Community Planning
2026-2030 Windsor-Essex Child Care and Early Years Service System Plan
The City of Windsor is the Service System Manager (SSM) for child care and early years services in Windsor-Essex. This responsibility is assigned by the Ontario Ministry of Education and established under the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014 (CCEYA).
As part of its mandate, City of Windsor's Children's Services works with local child care and sector partners to plan, coordinate and support a strong and responsive system of services for children and families. To guide this work, Children's Services has developed the 2026-2030 Windsor-Essex Child Care and Early Years Service System Plan, which sets out the local priorities and actions that will shape the child care and early years system over the next four years.
The plan identifies the following priorities for 2026-2030:
Vision
A coordinated, inclusive, high-quality child care and early years system where all children and families in Windsor-Essex thrive.
Pillars
Pillar 1: System Coordination and Data-Informed Planning
Pillar 2: Workforce and Sector Capacity Building
Pillar 3: Inclusion, Belonging and Family-Centred Practice
Pillar 4: Integrated Supports for Children with Exceptional Needs
Values
Equity: We work to ensure all children and families have fair access to child care and early years services by addressing barriers and directing supports where they are needed most.
Inclusion: We foster welcoming, culturally safe and accessible early years environments where all children and families can fully participate and belong.
Quality: We support and deliver high-quality early learning and care throughout skilled educators, nurturing relationships and continuous development.
Family Voice: We value families as partners and actively incorporate parent and caregiver perspectives into program design, service delivery and system planning.
Accountability: We responsibly steward public resources by setting clear goals, using data to guide decisions, and transparently reporting on progress and outcomes.
Collaboration: We work together across sectors and communities to align efforts, share expertise and build a coordinated early years and child care system.
Read the Windsor-Essex 2026-2030 Child Care and Early Years Service System Plan to learn more about local priorities for child care and early years services.