Document given at the Meeting with the Minister of Family and Community Services

October 5th, 2007


Honourable Carmel Robichaud
Minister of Family and Community Services
Minister responsible for the Status of Women
Sartain MacDonald Building
C.P. 6000
Fredericton, NB
E3B5H1



Hon. Carmel Robichaud,


We, the seventeen provincial Early Intervention Programs, recognize that our government believes in Early Childhood Initiative; and we are aware of the financial contribution of the Family and Community Services Ministry by subsidizing the Early Intervention Program.

Since we are always working toward new and innovative ways of meeting the needs of children who are at risk of developmental delays, we proudly implemented the Attachment Program in our seventeen Early Intervention Programs as requested by the govermnent. This program gives us a tool to help foster healthy infant-parent attachment during is first year. The New Brunswick Early Intervention Association, who represents our seventeen programs, would like to acknowledge the government for their confidence in our work toward the children and families of our province. Be assured that we take this responsibility with serious and professionalism.
Presently we have two Early Intervention Directors working on the Redesign Committee of Early Intervention. This gives us the opportunity to identify changes needed to enhance the program’s impact. We thank our government for being a part of this process and for valuing our role as front line workers.

In order to continue offering this service to the families in need of the province, we must however have a basic financing adapted to the reality of the current year.
Considering that our monthly financing is based on the number of spaces allowed and that it is not indexed to the cost of living: it is very difficult to manage a budget which will have to cover all the expense of our programs. According to Statistic Canada, on the historic of the consumer price index: what cost 100$ in 1992, cost 129, 90$ in 2006. In 2007, we are already at 133$ for the same product. Thus the indexing on the cost of living from 1992 to 2007 is 33%.

In 1992, the government of New Brunswick estimated the cost of services of early intervention for one child at 3000$. Today, the cost for the same service would be 3990$: Whereas we receive 3250$. These figures indicate that in 15 years the programs received 8% of increase in their budget. These same budgets must cover pay wages, insurances fees, rent, mileage, maintenance, snow removal, electricity, telephone, equipment, training etc.. In fact, these programs received a reduction in income of 25%. How can we manage to cover all those expenses and keep our qualified and dedicated personnel?

On May 9th, 2007, as a Family and Community Services Minister and , Minister responsible for the Status of Women., you have tabled the first annual progress report on the government's five-year Wage Gap Action Plan. One of the four objectives of your plan is equity pay for all the women of the province. You had also mentioned that “I must make it clear that our government feels that a significant percentage of the wage gap can be attributed to the lower value placed on job categories mainly occupied by women.” We would like to stress that all employees of Early Intervention Programs are women. At the present time, with our subsidies which were not indexed at cost of living since 1992, it is impossible to achieve this goal of equity pay.

We therefore ask for annual financing, regularly and automatically indexed to the cost of living. Furthermore, the amounts received at the moment need to be adjusted to the cost of living; the 25% that is missing from 1992 to 2007 should be directed to the programs. Following these changes, the government could proudly offered the children of New Brunswick, services of great quality always advancing and in search of best practices.

We would like to take this opportunity to emphasize that we are grateful that you are working toward the well being of New Brunswick’s children and families.We would like to continue in a collaborative and transparent approach in our future collaborations in order to best serve our common goals which aim to improve childhood development, to enhance the child’s readiness for school and family self sufficiency.

We sincerely hope that you will accept our request and we thank you for your interest toward New-Brunswick Early Intervention Programs.

Sincerely,



Brigitte LaPointe
Executive NBEIA
Janice Duguay
Executive NBEIA

Ginette Boudreau
Counsellor NBEIA

Linda Beebe
Member NBEIA





c.c: Mme Édith Doucet, Deputy Minister
Mme Wendy McLeod-Macknight, Assistant Deputy Minister
M. Jeffrey Den Otter, Consultant
Mme Patricia Seely, Consultant