ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: May 26, 1997
Dept. File No.
C.C. File No. 2401-1
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: Director of Community Services, Social Planning
SUBJECT: 1997 Childcare Grants Allocation - Report 1 of 3
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT Council approve five City-wide Childcare Support Service
grants totaling $254,000 as listed in this report. Source of
funds: 1997 Childcare Grants Funds, 1997 Operating Budget.
B. THAT Council approve one Administration of City-owned
Childcare Facilities grant of $63,500 to the Vancouver Society
of Children's Centers. Source of funds: 1997 Childcare
Grants Funds, 1997 Operating Budget.
C. THAT Council approve one Childcare Research, Policy
Development and Innovations grant totaling $5,000 to assist
Kiwassa Neighborhood House with the Hastings Park childcare
needs assessment. Source of funds: 1997 Childcare Grants
Funds, 1997 Operating Budget.
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Community Services submits A through C for
CONSIDERATION.
COUNCIL POLICY
On March 13, 1997, Council approved the 1997 allocation of $665,895 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;
1 Childcare Research, Policy Development and Innovations
grant;
as part of the first of three reports to Council on the 1997 Childcare
Grants Program.
BACKGROUND
The March 13, 1997 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. For 1997, the
funding guidelines were established at $254,000.
Five applications have been received (see Appendix I) and the
additional information included in Appendix II. 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 1996 action plans;
- identify emerging and new needs of families and childcare
providers;
- indicate how their service goals and action plans for 1997
would address these needs.
Three of the five City-wide Support Service grant requests reflect
a 1% inflationary increase and can be accommodated within the
funding guidelines. The application from the Information and
Referral Service of Westcoast requests additional support, but
staff review of the financial information provided, indicates that
maintaining a 1% inflationary increase will not pose a serious
problem for the service. The Childcare Co-ordinator is, however,
recommending a significant increase (approximately 12%) for Child
Care Financial and Administrative services. This service provides
essential bookkeeping services and board support to many of the
parent-run childcare programs in the City. Additional staff time
and accounting expertise is needed to support the 25 childcare
programs which have a gross payroll of $2.8 million. The
recommended grant of $63,235 is slightly less than the original
request but it is the maximum increase possible within the overall
funding guideline for this category.
The five City-wide Support Service grant allocations are
recommended for approval as follows:
Request Recommended
- YWCA Childcare Services $ 26,130 $ 26,130
- Early Childhood Multicultural
Services $ 42,855 $ 42,855
- Information Daycare $ 32,890 $ 32,890
- Westcoast Child Care Resource
Centre $ 89,700 $ 88,890
(core admin., resource and referral)
- Child Care Financial &
Admin. Services $ 64,014 $ 63,235
$255,589 $254,000
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 administrative costs of this society.
The 1997 funding guideline is $63,500.
In December 1994, the Vancouver Society of Children's Centers
(VSOCC) was incorporated, and in September 1995 its first
childcare service, the Library Square Children's Centre, was
opened. VSOCC is now preparing for the opening of the first City
childcare facility being built by Concord Pacific. Opening day is
scheduled for August 1998.
VSOCC's Year 3 workplan includes:
- refinement of financial & administrative systems, policies &
practices;
- strategic & resource development planning;
- ongoing management of Library Square Children's Centre;
- collective bargaining with the BCGEU;
- startup work for the 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
- exploration of additional services for parents.
The VSOCC budget for 1997/98 includes an Executive Director s salary
over a 12 month period - not a 10 month period as in 1996. The VSOCC
request fits the grant criteria, can be accommodated within the 1997
funding guideline and is recommended.
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 the expansion
of new flexible childcare options as the priority area. One
proposal has been received.
Kiwassa Neighborhood House has requested $10,000 to undertake a
childcare needs assessment and option review for the workers at
Hastings Park racetrack. Preliminary discussions suggest that the
grooms, flat workers, jockeys, hot walkers, and other racetrack
support workers face serious childcare problems because of the
unusual hours and scheduling of their work. Their options are
further limited because of low wages. Concerns about the safety
and well being of some of the children have been raised and so
Kiwassa Neighborhood House has agreed to work with Hastings Park
Race Track parents and the Racing Commission to explore potential
solutions. A grant of $5,000 is recommended at this time. Once
further information has been collected, a Phase II proposal may be
submitted to Council for consideration.
CONCLUSION
This report recommends approval of:
- 5 City-wide Support Services grants totaling $254,000
- 1 Administration of City-owned Facilities grant of $63,500
- 1 Research, Policy Development, Innovations grant totaling $5,000.
This leaves $343,395 still remaining in the 1997 Childcare Grants budget
for allocation to grant categories which are reported in July and/or
November (see Appendix III).
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