|
CITY OF VANCOUVER ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT |
Date: |
January 10, 2005 | |
Author: |
Carol Ann Young | |
Phone No.: |
871-6042 | |
RTS No.: |
4546 | |
CC File No.: |
5104 | |
Meeting Date: |
February 1, 2005 |
TO: |
Vancouver City Council |
FROM: |
Director of Social Planning in Consultation with the Directors of Real Estate Services and Legal Services |
SUBJECT: |
Appointment of Operator for #1 Kingsway Child Development Hub |
RECOMMENDATION
THAT Council approve the appointment of Westcoast Child Care Resource Centre as the operator for the #1 Kingsway Child Development Hub.
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manger of Corporate and Community Services recommends approval of the foregoing recommendation.
COUNCIL POLICY
In March, 2003, Council, Park and School Boards adopted the Childcare Protocol to maintain and expand child care by 5% over the next two years.
In April, 2002, Council approved the child development strategic plan "Moving Forward" Childcare: A Cornerstone of Child Development Services as the basis for future design of child care/child development services.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is to seek Council approval on the appointment of Westcoast Child Care Resource Centre as the consortium lead operator for the #1 Kingsway child development hub. When construction is much further along, staff will report back to Council to seek authorization of a lease to the society.
BACKGROUND
The City of Vancouver and Westcoast Child Care Resource Centre has had a partnership in child care since 1992. At this time, the City created a grant category to fund the basic infrastructure that is integral to developing and maintaining a viable, effective, high quality child care system in Vancouver. During the past 13 years, Westcoast has been a strong leader in the community and has provided a range of services, some of which include information and referral for parents, consultation and training for caregivers, developing and delivering innovate multicultural and diversity resources and training, information and resources for non-profit societies, one stop access, community networking, development and operation of a Young Parent Program, etc. Westcoast has been the recipient of a number of awards of excellence.
In the early 90's ,Westcoast was contracted by the City to establish a new single purpose non-profit agency to operate City-owned child care centres, now known as the Vancouver Society of Children's Centres. At this time, it was recognized that the City's practice was to work with existing child care providers or community service organizations within Vancouver, who had credibility within the community, expertise or a strong commitment to child care and who could provide effective administrative support. It was determined that the best approach was to continue with this community-based approach rather than a tendering process for an operator of City built services in the downtown core.
In January, 2003, the City, in partnership with the Mt Pleasant Community Centre Association and Simon Fraser Elementary School Parent Advisory Council, commissioned the Mount Pleasant Child Development Services Needs and Preference Assessment. One of the key recommendations in this report was that, "the hub at #1 Kingsway should be managed and delivered by a consortium of organizations with a clearly defined lead agency. This delivery model would enhance coordinated planning and service provision; program viability; administrative efficiencies and fundraising capacity".
It further stated that, "the consortium would be an inter-sectional table that builds on existing partnerships in Mt. Pleasant. Its mandate would be to deliver a comprehensive range of neighbourhood-based childhood development services for children 0 to 12 years of age. Programming would include on-site and satellite services and co-location of services currently offered at other locations in Mt. Pleasant. The consortium will require a designated lead agency to be the legal operator of child care and other programs. The lead agency will also be responsible for on-going coordination and staffing of the consortium".
The consultant further noted that, "the most appropriate lead agency identified to date is Westcoast Child Care Resource Centre. It offers programs in Mt Pleasant, has working partnerships with Mt Pleasant agencies, has extensive experience with consortium models and has the required child care administration and management expertise".
Westcoast has 15 years experience, successfully creating, supporting and sustaining child care related consortiums in Vancouver. In 1990, Westcoast became the administrative lead of the Vancouver Child Care Resource and Referral Program (VCCRR) that now involves ten Vancouver-based agencies in collaborative delivery of VCCRR services to families and caregivers. It has also been the administrative lead for the Vancouver One Stop Access Project consortium, a provincially created initiative.
DISCUSSION
Given that the 1993 review of how to determine the operator of City-owned facilities recommended that the best approach was to continue with this community-based approach rather than a tendering process and the 2003 recommendations of the consultant for a consortium model of delivery for #1 Kingsway hub; and Westcoast's long standing partnership and experience with the City planning, training, networking, multicultural programming and delivering a consortium approach, staff support the appointment of Westcoast as the lead agency for the #1 Kingsway hub.
Westcoast is a well respected organization in the community. The Executive Director of Westcoast is familiar with the work of the Mt Pleasant Needs Assessment Advisory Committee and has a historical understanding of the issues facing this community and the need to ensure continuation of service for those families needing child care which will be affected by the closure of the community centre. In addition, senior staff from Westcoast have assisted in the preliminary design stage of the #1Kingsway child development hub. In addition to the 48-space licensed child care/child development services, #1 Kingsway will include two purpose design built family child care homes. Westcoast has demonstrated innovation and leadership in providing support and training to family child care providers through its Vancouver Child Care Resource and Referral program and, in fact, includes as part of its affiliate organizations - the Western Family Child Care Association of B.C.
The first activity of Westcoast, should council approve this report, will be to facilitate community meetings to inform partners of the project, determine the consortium make up and establish a collaborative process between services for optimal mix of child development services within the hub.
For this year, Westcoast will fill this role with the support of the Program Development grant and existing contractual funds between the City and the agency. Over the coming year, staff will work with Westcoast to determine the level of operational support necessary to deliver a successful child development hub model for families and children in the Mt. Pleasant area.
Finally, the appointment of Westcoast as the lead agency for the #1 Kingsway hub has also been supported by the Joint Childcare Council at its meeting on September 9, 2004
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Westcoast received $238,300 from the 2004 Civic Childcare Grant - City Wide and Program Development Grant Funds. Negotiations are underway for the 2005 contract and will include the costs to begin the process of establishing the consortium and participating in the detail and final design of the child care centre. This will come forward for Council approval in early April as part of the Administrative Grant Report.
As part of this process, over the next year, Westcoast will work with the Child Development Coordinator to establish the appropriate level of ongoing operational support necessary to administer a successful child development hub model for families and children in the Mt. Pleasant area.
CONCLUSION
Staff and the Joint Childcare Council support the appointment of Westcoast Child Care Resource Centre as the consortium lead operator for the #1 Kingsway child development hub.
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