Ontario Opening More Family Literacy Centres

Ontario will open 34 new Parenting and Family Literacy Centres in schools this September. The $2 million investment will help more young children get a great start on learning.

Research shows that early childhood education helps to improve student achievement and prepare children for school. The centres help children up to six years of age build essential language, numbers and social skills through stories, music and play. Parents or caregivers attend with the children and engage in their learning.

Located in schools in high-needs communities, the centres also help ease the transition to kindergarten by:

- Familiarizing children and families with school routines - Giving children and families the chance to spend time with other families - Linking families with appropriate community resources for special needs, health and other related services.

- The centres are free to attend and families do not have to pre-register.

- Each centre has a book-lending library in different languages so parents can read to children in their first language.

- This investment builds on the $6 million announced in June 2007 for 89 centres. There will now be a total of 123 centres across the province.

Find out if there is a centre near you (http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/parents/pflc.html).

Read tips for parents to help your child learn (http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/abc123/).