCC system in 2022, the Middlesex County in partnership with the City of London, as the Service System Manager, initiated a five-year plan aimed at expanding licensed child care services in London and Middlesex. 

The Ministry of Education with the City and the County, have jointly established a target of creating 2,889 new Licensed Child Care spaces within London and Middlesex by 2026. This target encompasses both licensed centre-based and licensed home-based child care spaces. In line with provincial directives, growth of the CWELCC system will be directed towards generating affordable child care spaces in planning districts that have demonstrable need and in programs that support vulnerable and/or underserved populations. 

The Call Out process serves as a means for individuals or organizations to outline not only the quantity and locations of their proposed new child care spaces, but also to detail their strategies for ensuring that these spaces are accessible and inclusive for various groups. These groups include low-income children, vulnerable children, children from diverse communities, children with special needs, Francophone children, Black children, and Indigenous children.

The County of Middlesex and the City of London will review submissions to evaluate how applicants intend to support accessibility and inclusion, the chosen site's demographics, and its prioritization based on key indicators. This assessment ensures alignment with the County Middlesex and City of London initial targets, data, analysis, and plans. 

1. The Fall 2024 Call Out to expand the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) program is now open until November 1, 2024. For more information or to apply for the program, email childcare@middlesex.ca with your name, contact details, and the site address. Licensed home agencies should provide their head office address.
2. Middlesex or London will provide parties who have expressed an interest in opening in Middlesex and/or London a Fall 2024 Call Out package via email address.  The Fall 2024 Call Out package is designed to accommodate one or more child care program/site within a submission. All packages must be complete for the submission to be reviewed by the County of Middlesex and City of London. Incomplete submissions will be returned without review.
3. The applicant submits the completed Fall 2024 Call Out package:
   • Email @email with your name, contact details, and the site address.
   • Licensed home agencies should provide their head office address.
4. The County and the City will review the applicant's submission for financial viability, misuse of funds, and alignment with the Service System Plan's directed growth strategy. The reviewer may contact applicants with any questions they have about the submission.
5. Based on the submission by the applicant, in consultation with the County, the SSM provides advice to Ministry of Education via the Child Care Licensing System under the applicant's new license request or licensing revision request. If the applicant has not submitted a licensing application via the Child Care Licensing System, the SSM will review the submission but cannot provide CWELCC advice to the Ministry of Education until an application for a license been has submitted. 
   • Please Note: The advice provided by the SSM is based on information known at the time and does not constitute a decision or promise made for CWELCC eligibility or funding. Applicants remain responsible for working with the Ministry of Education to complete the provincial licensing requirements to obtain a license.
6. If the advice provided via the Child Care Licensing System indicates "Approve", upon receiving an updated or new license for the net new spaces, the licensee must submit updated information at the request of the County or City to verify eligibility to enter a CWELCC agreement.
7. If the licensee meets all other criteria at the time of licensing and there is available funding, the licensee will be requested to provide additional information to determine allocations and a copy of CWELCC agreement will be provided for review to the licensee.

The Directed Growth Call Out will identify child care spaces that are aligned with the Service System Plan of the London-Middlesex Service System for increased access to the CWELCC program. The Service System Manager, in partnership with Middlesex County, provides advice to the Ministry of Education during the child care licensing process regarding the likely eligibility of newly licensed child care operators for CWELCC funding. The City of London and the County of Middlesex do not approve child care licenses.

The Service System Manager, in partnership with Middlesex County, will consider the following criteria when advising the Ministry of Education. Note that this advice does not guarantee funding.

1. Commitment to Access, Inclusion, and Diversity: The applicant’s policies and practices demonstrate a commitment to these principles.
2. Supportive Workforce Strategies: The applicant has implemented strategies to ensure a workforce capable of meeting the diverse needs of families.
3. Understanding of Regulatory Requirements: The applicant shows a clear understanding of the Child Care and Early Years Act.
4. Alignment with Community Needs: The proposal meets the needs of families and the community, based on demographic data.
5. Operation in Underserved Areas: The applicant plans to operate in a district with low presence of child care indicators.
6. Effective Business Practices: The applicant demonstrates financial viability and efficient business practices.
7. Auspice of the Applicant: The organizational structure and governance of the applicant. London-Middlesex will not be evaluating applications of For-Profit operators for the 2024 Fall Directed Growth Call Out.

Note: Applicants must provide clear evidence of meeting the above criteria.

Important Notes:

• Applications must be complete to be considered.
• Funding is not guaranteed and is subject to eligibility, funds available, and alignment with the service system plan.

Eligible applicants include:

• Not-for-profit providers
• School boards
• Licensed home child care agencies
• Current and new licensees

Submissions are evaluated using the criteria identified above. Successful applicants for CWELCC funding will be required to meet provincial licensing requirements and provide additional information before entering a CWELCC agreement.

For more details, email @email

Approval and funding to support the creation of new CWELCC participating licensed child care spaces or to renovate existing space in not automatic or guaranteed. The County of Middlesex and the City London reserve the right to deny any application and/or licensee that does not meet the required criteria. The County of Middlesex and the City London also reserve the right to deny any child care funding to a licensee based on eligibility criteria, funding availability and/or misalignment with service system planning.