Building on our Strengths:A Child Care Plan for Victoria

September 2008

Victoria Regional Child Care Council

PLAY (Partners in Learning and Advocacy for Young Children)

Lynell Anderson, CGASenior Researcher,

Human Early Learning Partnership

Dan Rosen, M.Sc.PlConsultant

Victoria RCCC learning …

Families need more child care spaces, especially infant/toddler, part-time

AND

Families need quality, affordable spaces

AND

Stable public operating funds are required to add spaces, lower fees and raise wages for trained staff – i.e. to BUILD A SYSTEM …THEREFORE WE NEED:

• A provincial plan with timelines and adequate funding

• Community partnerships to implement the plan.

Building on our Strengths: A Child Care Plan for Victoria

Project asks: How could plan be implemented in Victoria Region?

Review of Project Deliverables

Develop child care vision and plan

Cost the plan

Develop proposed implementation approach

Increase understanding of economic benefits of improving access to quality, affordable child care, and implications for child care public policy

Building on our Strengths: A Child Care Plan for Victoria

RCCC child care vision …

The Greater Victoria Regional Child Care Council believes that all children in our area are entitled to an enriched, responsive and secure early childhood experience. Their families deserve recognition and support for their provision for their children’s well-being.

Building on our Strengths: A Child Care Plan for Victoria

RCCC child care vision …

At the moment the picture of care and education for our youngest citizens is fragmented, lacking cohesiveness and structure. Perhaps now we have a wonderful opportunity to introduce some fundamental changes.

Building on our Strengths: A Child Care Plan for Victoria

RCCC child care vision …

As a key component of child development & family support policy, a comprehensive child care system can and must support:

• Children’s healthy, holistic development

• Parents in all of their roles (parenting, working, studying, volunteering, caring for others)

An effective child care system collaborates and/or integrates with other public services such as health and education.

Building on our Strengths: A Child Care Plan for Victoria

Two-part Approach:

1. Comprehensive provincial plan - public funding from senior governments (federal/provincial) accountable for improved quality, affordability and access based on ‘best practice’ policy recommendations, research and evidence

2. Build from strengths - while fragile, existing community assets (programs and people) and partnerships provide starting place

Building on our Strengths: A Child Care Plan for Victoria

Social & Economic Benefits of Child Care

Societal benefits derive from benefits for:

1. Children – human development, education, inclusion and rights*; productive future workforce; population health

2. Parents – social infrastructure support; labour force attachment support for employers (consider high female labour force participation); women’s equality*; poverty reduction

3. Regions – healthy communities; economic development

*As outlined, for example, in Canada’s UN commitments*As outlined, for example, in Canada’s UN commitments

Building on our Strengths: A Child Care Plan for Victoria

What does the Research Say?

Benefits for Children & Society:

• Quality is key - overarching principles – begin early; well-educated, well-trained & well-compensated teachers – with resulting low staff turnover; small class sizes & high teacher-child ratios* comprehensive approach; substantial cost

**Economic Benefits of High-quality Early Childhood Programs: Economic Benefits of High-quality Early Childhood Programs: What Makes the Difference?What Makes the Difference? CED, February 2006 CED, February 2006

Building on our Strengths: A Child Care Plan for Victoria

What does the Research Say?

• Literature Review commissioned by NZ Ministry of Education - synthesis of research analyzing impact of early childhood education (ECE) for children and families*

• Includes 117 studies, mainly post-1995, that met established research methodology criteria

**Outcomes of Early Childhood Education: Outcomes of Early Childhood Education: Literature Review, Literature Review, Mitchell, Wylie, & Carr, New Zealand Council for Mitchell, Wylie, & Carr, New Zealand Council for Educational Research, May, 2008Educational Research, May, 2008

Building on our Strengths: A Child Care Plan for Victoria

NZ Literature Review (cont’d)

Key Conclusions:

1. Positive outcomes (cognitive, learning dispositions, and social-emotional) in short and long term

2. Good quality is key to achieving gains on all outcomes

3. Outcomes occur for all children across socioeconomic range … additional gains in vulnerable groups

4. Children attending with middle class/better maternally educated mix had greater cognitive outcomes, both short and long term.

Building on our Strengths: A Child Care Plan for Victoria

NZ Literature Review (cont’d)Key Conclusions (cont’d):

5. Parenting outcomes “empowering”– parenting, networks, confidence, paid employment.

6. Gains for both children and parents contribute to family and societal functioning.

7. Economic evaluations show benefits of public spending on universal, high quality approaches exceed costs: increased maternal employment, higher lifetime earnings, reduced use of special education and social services, less criminal activity.

Downside? Possible short-term negative effects (behaviour, stress) consistently linked to low-quality conditions.

Building on our Strengths: A Child Care Plan for Victoria

Social & Economic Benefits Specific Public Policy and Funding

Implications Conclusive evidence that:

1. If quality child care services, all children benefit – vulnerable children additional benefits

2. Benefits – for both targeted and universal approaches - outweigh costs

3. Vulnerability across socioeconomic spectrum

Positive return on public investment minimum $2 returned for every $1

invested if quality, universal child care services

Building on our Strengths: A Child Care Plan for Victoria

Rate of access to ELCC programs for 3-6 year olds

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

BE FR IT UK DE DK SE NL HU NO AT CZ PT AU MX KR FI US IE CA

%

Data source: OECD. (2006). Starting Strong II: Early Childhood Education and Care. Country Profiles.AU, CZ, FI, HU, NL, UK – Estimated (averaged across ages 3-6)DE – Estimated (averaged across ABL and NBL)CA – Children 0-6 in child care including regulated family day care

Building on our Strengths: A Child Care Plan for Victoria

Spending on ELCC programs

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

DK NO SE FI FR HU AT UK US DE NL IT AU CA

% o

f GD

P

Data source: OECD. (2006). Starting Strong II: Early Childhood Education and Care. Annex C, pg. 246.

Building on our Strengths: A Child Care Plan for Victoria

It Can Be Done … Consider Our Public Investment in Education of $8,078/pupil

OECD ranking*:

• 41 countries (including U.S.) & 10 provinces

• Overall, BC 3rd (Reading), 5th (Math), 6th (Science & Problem-Solving)

*BC Ministry of Education 2007/08 Service Plan*BC Ministry of Education 2007/08 Service Plan

Building on our Strengths: A Child Care Plan for Victoria

Building on our Strengths: A Child Care Plan for Victoria

Comprehensive, integrated plan required

As OECD and community recommend … move from user fees to direct public funding of child care services, with accountability for public goals:

Quality – improved compensation for trained staff

Affordability – reduced parent fees, with subsidies

Accessibility - expand spaces, with inclusion

Building on our Strengths: A Child Care Plan for Victoria

Focused Public Investment Strategy:

Establishing Targets & BenchmarksUniversality (thru affordability, expansion, inclusion):

•Full time, part time or drop in, centre or family-based spaces for all children <6 & 60% of <12

•10% of new spaces funded at 2x standard cost, for social, cultural and physical inclusion

•Parent fees average 20% of total costs (except drop-in programs free)

Quality:

•Compensation = $25/hour average, including benefits

•Minimal rent (public or community-owned spaces)

Building on our Strengths: A Child Care Plan for Victoria

RCCC Plan:

Requires additional annual public investment of:

• $158 million, 1-12 year olds

• $119 million, 1-5 year olds

• $49 million, 3-5 year olds

• With 40% immediate return (Quebec experience), net annual public investment $95 million (1-12)

Building on our Strengths: A Child Care Plan for Victoria

RCCC Plan:

• 3-5 annual public cost/child care space averages $8,960

• Compare to:

BC education cost - $8,078/pupil (Min of Ed, Information Bulletin, Aug 22 2008)

Canadian university cost - $15,000/student (OECD Canada Country Note, 2004, paragraph 108)

Building on our Strengths: A Child Care Plan for Victoria

Building on our Strengths: A Child Care Plan for Victoria

The Plan Closes the Gaps

•Of $158 million annual public investment (1-12):

•$24 million closes the quality gap - improving compensation in 10,365 existing spaces from $18/hour to $25/hour average (including benefits)

•$25 million closes the affordability gap - decreasing average parent fees for 10,635 existing spaces from 70% to 20% of total costs

•$109 million closes the expansion gap - creating 13,811 new affordable, quality spaces

Building on our Strengths: A Child Care Plan for Victoria

Closing the Gaps

(Targets)Curren

tPhase 1

Phase 2

Phase 3

Phase 4

New Public Funds ($ millions) 0 40 80 120 158

Existing spaces:

Compensation $/hour (incl benefits) $18 $23 $25 $25 $25

Parent fees% of total cost 70% 45% 22% 20% 20%

New spaces 0 1,100 4,100 9,00013,81

1

% of children <12 accessing regulated child care space* 28% 31% 38% 51% 65%*> 80% of 1-4’s (others drop-in), 60% of 6-

12’s Building on our Strengths: A Child Care Plan for Victoria

All ‘Public Investment Plan’ elements in place

Proven product – if quality

Demonstrated demand – if affordable, accessible

Real returns – for children, families, economy, society

Containable costs? establish compensation, fee & access targets, yet overall declining birth rate, low technology, choice of family support/early learning programs available, quantifiable time periods

Building on our Strengths: A Child Care Plan for Victoria

Child Care System Implementation Model

Developed by: Lynell Anderson, B. Comm, CGA

Through

YWCA Canada and Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada

(with funding from Government of Canada’s Social Development Partnerships Program)

Based on

Twenty years of work with ECE’s and families

From Patchwork to Framework: A Child Care Strategy for Canada

with additional thanks to

Dan Rosen, Consultant and Ellen Larcombe, Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP)

Building on our Strengths: A Child Care Plan for Victoria