Agenda Index City of Vancouver

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO:

Vancouver City Council

FROM:

Director of Social Planning

SUBJECT:

Childcare Strategic Plan "Moving Forward" - Consultation Report Back

 

RECOMMENDATIONS

GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

COUNCIL POLICY

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

In September 2001, Council received the proposed report, "Moving Forward" Childcare: The Cornerstone of Early Childhood Development Services, for information and approved a consultation process to obtain public input on the proposed strategic plan with directionto report back in early 2002. In addition, Council approved that the report be forwarded to appropriate Federal and Provincial departments and directed staff to continue to work with other levels of Government to develop a stable childcare system for Vancouver.

PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

This report presents a summary of the public consultation process and findings on the proposed strategic plan for child development services, "Moving Forward" and sets out the initial next steps for implementation. The strategic plan makes a shift from isolating childcare from other child development services (e.g. family place, drop ins) to work with other funding partners in the planning, funding and delivery of service. It proposes a more holistic and integrated approach and utilizes the facilities and expertise in the existing childcare system to deliver a continuum of services for families and children from birth to age 12 years of age. The plan is based on the understanding that quality childhood experiences maximize success in later childhood and adulthood, and that these experiences are relevant to parental and non-parental care situations (e.g. childcare). It is also based on the knowledge that families and children need a range of supports during the developing years.

The consultation responses showed overwhelming support for this direction and many respondents applauded the City for its leadership and vision. The consultation took place between September 2001 and February 2002 and included participation of approximately 500 participants. Respondents were able to participate in one of the 40 committee/briefings or community forum presentations and/or via website, phone in or mail in mechanisms. This report seeks Council's endorsement of the revised report and directs staff to proceed with the first phase of work which is to review, in light of Provincial and agency changes, the City's key childcare policies for a report back to Council within one year.

BACKGROUND

In September 2001, Council received a report reference on the proposed strategic plan for childcare, "Moving Forward" Childcare: The Cornerstone of Early Childhood Development Services". The report reviewed accomplishments to date, experiences of the past ten years, and recommended the City continue in a leadership role for the next ten years.

The presentation to Council in September, emphasized shift in demographics of children and families in Vancouver, the growing demand for limited resources, the slowing in major developments, the fragility of the small non-profit stand alone programs, the growing body of research on quality childhood development experiences and its relationship to healthy adulthood, and the significance between affordability and financial stability of childcare services. Consideration was also given to the potential shift in provincial policy relating to childcare and childhood development. Council was then presented with a proposed vision for considering how City social policy could be shaped in order to deliver a comprehensive,coordinated continuum of child development services for families and children ages birth to 12 years. The proposed City's role in partnership with other funders was set out to:

· Improve service coordination/collaboration
· Establish priorities and a planning process
· Facilitate stable, flexible, quality childcare
· Strengthen public and private partnerships
· Facilitate effective communication.

The presentation concluded with direction to conduct a public consultation process and report back to Council in early 2002. This report provides Council with a summary of the consultation process and findings.

DISCUSSION

The consultation process took place over six months. To ensure accessibility and availability of information a number of communication vehicles were employed, which included: a web site with the Council report, proposed plan, demographics package, Council presentation, parent flyer and survey. In addition, a hot line was created to allow individuals to call in comments. Five hundred copies of the proposed strategic plan and the demographic package were sent out to community organizations and individuals. A parent flyer summarizing the proposed direction and outlining ways to respond or provide comments was developed in collaboration with communications and 1,500 copies were distributed through various community organizations. The parent flyer was also translated by Westcoast into 7 languages including Serbo-Croatian, Spanish, Punjabi, Vietnamese, Farsi, Chinese, Khmer/Cambodian. Newspaper ads were placed in the Courier to inform the public of the consultation.

During the consultation, the Childcare Coordinator facilitated 40 presentations, discussions, briefings and received feedback from approximately 500 participants. Representation included politicians, senior bureaucrats, parents, childcare providers, community organizations, volunteers, city staff and the community at large. Content analysis was conducted on the consultation findings and have been summarized in the final report .

HIGHLIGHTS OF CONSULTATION FINDINGS

Overall there was overwhelming support for the proposed vision. Many respondents expressed appreciation to the City for its vision and leadership and felt the report was an excellent vehicle for pulling together information and planning considerations for childcare into one place. Correspondence from many partners was received, including the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, Vancouver School Board, Provincial government and the community. The Childcare Coordinator was encouraged by participants to continue toconduct public education and information sessions on the issues of child development and childcare. Strong emphasis was placed on families requiring a continuum of care, the need to build on the existing system and the need for the City to facilitate stronger partnerships with the Vancouver School Board and Park Board in planning and delivering a service continuum. Many respondents also reinforced the City's role in raising the issues concerning children and families with other levels of government.

Two changes to the report were made to reflect the views of many participants. The first was to change the title of the report to reflect child development versus early childhood development, given that the plan addressed the needs of children birth to 12 years of age. In order to enable the City Childcare Coordinator to better respond to the current focus of the vision, the Childcare Coordinator's title should be changed to Child Development Coordinator. The second shift in the report was the emphasis on quality childhood experiences for both parental and non-parental care environments.

Council should note that findings from the consultation have further refined the "Moving Forward" document. The five key roles of the City were well supported by consultation participants and include improving service coordination, establishing priorities and planning process, facilitating stable, flexible, quality childcare, strengthening public and private partnerships and communication. Some of the more frequently reported comments from participants are summarized below under each of the five areas. The first phase of implementation will be guided by the revised strategies set out in the "Moving Forward" report, which reflect the consultation findings. Policy recommendations, where appropriate, would be brought forward to Council for approval when further work is completed.

Feedback Themes

Coordination/Collaboration

· work with Vancouver School Board (VSB), Park Board (PB) and Vancouver Coastal Health Authority (VCHA) to take advantage of childhood development opportunities

· provide financial support to childcare providers to participate in coordination activities
· centralize wait lists
· support network based child development coordinators

Establishing Priorities and Planning Process

· establish planning and coordinating committee to advise and problem-solve with senior staff in City (e.g. Vancouver School Board, Park Board, Province and other partners).
· facilitate childcare and child development services in schools, community centres, libraries, and housing units as a way to increase capacity
· increase support to home based childcare (e.g. better links between family and group childcare)
· develop strategies to address service needs in South Vancouver, Northeast Vancouver and Midtown
· revise design guidelines to include preschool, out of school and family place

Facilitating stable, flexible, quality childcare

· develop a funding plan in order to facilitate greater stability and enhance flexibility
· assist in the development of municipal/provincial community pilot projects
· ongoing consultation with community as funding priorities change
· examine ways to utilize childcare facilities for family place on weekends and evenings and strengthen links between family and group childcare services

Strengthening Public & Private Partnerships

· facilitate a centralized data base between VCHA/City/VSB
· review child friendly workplace policies including City policies
· broaden parameters of childcare endowment fund to leverage private sector partners
· establish funders network

Communication

· continue public education campaign to increase awareness around child development
· develop strategies to better support families where cultural barriers exist

The consultation feedback and the strategies set out in the attached report will become the basis for the child development work plan.

FEDERAL AND PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT RESPONSE

The proposed plan was circulated to a number of Federal and Provincial representatives. During the consultation process, the Childcare Coordinator met with the Health Promotion and Prevention Team of Health Canada, Ministry of Community Aboriginal and Women's Services, and Ministry of Children and Family Development. Ministry of Family and Child Development was approached to partner in Vancouver based pilot projects and has encouraged a more formal proposal from the City. Ministry for Community, Aboriginal and Women's Services has indicated a desire to work with the City of Vancouver "in encouraging the expansion of safe, affordable childcare spaces".

CONCLUSION

The revised strategic plan, "Moving Forward" Childcare: A Cornerstone of Child Development Services, sets out a vision for child development services in the City of Vancouver and is based on broad public consultation. Over the next ten years the City will play a key role in facilitating service coordination, establishing priorities and a planning process that is aligned with the vision, facilitating stable, flexible, quality child care, strengthening public and private partnerships and facilitating effective communication.

The plan recognizes the importance of both parental and non-parental care in creating quality childhood experiences and sets out a system which supports both. Council is being asked to adopt the strategic plan as the first step in creating policies which support a coordinated and comprehensive system of child development services for families and children from birth to age 12 years.

Attachment: "Moving Forward" Childcare: A Cornerstone of Child Development Services.

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