New Childcare Services Portal Launches to Simplify Registration and Support Families
In an effort to enhance transparency and fairness in the allocation of subsidized childcare spaces, Kateri Champagne Jourdain, the Minister of Family and member responsible for the Côte-Nord region, has announced the upcoming launch of the Childcare Services Registration Portal. This new platform aims to replace La Place 0-5 and is set to roll out in three phases, concluding by December 2025.
Phased Implementation of the New Portal
The deployment of the Childcare Services Registration Portal will occur gradually:
- Phase 1: Currently underway, this preparatory stage focuses on early childhood educational services. Providers will familiarize themselves with the portal and complete their descriptive information.
- Phase 2: Scheduled for November, this phase allows parents to access the portal. Parents already registered with La Place 0-5 will have their information transferred, while new users can create accounts and register their children in preferred childcare services.
- Phase 3: To be completed in December, this final phase will introduce the full functionality of the portal, including child referencing and ranking indicators.
A Fairer and More Transparent Process
The Childcare Services Registration Portal will allow parents to register children immediately after birth. Instead of determining placement based on registration date, the system will prioritize based on the desired start date of childcare services. This change aims to better address the real needs of families.
Under this uniform admission policy, all educational childcare services offering subsidized spaces will follow consistent and equitable rules. When a center reports an available space in the portal, the system will instantly notify the next qualifying family.
Key Features of the Portal
The portal offers increased transparency by displaying admission priorities and related requirements. Parents will have access to the necessary information to make informed decisions regarding their childcare options.
Transition and Important Dates
As of October 16, La Place 0-5 will be deactivated. Only records for children already born or adopted will be transferred to the new portal. Meanwhile, childcare services may continue to accept children based on the information available before the closure of La Place 0-5.
Parents currently registered with La Place 0-5 should ensure their information is up to date and create their accounts on the Government Authentication Service to prepare for the upcoming portal launch.
Supporting Families through the Grand Project
The development of the new registration portal is part of a broader initiative launched by the Ministry in 2021, known as the Grand Project for Families. This action plan aims to enhance network efficiency, promote equal opportunities, and standardize the admission policies of licensed providers.
Approximately 250,000 child records from La Place 0-5 will be migrated to the new portal, which all childcare providers must use for admissions. Since the launch of the Grand Project, over 30,500 new subsidized spaces at $9.35 have been created throughout Quebec, with an additional 14,000 spaces underway, exceeding the project’s targets.
El-Balad remains committed to keeping families informed about this significant transition in childcare services.
