Resolution in Support of Childcare Funding

MINISTRY OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY DEVELOPMENT Quality Child Care The Ministry of Children and Family Development MCFD supports the provision of quality, accessible child care services, and recognizes the significant impact all child care programs have on the well-being and future success of British Columbias children. We are focused on increasing child care options for families and expanding the number of quality licensed child care spaces available to parents throughout the province. Funding Ottawas cancellation of the Early Learning and Child Care Agreement resulted in the province losing 455 million in federal funding over the next three years. Although the province received 33 million in federal funding this fiscal year, that is only about one-fifth of the 152 million we would have received annually. While we did not reduce our funding to child care programs and services, this loss required us to refocus our budget to ensure programs that support our most vulnerable children and families, and significant enhancements we have made to those programs, are maintained. The ministrys expenditure plan for the 33 million in federal child care funding focuses on developing strategies to maximize federal funding benefits and ensure child care programs are sustainable, accessible and affordable to families. We remain committed to giving our children the strongest start possible and recognize the importance of the early years in a childs healthy development. Child Care Operators The loss of federal funding resulted in the elimination of the federal enhancement to the Child Care Operating Funding Program CCOF. However, the provincial portion of the CCOF rate structure has remained intact. In July, the province announced that CCOF funding rates would be increased for children under three years of age to help mitigate the loss in federal funding. To mitigate the loss in federal funding, in February 2007, the province provided 20 million to eligible child care providers funded through the CCOF program to be directed toward quality improvement. These payments were based on the number of funded licensed spaces per provider and type of care provided. As well, MCFD allocated an additional 20 million to a trust to be distributed through the BC Council for Families. These funds will be distributed in February 2008 and February 2009 to child care operators who receive provincial funding under CCOF. These additional funds will enable child care providers to purchase new materials and equipment, and to provide professional development for staff. In the 2006-2007 fiscal year, MCFDs total expenditures on the CCOF program was 67.7 million, which funded a total of 82,386 child care spaces. Child Care Spaces Since 2001, we have funded the creation of 3,300 new government-funded, licensed child care spaces across British Columbia. In October 2007, MCFD allocated 12.5 million to support the Major Capital Funding Program for the Creation of New Child Care Spaces in British Columbia. Through this additional funding, we expect to create an additional 2,000 spaces by 2010, in family child care, private and non-profit group care, community hubs and in under-used school and public buildings. By extending capital funding support to both the private sector and family care providers, MCFD will provide incentives to create child care spaces in a variety of settings, thereby helping to enhance the number of licensed child care spaces that support parental choice and meet the needs of families province-wide. The government recently announced the introduction of the new Child Care Licensing Regulation, which enables new early childhood education graduates to apply for a one-year License to Practice so they can work as Early Childhood Educators ECEs while completing their required 500 hours of work experience. This will increase the number of working ECEs and child care operators will have additional qualified staff to draw from when hiring, enabling them to open new child care spaces. The new regulation increases flexibility for family child care operators, who will now be able to take in a maximum of seven children, newborn to five years old, without having to reserve spaces for infants and school-age children. This will leave more spaces for toddlers and pre-school age children, and help ensure licensees are not operating under capacity. Affordable Child Care Child Care Subsidy Program The Child Care Subsidy program supports about 25,000 children per month in low- and middle-income families with the cost of care. With an annual investment of almost 130 million, child care subsidy helps parents to choose child care options which best meet their needs. As of September 1, 2007, families with children aged six to twelve who receive child care subsidy for out-of-school child care saw an increase in their monthly subsidy rate. An estimated 13,300 children and 10,000 families were positively affected by reducing their child care costs. As of November 30, 2007, the income threshold and the maximum monthly subsidy rates for children attending kindergarten who are in regulated care and who turn six between January and June of their kindergarten year will remain the same for the duration of the school year. This increase will have a positive change on low and middle income families across the province. Recruitment and Retention Strategy: In 2007, the ministry granted 3.5 million to the Vancity Community Foundation to work with Early Childhood Educators of British Columbia to support professional development and training opportunities for child care providers and to establish an ECE bursary program. A number of other agencies also received funding this past year to support professional development opportunities for child care providers across British Columbia. In December 2007, the ministry announced two new programs intended to recruit early childhood educators to employment in the licensed child care sector, the Loan Assistance Program and the ECE Incentive Grant Program. The Loan Assistance Program will provide up to 2,500 toward outstanding BC student loans of new graduates, reducing the average BC student loan debt load for early childhood educators by as much as 38 percent. Early childhood educators who graduated in 2007 or who will graduate in 2008 will be eligible for loan assistance of up to 1,250 after each of their first and second years of employment in the licensed child care sector. The first payments are expected in June 2008. Effective January 1, 2008, the province introduced the Early Childhood Educator Incentive Grant Program. Early childhood educators who have not worked in the licensed child care sector for at least two years will be eligible for up to 5,000 as an incentive to return to the licensed sector. Both full and part-time employees are eligible for the program and full-time employees can receive up to 2,500 at the end of each year of their first two years of re-employment. The equivalent of 100 full-time incentive grants will be issued to eligible applicants. Supported Child Development SCD The SCD Program assists children, who have extra support needs, in participating in inclusive child care settings. Services are available for children from birth to age twelve and in some communities for youth aged 13 to 18. Funding is directed to a child care facility to provide extra staffing support and resources so children with special needs can be included in quality child care programs that meet the needs of parents. The ministry has committed to maintaining supported child development at enhanced levels, investing 54 million annually into this program. This allows approximately 5,800 children with special needs to participate in child care settings. There are currently 66 SCD agencies, including 12 Aboriginal SCD agencies. In 2007, the ministry provided funding for Aboriginal SCD initiatives and mentorship. This grant was to assist communities in developing Aboriginal SCD service delivery capacity. Twenty-two Aboriginal SCD agencies are currently in development. In addition, MCFD provided funding for SCD agency capacity building and administrative training to improve the efficiency of SCD service delivery.