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"The Nova Scotia Child Benefit income threshold will rise from $25,000 to $26,000 on July 1, bringing about 1,300 more children under the program's umbrella. Other families already in the program will get a modest improvement, on a graduated scale. Families with incomes between $18,000 and $26,000 qualify for partial benefits, and will receive average increases of $40 a year for one-child families, $100 a year for two-child families and $160 a year for families with three children. This will affect about 10,000 children already covered."

Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Karen Casey is taking steps to ensure the protection of children at regulated child-care centres across the province. Ms. Casey will introduce regulations that will give the minister the authority to ensure no child-care staff would be allowed to work with children at any time if they did not have their child abuse registry and criminal background checks in place.

"In today's digital world, new and expectant parents are looking for credible information online," said Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia's chief public health officer. "This new program has been customized according to Nova Scotia standards. It provides the information parents need in the online, mobile format they want."

Families in Yarmouth and surrounding areas, now have access to more services and supports for young children because of the new Early Years Centre for Yarmouth Central School.

Excerpt: "My government, through the department of Education and Early Childhood Development, has already started a review of regulated child-care programs. This review is focusing on the safety of children in childcare and identifying ways to make childcare more accessible and affordable for families, enhancing the quality of programming for children, and supporting staff who work with our youngest children. Recommendations from the review will be ready in the spring of 2015."

The province is being challenged to make significant changes to the way education is delivered in Nova Scotia. The Minister's Panel on Education released a report Oct. 30, that contains seven themes that represent what almost 19,000 Nova Scotians said are the most important issues to improve the system.

A snapshot of children’s developmental health at school entry.

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development wants to ensure Nova Scotia child-care operators have quality programs in place that meet the needs of all children to help them reach their full potential," said Education and Early Childhood Development Karen Casey.

Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Karen Casey announced Jan. 20, the government will address four key areas of early intervention to improve services to children and their families. The four areas are: improving access to early intervention for families; strengthening early intervention programs across the province; supporting and developing the early intervention workforce; aligning early intervention programs with the early years system and the public school system.

Excerpt: "A stronger emphasis on math and literacy in the early grades is one of the initiatives parents and students will see next September from a new five-year education action plan."

Excerpt: "Providing our youngest with a strong foundation: $1.3-million increase to reduce the wait lists for community-based Early Intervention; $700,000 increase for Early Learning Initiatives; $500,000 increase for four new SchoolsPlus sites. The additional $20.4 million invested this year will bring the total amount reinvested in our education system to $37.9 million. It’s all part of the four-year commitment to reinvest $65 million in education. A greater focus on Primary to 12 means better-prepared graduates ready for the workforce or post-secondary education."

Excerpt: "Four communities now have access to increased supports for young children with the official opening of four new early years centres. The expansion means there is now an early years centre in every school board in the province."