Ministry of Education
1220 College Avenue

Regina. Canada 54P WEI

March 19, 21320
Dear Families of Children in School?based Child Care Centres:

The Government of Saskatchewan recently announced that due to CDVID-IQ,
classes in Prekindergarten to Grade 11 will be suspended indefinitely, effective
Friday, March ED, 202D. These measures also apply to child care centres that are
located in ill?12 schools. This means that your child care centre will discontinue
services to existing clients as of March it), EDEO.

The impact that this will have on families currently using these services is
understood and is not underestimated. During these extraordinary times we are
looking for everyone to contribute to the support for the broad community
response to the virus. One of the supports that is needed is a way to
ensure that essential services and health care workers are able to continue to work
to respond to the pandemic and are not impeded by lack of child care.

The Government of Saskatchewan is re-purposing child care facilities in schools to
provide child care support for staff in health care and other essential services,
beginning Monday, March 23, 2020. Priority will be given to staff in health care and
other essential services for infant, toddler, preschool or school age children, that
require care as those individuals continue to provide support in the response to the
pandemic. The list of eligible people for the emergency and essential
services child care spaces includes:
I Employees working in primary health care facilities including hospitals and
long?term care facilities,
I Employees working directly In home care services,
I Employees working directly in Elv'iT,
I Employees working directly in child protection connected to the Ministry of
Social Sorvices,
I Employees working directly in residential services connected to the Ministry
of Social Services,
I Employees directly related to mental health services,
I Employees working in laboratory facilities connected to testing for
[Gym-19,

Page 2
March 19, 202i]

 

I Child care centre df licensed child care facilities,

Ir directly related td prdyiding essential seryices in Sasdewer,
SaskEnergy. SaskTel, water and wastewater management.

directly related to prdyiding essential seryices fer pelice and ?re.

if the need arises. this list may change.

This apprcach is similar ta measures taken In etheriurisdictidns. Please hate that
child care centres ldcated within schci-als centlriue td eperate as normal. if you
still require child care. we encdurage you to cansider ether licensed child care
facilities In ydur cdmmunity. is a Iinlr to these seryices:
l: hw nfmil-n- - hll-car?n-- -
- r-ln-m - mm

if ydu currently wdrir In health care or ether essential seryice. ydu will ncit haye td
leaye ydur existing centre.

tdgetl'ier, we haye the ability te reduce the imp act at this disease. We
appreciate yuur understanding and contributidn to this efferi.

if yau haye further questidns, please cdntact ydur Early Learning and Child Care
Censultant.