Agenda Index City of Vancouver

POLICY REPORT
OTHER

   

TO:

Vancouver City Council

FROM:

Director of Social Planning

SUBJECT:

2001 Childcare Strategic Plan - "Moving Forward"

RECOMMENDATION

GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

COUNCIL POLICY

The Civic Childcare Strategy, approved by Council October 1990, established the City of Vancouver's commitment to develop and maintain a comprehensive childcare system based on the principles of quality, accessibility and affordability.

PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

This report presents a summary of "Moving Forward - Childcare: the Cornerstone of Early Childhood Development Services", a strategic plan for childcare and childhood developmentservices for children from birth to 12 years (Appendix A). Building on the City's experiences of the past 10 years in childcare, a review of community consultation documents and demographic information (Appendix B) the report sets out a direction and context for the City to be proactive in seeking new opportunities and maximizing provincial and federal resources. This report is intended as a companion to the "Moving Forward" presentation and accompanying documents.

The proposed strategy included in "Moving Forward" envisions:

· comprehensive childhood development service hubs for children birth to 12 years are effective, efficient and coordinated and meet a range of children and families' needs
· childcare as the cornerstone of childhood development services
· childcare as a foundation on which to build early childhood development services and supports labour force participation
· opportunities and positioning for provincial and federal funding (e.g., early childhood development).

It also sets out a new role for the City which includes: improving service coordination, establishing priorities and planning processes to realize the vision of childhood development hubs; facilitating stable, flexible, quality childcare on which to build hubs; strengthening public and private partnerships, and facilitating effective communication among partners and consumers.

BACKGROUND

In 1990, Council approved the Civic Childcare Strategy, in recognition of its role as an active partner with senior levels of government, parents, the private sector and the community in the development and maintenance of a comprehensive childcare system in Vancouver. As such, the City of Vancouver has been a national leader in facilitating childcare developments.

Over the past 10 years there has been a shift in the demographics of the City's children and families, a slowing down of new building developments, a growing body of research and knowledge about the benefits of childcare and impacts on early childhood development; the implementation of a national early childhood development strategy and funding, and most recently, a change in provincial government.

There is an opportunity now, for Council to reaffirm its commitment to childcare while positioning the City to initiate a more coordinated, effective and efficient system of early childhood development services (e.g., childcare, parenting programs, drop ins etc). Staff believe that the direction set out in the "Moving Forward" document provides this opportunity.

DISCUSSION

The "Moving Forward" report includes a number of sections, of which the highlights are provided below.

Landscape

Child population projections (VRHB-2001) suggest that there are 68,500 children 0 - 12 years of age, an estimated growth of 16% over the past 10 years. The highest concentration of children is in Northeast Vancouver, South Vancouver and Midtown (43%). The incidence of children for whom English is a second language, urban aboriginal children, children with extra support needs and children living in poverty is also significant. An estimated 64.8% of children under 18 who live in lone parent families headed by women live in poverty and 62% of aboriginal children live below the low income cut off line. These families are less likely to be able to access licensed group care due to the costs of care.

The current number of licensed childcare spaces in Vancouver is approximately 8,506. If a conservative estimate of 50% of the 68,500 children required care, the current system could serve about 25%. Wait lists in some areas for licensed group care are as high as 800 families. There is also a growing demand for more flexible childcare options to meet the varying work and study schedules of families.

During the past 10 years there has been significant growth and development in Vancouver. While there has been an increase in licensed childcare spaces, ongoing provincial operating funds have been inadequate to sustain financially viable programs at a cost parents can afford. In particular, infant/toddler care parent fees range from $825. to $960. per space yet the real cost for childcare organizations is closer to $1400. to $1600. per space. Moreover, the maximum infant subsidy for low income families from the province is $585.

Childcare facilities that are solely for childcare programs, that serve one age group, tend to be less financially viable. They also do not maximize the use of "child friendly space" to provide a continuum of care for children 0 - 12 years old, nor do they tend to offer parenting or family services in the evenings and/or weekends.

DISCUSSION

Research

There is now documented evidence that a child's brain development in the first six years of life sets the foundation for lifelong learning, behaviour and health. The quality of early childhood experiences has long term effects on an individual's performance in the education system, their behaviour and their risk for chronic disease in adult life. Furthermore, positive early childhood experience increases school readiness and later school success. Various longitudinal studies found significant relationships between crime reduction, reduced teen pregnancy, reduced behaviour problems in school with positive quality childcare experiences in the early years. Canadian research suggests that every dollar invested in quality child care has a two dollar benefit to children, parents and society.

Community Consultation

Upon review of several community consultation documents such as Windows of Opportunity, Healing Ways, Facing the Facts, etc., consistent messages recur. These include the need to expand existing services and create flexible (e.g., care during non-traditional hours) and emergency childcare, increase parenting programs, improve service coordination and develop comprehensive, stable childcare systems.

Federal/Provincial Government Roles and Opportunities

In the Fall of 2000, the federal government announced a national Early Childhood Development Strategy, a $2.2 billion commitment over five years, to invest in a vision of early childhood development services. These funds would support healthy baby programs, parenting and family support programs, early childhood development including preschool and childcare. British Columbia will receive $291M over the next 5 years as its share of the federal funding. The provincial government spends approximately $188M annually on childcare. British Columbia families spend an additional $1.35 billion. The province's contribution to childcare in Vancouver is approximately $13.4M.

How the Early Childhood Development funds will be allocated by the province has not yet been determined since the government's recent decision to repeal implementation of the publicly funded childcare program, introduced by the previous government. Staff believe it is time to proceed in engaging the provincial government in dialogue about the City's vision.

Vision and Framework

Given the above, staff are proposing a vision and a framework, which builds on the Civic Childcare Strategy, to guide the work of the City over the next 10 years or so. The City has been successful in enhancing the childcare system in Vancouver over the last decade. In order for the City to direct funding from other levels of government, it must be strategically positioned. While the City has been successful in providing new child care spaces through the Civic Childcare Strategy, there is now new research and opportunities to support the coordination of childcare and early childhood services. The strategy outlined in the attached report will provide a vision of childhood development hubs which links childcare and early childhood development services, in a more coordinated manner.

The new strategy proposes to use childcare as the cornerstone, to facilitate childhood development services for children 0 to 12 years of age. Childhood development services will ideally be located in or coordinated with community hubs. These hubs may include community centres, schools, neighbourhood houses or non-profit childcare centres. With a comprehensive range of child development services, families will be able to access childcare for children birth to 12 years, parenting programs, drop-in services, family resource services, community information, toy lending and/or early intervention services. These early childhood development hubs will build on existing community services and provide a range of supports for families and children ages 0 - 12. Hubs will maximize the use of existing space, realize administrative efficiencies and draw from a broader funding base. A conceptual diagram of this vision is provided below as a guide. It is understood that communities will shape services to meet the unique needs of their neighbourhoods.

CONCLUSION

The proposed childcare strategy positions the City to leverage its share of the $291M federal/provincial funding. The City's role in facilitating childhood development services, will be to improve service coordination, establish priorities and a planning process, facilitate stable, flexible, quality child care, strengthen private and public partnerships and facilitate effective communication. The plan is predicated on a stable childcare system and a different way of doing business.

The strategic plan set out in Appendix A is an investment in the future. It provides a direction for the City of Vancouver over the next 10 years which will continue to position the City as a national leader. The strategy will focus on supporting the development of services for families with young children in their role as parents and caregivers. It will facilitate labour force participation, assist parents with supports for their children so they can access training and it will provide early and later childhood development opportunities for children ages 0 to 12.

LINK TO APPENDIX A

LINK TO APPENDIX B

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