Agenda Index City of Vancouver

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO:

Standing Committee on Planning and Environment

FROM:

City Manager

SUBJECT:

Child and Youth Advocate Position

 

RECOMMENDATION

GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

Comments from Child and Youth Advocate

The current Child and Youth Advocate does not support the recommendation to change the position to a social planner with a focus on children and youth. In her opinion, this change would be a step backwards from the leadership role the City has played in striving to make the well-being of children and youth a civic priority. As noted in the accompanying Review of the City of Vancouver’s Child and Youth Advocate report (hereinafter referred to as the Review report), the option of keeping the Advocate position, as opposed to changing it into a social planner, was the preferred option of most of those consulted.

While there is no doubt that a social planner focussed on children and youth would be able to do important work, the termination of the Advocate position may be viewed within the City and by other jurisdictions as a lessening of Vancouver’s commitment to a child and youth agenda. Vancouver will lose:

· the nation-wide recognition that it has received for its leadership in advocating on behalf of children and youth;

· profile and focus for the broad scope of child and youth issues within the civic agenda, at a time when Toronto, following our lead, is in the second year of an assertive effort to place children and youth higher on that city’s political agenda;
· a position with a mandate to speak from the point of view of children and youth, even when that challenges existing policies and practices;

· a direct role for Council and the community in setting the priorities of the position; and

· an effective mechanism to get the attention of senior levels of government on child and youth issues.

The current Advocate feels the review process has not done justice to the important issues Council needs to consider in making its decision. The Review report contains valuable suggestions for ways to improve the accountability and support for the Advocate position, including examples like the City of Toronto’s evolving model of child and youth advocacy, where a City Councillor chairs a Children and Youth Action Committee. The utility of these suggestions and alternative structures deserves further exploration.

The Review report highlights outstanding questions about the mandate, scope and work plan of the Advocate position. The third recommendation proposes leaving these key questions to be answered by City staff without further discussion or input from Council or the community, including youth voices. Significantly, if the first two recommendations are approved, the task would be to write a job description for a social planner, making key questions about the appropriate role of a municipal child and youth advocate no longer relevant.

Council may wish to consider that the report of the community consultation at the end of the first Advocate’s term expressed the overriding concern “that the Children’s Advocate position not become another part of the ‘bureaucracy’, and that the advocate not be censored or compromised.” The City Manager’s recommendation to replace the Advocate position with a permanent social planner position, while promising longevity to the position, loses the benefits offered by term appointments of a “fresh pair of eyes” on a regular basis, bringing in individuals with different strengths who are not caught up in internal systems. Should Council decide to retain the Advocate position, the current Advocate would suggest a five year term as a reasonable balance between the need for continuity and the need for change.

POLICY

Vancouver’s Childcare Policy

Adopted unanimously by Council on October 23, 1990, the Childcare Policy commits the City of Vancouver to being an active partner, with senior levels of government, parents, the private sector and the community in the development and maintenance of a comprehensive chidcare system in Vancouver.

The Vancouver Children’s Policy was adopted by Council on March 12, 1992. It is a statement of commitment to the children of Vancouver and includes: Children’s Policy, Statement of Entitlements and an Action Plan.

Vancouver Civic Youth Strategy (CYS) Policy

The Vancouver Civic Youth Strategy was adopted by Council on March 28, 1995. It is a statement of commitment to work in partnership with youth and the larger community to:

The implementation of the CYS is an on-going venture in which policy, objectives and principles of the CYS are translated into action.

Vancouver Child and Youth Advocate - Practical Model of Advocacy

This policy was adopted by Council on April 27, 1995, following on Council’s approval of the Social Planning report on the position of the Child and Youth Advocate.

SUMMARY

In September, 1988, following the report of the Mayor’s Task Force on Children, Council approved that “A full-time position of Children’s Advocate be established for a period of two years in recognition of the need for someone to coordinate and encourage services for children in the City of Vancouver”. The responsibilities were “to ensure that children’s needs are taken into account in all areas within the City’s jurisdiction, and to act as advocate and liaison with senior levels of government to address gaps in service or deficiencies affecting children in their jurisdiction”. In April 1989, the first Children’s Advocate was hired and in July 1990, Council approved a one-year extension of Advocate’s term. In January 1992, Council approved a further three-year term for the Children’s Advocate position. The second Advocate served from April 1992 to May 1996. In April 1995, Council approved the hiring of the third successive Children’s Advocate for the City of Vancouver for a three-year term with an option to extend that term for up to two additional years. The position title was changed to Child and Youth Advocate and the position was given a direct reporting relationship to Council and its Committees.

PURPOSE

This report seeks Council’s approval to change the position from that of an independent Child & Youth Advocate to a full time position within Social Planning, focussed on Youth and Children’s issues.

BACKGROUND

In 1989, following the Mayor’s Task Force on Children, the City of Vancouver was among the first jurisdictions to appoint a Child and Youth Advocate. The role of the Advocate has been to work within City departments and in the community to ensure that children and youth are given full and appropriate consideration. Three advocates have served the City since it’s origination and at the completion of each term, a review has been conducted.

The current Advocate’s position began in 1996 and her work plan defined four priorities:

Council has a report dated July 6, 1999, that outlines the key accomplishments of the current advocate’s work.

Under the direction of the City Manager, Queenswood Consulting Limited was retained to conduct a review of the Child and Youth Advocate Position. The review which was time limited, included a historical review of the position and consultations with key interested and affected parties. The review of the position was prompted by the recognition of an increasing provincial presence through the creation of the British Columbia Office of the Child, Youth and Family Advocate, British Columbia Children’s Commission, and a team of investigators working for Youth and Children Issues out of the Office of the Ombudsman. The City Manager felt it was important to clarify the need and role for a City Child and Youth Advocate position given the current climate.

SUMMARY

This covering report and the document entitled “Review of the City of Vancouver’s Child and Youth Advocate position” provide for Council an overview of the Child and Youth Advocate position over the past 10 years and recommends that a full time position be established within Social Planning that focuses on the children and youth. If Council approves the recommendations in the report, the current Advocate’s term would conclude at the end of September, and staff would undertake recruitment of the position within Social Planning.

DISCUSSION

The review conducted by the consultants demonstrated that the stakeholders felt the Advocate’s role has been important in providing leadership to ensure that the interests of Children and Youth are a part of the life of the City of Vancouver. While there was strong support for the continuation of the position, several suggestions were articulated concerning the mandate and ongoing relationships of the Advocate, including accountability, the need for a long range plan, the broad age range of the mandate, the reporting relationship to

Council and the use of existing community resources. In addition, the consultants reported the need to link the development of the Advocate’s work with a focus on achievable goals and establishing linkages with other initiatives in the City. In addition, the consultants reported that the role of the Advocate needs to be defined as a facilitator of advocacy services rather than a spokesperson or lead advocate.

Therefore, the City Manager has concluded that while there is an ongoing need for a position that is focussed on children and youth, it may better serve the community if the position was in Social Planning where linkages to City initiatives, accountability, and mandates can be articulated within a broader social framework.

CONCLUSION

As we move into the Millennium, it has been identified that Children and Youth remain significant priorities on the social agenda. The continuation of a position that continues to serve Children and Youth would provide a key message to the community about the value and importance Council places on Children and Youth.

ATTACHMENTS TO THIS DOCUMENT THAT DO NOT HAVE ELECTRONIC COPY ARE AVAILABLE ON FILE IN THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE

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