Date: June 25, 2002

Author/Local: C. A. Young/ 871-6042

RTS No. 2686

CC File No. 2402

CS&B: July 11, 2002

RECOMMENDATION

A. THAT Council approve 22 Childcare Program Enhancement Grants totaling $123,321 as listed in Appendix I, with conditions as noted; source of funds: 2002 Childcare Grants Funds, 2002 Operating Budget.

B. THAT Council approve 25 Inner-city Childcare Sustaining Grants totaling $226,919 as listed in Appendix I, with conditions as noted; source of funds: 2002 childcare Grants Funds, 2002 Operating Budget.

GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of A and B.

COUNCIL POLICY

On April 30, 2002 Council approved the 2002 Operating Budget which included an adjustment that limited the inflationary increase for the City Grants programs to 1.75%. Consequently, the 2002 budget for Civic Childcare Grants is $694,600.

Approval of grant recommendations requires eight affirmative votes.

PURPOSE

This report makes recommendations for the following Childcare Grant categories:

- Childcare Program Enhancement
- Inner-city Childcare Sustaining

This is the second of four reports regarding the 2002 Childcare Grants Program.

DISCUSSION

The focus of this report is on the Childcare Grants Program - Enhancement and Inner-city Sustaining grant categories. Demand for both Enhancement and Inner-city grant funding continues to exceed budget allocations. Grant funding this year meets 67 % of the overall requests. Grant funding will support over 2,300 children in 32 organizations. The growing demand for funding may be impacted by the increasing numbers of children who depend on childcare services for nutritious meals and/or snacks, the growing demands on early childhood educators to meet the individual needs of children "at risk", particularly in the inner city and as a result of recent provincial policy changes to childcare subsidy.

Of the 49 applications, 2 were deemed ineligible as they did not meet the grant criteria. Some applicants were eligible for both enhancement and inner city funding. Successful applications came from organizations serving high need families and/or providing high need services such as infant/toddler care. As in previous years, Social Planning has chosen to make recommendations which stretch the City dollars for the benefit of as many families and children as possible.

The grant review process this year included a review of all applications for completeness, site visits/interviews which were conducted by the Child Development Co-ordinator and a Social Planner. A grant review team comprised of a licensing officer, Supported Childcare Manager from the Ministry of Children and Family Development, a nutritionist from the Vancouver Regional Health Authority and Social Planning staff was established . All menu plans for food programs were reviewed by the Vancouver Regional Health Authority nutritionists prior to the review team meeting. Striking a review team provided an opportunity to share information between funding partners, learn of the growing issues in childcare, review all applications to determine fair allocations, and to make recommendations for improvement to next years grant process.

During the grant visits this year the central issue for childcare providers was the impacts of recent provincial changes to the childcare subsidy policies. All programs reported a change in families' eligibility for childcare subsidy and were experiencing changes and drops in enrollment as families became unable to pay the costs of childcare due to subsidy cuts. A number of programs reported significant financial impacts due to drops in enrollment, particularily preschool programs. While a city-wide impacts committee has been established to monitor and report these changes, there is concern that programs will have to reduce service and/or layoff staff due to drops in enrollment.

1. Program Enhancement Grants

The purpose of these grants (maximum $10,500 per organization) is to provide non-profit, licensed childcare programs with funds to enhance the quality of care offered. This initiative is related to assisting infant and toddler programs serving low/modest income families, extending hours of care, strengthening coordinated administration and quality improvement plans.

The following factors were considered during the grant review process:

- the size, type and location of program
- provision of services for infants and toddlers
- the level of need of the children and families
- the financial need of the service and organization
- the type of initiative proposed
- the extent of parent involvement
- program's profile of families in need

- adaptability and governance.

In total 22 Enhancement grant applications were received. All applications were determined to be eligible for funding. Social Planning is recommending approval of 22 Program Enhancement Grants (see Appendix I).

2. Inner-city Childcare Sustaining Grants

The purpose of this grant is to provide non-profit organizations with up to $12,750 to offset costs related to food supplement programs, maintaining child/staff ratios and keeping parent fees below city average. The majority of grant applications for inner city funding were for food programs and maintenance of higher staff/child ratios.

Programs eligible for inner-city funding, are considered to have met the enhancement criteria, but in addition, operate a childcare program located in or immediately adjacent to an inner city school project, clearly stand out as serving high need, low income families and are working closely with neighborhood agencies to meet the needs of inner city families. A significant number of the children attending these programs have been designated as "at risk" by the Ministry of Children and Family Development or require extra family support and/or are considered to be living in high need environments.

Twenty-seven childcare programs applied for funding under the Inner-city category. Only two applicants were deemed ineligible for inner city grant funding due to the profile of families served.

Social Planning recommends approval of 25 Inner-city Childcare Sustaining grants (see Appendix I).

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

The 2002 Operating Budget Civic Childcare Grants is $694,600, of which this report recommends allocations of $350,240 - Program Enhancement and Inner-City Sustaining grants of $123,321 and $226,919 respectively. The accompanying report for the approval of city-wide Childcare Support Services and Administration of City-owned Childcare Facilities grants of $241,746 and $78,150 respectively, leave $24,491 to be allocated at a later date.

CONCLUSION

This is the second of three reports related to the allocation of the 2002 Childcare Grants. Social Planning is recommending for Council approval:

22 - Program Enhancement grants totaling $123,321
25 - Inner-City Childcare Sustaining grants totaling $226,919.

This leaves a balance of $ 24,511 in the Childcare Grants Fund for allocation later this year (see Appendix II).

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APPENDIX I

CHILDCARE INNERCITY AND ENHANCEMENT PROPOSED RECOMMENDATIONS

Note: CQI Plan = Childcare Quality Improvement Plan

APPENDIX II