ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: May 15, 1996
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: Director of Community Services, Social Planning
SUBJECT: 1996 Childcare Grants Allocation - Report 1 of 3
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT Council approve five City-wide Childcare Support
Service grants totalling $246,265 as listed in this report.
Source of funds: 1996 Childcare Grants Funds, 1996
Operating Budget.
B. THAT Council approve one Administration of City-owned
Childcare Facilities grant of $52,400 to the Vancouver
Society of Children's Centres. Source of funds: 1996
Childcare Grants Funds, 1996 Operating Budget.
C. THAT Council approve two Childcare Research, Policy
Development and Innovations grants totalling $9,702 as
listed in this report. Source of funds: 1996 Childcare
Grants Funds, 1996 Operating Budget.
D. THAT Council approve two Program Development grants
totalling $10,000 to assist with the costs of opening two
new childcare programs as listed in this report. Source of
funds: 1996 Childcare Grants Funds, 1996 Operating Budget.
E. THAT Council approve one Program Stabilization grant of
$5,000 to the Vancouver Life Skills Society to provide short
term emergency support during the start-up period for their
preschool/kindercare program. Source of funds: 1996
Childcare Grants Funds, 1996 Operating Budget.
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Community Services submits A through E for
CONSIDERATION.
COUNCIL POLICY
On February 1, 1996, Council approved the 1996 allocation of $659,300
for the Childcare Grants Program.
Approval of grant recommendations requires eight affirmative votes.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is to recommend approval of:
5 City-wide Childcare Support Services grants;
1 Administration of City-owned Childcare Facilities grant;
2 Childcare Research, Policy Development and Innovations
grants;
2 Program Development grant; and
1 Program Stabilization grant
as part of the first of three reports to Council on the 1996 Childcare
Grants Program.
BACKGROUND
The February 1, 1996 Childcare Grants Ceiling Report identified the
priorities and granting process for the five childcare grant
categories described in this report.
DISCUSSION
1. City-wide Childcare Support Program
This grant category was established in 1992 to fund childcare
support services that are integral to developing a viable,
effective, high quality childcare system in Vancouver and unique
childcare services which stand as city-wide models.
Five applications have been received (see Appendix I). The
Childcare Co-ordinator reviewed these applications and engaged in
in-depth discussions with representatives from each of the five
services. Applicants were asked to:
- highlight the key outcomes achieved during the past year;
- report on how they had evaluated their service during the
past year;
- identify any barriers or challenges which had limited their
ability to implement all aspects of their 1995 action
plans;
- identify emerging and new needs of families and childcare
providers;
- indicate how their service goals and actions plans for 1996
would address these needs.
Four of the five City-wide Support Service grant requests reflect
a 0 - 2% inflationary increase and can be accom-modated within the
funding guidelines. The application from the Information and
Referral Service of Westcoast requests additional support for a
0.4 FTE staff position for their Early Childhood Education
library. The library collection includes over 5,600 items and
serves approxi-mately 2,000 registered borrowers - a 25% increase
since 1995. The request is certainly well justified, but it is
not being recommended at this time because it would require a
shift of funds away from other childcare priorities approved in
the 1996 Grant Ceiling Report. Instead the Childcare Co-ordinator
has agreed to work with Westcoast to find an alternate funding
source. In the short term, this means that the Westcoast library
will be closed Mondays until the necessary funding can be secured.
The five City-wide Support Service grant allocations are
recommended for approval as follows:
Request Recommended
- Child Care Financial & Admin. Services $ 56,514 $ 56,515
- Early Childhood Multicultural Services $ 42,432 $ 42,430
- Information Daycare $ 32,640 $ 32,640
- Westcoast Child Care Resource Centre $102,290 $ 88,810
(core admin., resource and referral)
- YWCA Childcare Services $ 25,870 $ 25,870
$259,746 $246,265
2. Administration of City-owned Facilities Grant
The Civic Childcare Strategy called for development of a
single-purpose, non-profit childcare organization to manage those
new City-owned/leased facilities in the Downtown area resulting
from rezoning negotiations or City projects. This grant category
was established to fund the administra-tive costs of this society.
In December 1994, the Vancouver Society of Children's Centres
(VSOCC) was incorporated. The combined start-up of the new
society and its first childcare service, the Library Square
Children's Centre, has been extremely challenging and time
consuming for the volunteer board. The Childcare Co-ordinator has
worked closely with the Board and VSOCC staff throughout Year One.
It was anticipated that VSOCC's 1996/97 budget requirements would
be approximately $62,000. However, this projection was based on
an Executive Director being in place for the full 12 month period.
Unexpected staff changes mean that the E.D's position will likely
only require 10 months of funding in the 96/97 year. Therefore
the 1996 VSOCC grant request for administrative support is $52,400
(See Appendix II). It is recommended that this request be
approved.
VSOCC's Year 2 workplan includes:
- refinement of financial & administrative systems, policies &
practices;
- development of strategic & resource development plans;
- ongoing management of Library Square Children's Centre;
- collective bargaining with the BCGEU;
- preliminary design work on the proposed Roundhouse childcare
facility in False Creek North;
- ongoing connections with the corporate and community sectors in
the Downtown Peninsula;
- participation in the Vancouver Childcare Regional Delivery
Models Pilot Project;
- assessment of role in Supported Childcare.
3. Childcare Research, Policy Development and Innovations Fund
The purpose of this grant is to encourage and fund two or three
new initiatives each year. The Ceiling Report identified family
daycare expansion as the priority area. Two proposals have been
received.
The first proposal is for an Inner-city "in-home" childcare
training project sponsored by Ray Cam Community Association in
partnership with the Vancouver Child Care Support Program (see
Appendix III). This innovative project will also include a
Vietnamese language/translation component. It represents an
exciting first step in developing flexible "in home" care options
in the Downtown Eastside/Strathcona neighbourhoods It also expands
the scope of the multi-lingual family child care training program.
(Previous City funds have supported development of family child
care training in Cantonese, Spanish and Punjabi.) The Ray-Cam
grant request of $3,622 is recommended for Council approval.
The second proposal emerged from staff discussions with Access
Building Association regarding their recent innovative family
childcare project in a new family/seniors housing project in
Burnaby.
Family childcare is a preferred childcare option for some
families. However, long term stability of the service has been a
significant issue. The creation of new family childcare spaces
has traditionally relied upon individuals choosing to license
their family dwellings for up to seven children including the
caregiver's own children. Past experience has shown that while
some caregivers have been in business for many years, there is
generally high turn-over rate. There may be several family
childcare centres in a neighbourhood one year and then none the
next. Even recruitment and training initiatives have not
significantly increased the numbers of family childcare centres in
many areas of Vancouver. One of the barriers noted by care-givers
is finding appropriate, affordable, live/work/child-care
licensable space.
The Oaklands project in Burnaby initiated by Access Build-ing
Association, has overcome this barrier by including two custom
designed, designated childcare units in a housing co-operative at
minimal additional capital cost, and by recruiting two experienced
caregivers who have legally agreed to offer family daycare in
exchange for residency in the modified, larger than usual units.
The units are adjoining to allow collaboration and support between
the operators. This project has stimulated renewed interest in
family childcare from senior levels of government.
Access Building Association has expressed interest in working with
City staff to explore the policy, action strategies and funding
requirements for a family child care expansion program in
Vancouver (see proposal details in Appendix IV). Given that the
Civic Childcare Strategy approved in October 1991, provides little
direction on possible family childcare development options, this
piece of policy work would be extremely valuable. It is
there-fore recommended that the grant request of $6,080 be
approved.
4. Program Development Grants
This grant category provides some assistance to non-profit
societies with the non-capital costs associated with developing
new childcare services, particularly in high need under-served
areas of the city. It complements the provincial childcare
facilities and equipment grant program. Two applications have
been received to date. It is anticipated that one more request
will be received before year end.
- Jewish Community Centre
12 space toddler group daycare program in the recently
renovated Children's Program area;
- Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood House
20 space after-school program at Beaconsfield School.
Both these proposals fit the Program Development criteria and are
recommended for grants of $5,000 each.
5. Program Stabilization
This grant category provides emergency stabilization funds to
childcare programs that are experiencing financial difficulties.
Upon application, the Childcare Co-ordinator works with the
childcare operator to assess the reasons for the financial
problems and to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed
stabilization plan.
The Vancouver Life Skills Society recently approached the
Childcare Co-ordinator for a $5,000 grant to offset the program
deficit for their recently opened preschool/kinder-care program,
KidsCare Centre.
Construction delays of this City-owned facility meant that the
program was not fully operational for the key September start-up
date. Consequently enrolment has taken longer to build than
originally anticipated and an operating deficit has resulted. As
noted in the correspondence in Appendix V, the society has taken a
number of steps to cut costs and increase revenues. Registrations
for September 1997 look extremely promising and it is projected
that the childcare program will break even for 1996/97. The
Vancouver Life Skills Society, however, is not in the financial
position to absorb the full 1995/96 deficit because it would place
their South Vancouver Family Place operation at risk. This
has been confirmed by the Childcare Co-ordinator and the Social
Planning staff who reviewed the Family Place Community Services
grant application. It is therefore recommended that the Vancouver
Life Skills Society be given a one time Program Stabilization
grant of $5,000 to ensure the ongoing viability of the 40
childcare spaces. The Childcare Co-ordinator will continue to
monitor the program's financial progress closely.
CONCLUSION
This report recommends approval of:
- 5 City-wide Support Services grants totalling $246,265
- 1 Administration of City-owned Facilities grant of $52,400
- 2 Research,Policy Development, Innovations grants totalling
$9,702
- 2 Program Development grants totalling $10,000
- 1 Program Stabilization grant of $5,000.
This leaves $335,933 still remaining in the 1996 Childcare Grants
budget for allocation to grant categories which are reported in July
and/or November (see Appendix VI).
* * * * *
APPENDIX II
VANCOUVER SOCIETY OF CHILDREN'S CENTRES (VSOCC)
Administration Budget (April 1996 - March 1997)
REVENUE:
City Grant Request $52,400
Pilot Project MWE 2,000
Total Revenue $54,400
EXPENSES:
Salaries & Benefits (10 months only) $43,200
Audit & Legal 3,000
Director's Liability Insurance 2,000
Telephone/Fax 1,700
Equipment/Software 1,000
Office Supplies/Postage 1,000
Community Outreach/Advertising 1,000
Board Expenses - meeting/training 500
Memberships/Resource Materials 500
Professional Development 500
Office rent & related occupancy costs 0
(included in L.S. childcare budget)
Total Expenses $54,400
APPENDIX VI
Date of Proposed Recommended
Grant Category Report to 1996 to
Council Funding Date
City-Wide Support May $245,300 $246,265
Services
Administration of May 62,000 52,400
City-owned Facilities
Research, Policy Dev. May/July/ 10,000 9,702
and Innovations December
Program Development May/July/ 14,000 10,000
December
Inner-City July 164,000 0
Program Enhance July 159,000 0
Program Stabilization As 5,000 5,000
required
TOTAL: $659,300 $323,367
BALANCE: $335,933