community plan for a public system of integrated early care and learning in british columbia

7/30/2019 Community Plan for a Public System of Integrated Early Care and Learning in British Columbia

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Community Plan for aPublic System of Integrated

Early Care and Learning


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The Plan

Builds on Well Established Evidence- Public spending on the early years is a wise

social and economic investment- Quality child care IS early learning

- High quality promotes healthy development

- Children and Families have a right to quality care

and learning- Current policies and approaches are not working


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Responds to 2 conflicting realities

On the one hand

BCs implementation offull school day

Kindergarten for 5 year olds

Early Learning(StrongStart, Ready SetLearn, etc) delivered by Ministry of Education

and Boards of Education - reflects a nationaland international trend


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On the other hand

BCs worsening child care crisis

Failure of current policies reflected in

High fees

Low wages

Few spaces

Growth of commercial child care chains

Municipalities, organizations and communities willnever be able to solve the child care crisis on their own.


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How Wealthy is Canada?GDP per capita (in U.S. $)

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

40,000

45,000

50,000

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

$

Source: OECD. (2006). Starting Strong II: Early Childhood Education and Care. Annex C, page 246.


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International Public Spending

Source: OECD. (2006). Starting Strong II: Early Childhood Education and Care. Annex C, page 246.

Public Spending on ELCC for children 0 -6 (% of GDP)

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

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

%

ofGDP


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International Accessibility

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).CAChildren 0-6 in care including regulated family day care.

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

%


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per pupil(K-12)

Totalregulated,per child

(0-12 years)

Totalregulated,per space

(0-12 years)

OperatingFunding,per FT

group space(3-5 years)

ED

UCATION

CH

ILD

CARE

BC Annual

Spending($)

(2011/2012 BC Provincial Budget) (ECEC in Canada 2008, Table 12)

http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/childcare/pdfs/ccof_rates.pdf,calculation based on $5.48/day x 248 days/year)

EDUCATION AND CHILD CARE IN BCPublic Investment per Unit


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Plan integrates the best of

Public Education and

Universal access

Public funding Democratic control

Public support andrespected workforce

Infrastructure to deliver

Quality Child Care

Caring and nurturing

Respect for childrens rights Play-based, holistic

Community-based

Intimate relationship with

families

Extended hours


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6 Highlights of the$10/Day Plan


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1. Early Care and Learning Act for BC

Legislate rights of:

All young children to access quality services thatrespect their unique developmental needs

All families to access quality, affordable care for theirchildren on a voluntary basis

First Nations to govern their own services


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2. New Home in Ministry of Education

For all community & school-based early care& learning programs

School still starts with Kindergarten at age 5 Extends strengths of public education to

younger children

Protects and welcomes in existing communitydelivered child care services


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Ministry of Education

Moved to Education

New Zealand, Spain, Slovenia, England,

Scotland, Brazil, Iceland, Norway,Sweden, France, Italy, Belgium, Austria,Germany

In Canada Ontario, NB, PEI, Sask, Nunavut, NWT


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3. New Role for Boards of Education

Elected Boards of Education mandated &funded toplan, develop, and govern the delivery of early care andlearning services (EC&L) in their Districts.

Work with community and municipality on EC&L Plan

Create standing EC&L Committees of stakeholders

Designate a Trustee as the EC&L liaison

Dedicate staffto support EC&L

Ensure appropriate facilities on or off school sites


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4. Early Years Centre (EYC) Networks

Clusters of early care and learning programs that meet theneeds of infants, toddlers, and three to five year olds whiletheir parents at work, school or home.

Alternative, more appropriate than pre K for BC

Evolve from existing licensed child care into integrated

neighbourhood EYC networks

School districts develop new EYCs to meet demonstrated needs

Play-based, diverse approaches to early care and learning


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4. To be part of an EYC Network

Accountable for NEW public funding to

Cap parent fees $10/day full-time, $7 part-time, nouser fee under $40,000 annual income

Improve wages and education average $25 an hour+ 20% benefits

IncludeALL children

Meet demonstrated community need

Program consistent with Early Learning Frameworks


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5. Enhance Kindergarten & Grade 1

School entry remains at age 5

Enhance Kindergarten

Early Childhood Educators to work with Teachers and

Education Assistants as professional colleagues to: Strengthen adult/child relationships

Cover full working day and full year

Enhance ECE practice in schools

Enhance Grade 1 with same approach


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5. School Age Care Grade 2 and up

Boards of Education responsible for schoolage care

Existing school age child care providersintegrated into new system

New programs developed & delivered byBoards of Education where there is a need

Stronger support for the Middle Years


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6. Investing in the Workforce

Success of new system depends on a wellrespected, well educated, well compensatedworkforce $25/hr average plus 20% benefits

Enhance quality Respect expertise of Early Childhood Educators

Move towards parity with teachers

Bachelor of Early Childhood Education as new educational

standard for sectorDiploma as minimum for group, family & school age care.

Support sector to upgrade qualifications


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What about private-operators?

The Plan welcomes existing smallindependent owner/operators and

commercial operators on the same conditionsas existing non-profit programs and familychild care providers

Operators can continue to operateindependently if they wish


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Quebecresults

$7 a day daycare

After 12 years, the Quebec scheme more than pays for itself

through mothers annual income and consumption taxes

For every dollar Quebec invests, it recoups $1.05 and Ottawareceives 44-cents

By 2008 - 70,000 more women had entered the workforce, theiremployment pumped an additional $5.2 billion into the economyand increased GDP by 1.7%

Dr. Pierre Fortin, Economics Professor at University of Quebec, 2011


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Benefits to the BC economy

An estimated:

17,000 more working women

$500 million more in taxes collected 23,000 Early Childhood Educators better paid

$300 million saved by business

Dr. Paul Kershaw, New Deal for Families 2011


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Implementationstarting options

Immediately reduce parent fees to $10/dayin every Infant + Toddler Licensed Family

and Group space across BC Costed at less than $100 million

Demonstration Sites of Early Years CentreNetworks in 5 or 6 BC communities


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Support & Endorsement

Municipal Governments and Governmental Organizations Burnaby, Duncan, North Vancouver, Surrey, Williams Lake, New Westminster,

Vancouver, Dawson Creek, Fort St John, Vernon, Bowen Island, Comox,Ladysmith, North Cowichan

Union of British Columbia Municipalities

ECD and Child Care Organizations (examples) BC Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils Campbell River Early Childhood Development Table Canadian Child Care Federation Cowichan Valley ECEBC Branch First Call: BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition Kootenay Kids Society

School Age Child Care Association of BC Shuswap Early Childhood Development Committee Sunshine Coast Early Childhood Development Planning Table Williams Lake Children First Initiative


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Support continues.

Labour BC Federation of Labour, Canadian Labour Congress BCGEU, CUPE BC, CAW, BCFMWU, CEU, BCTF , UFCW 247, IUOE 963, COPE 378 BC Nurses Union, Health Sciences Association, HEU

Surrey Board of Trade

Boards of Education Campbell River, Kootenay Columbia, Sunshine Coast, Vancouver, Burnaby,

Coquitlam, Sunshine Coast, Gulf Islands, Nanaimo-Ladysmith, Cowichan Valley

Community, Service and Advocacy Tables (examples) ACORN Canada BC Retired Teachers Association

Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives BC office Canadian Federation of University Women BC Council Canadian Federation of Students BC Poverty Reduction Coalition Prince Rupert Association for Community Living


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Academic Support

Early Childhood Education Articulation Committee Enid Elliot, Ph.D.

Adjunct Professor, University of Victoria School of Child and Youth Care Dr. Paul Kershaw Ph.D.

UBC Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP)

University of British Columbia Laurie Kocher, Ph.D.

Early Childhood Education ProgramDouglas College, BC

Charles E. Pascal, Ph.D.

Author of Ontarios early learning blueprint, With Our Best Future in MindProfessor of Human Development, University of Toronto UVic School of Child & Youth Care


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Mobilizing Support

Motion endorsing the Plan

We endorse the Community Plan for a Public System of IntegratedEarly Care and Learningproposed by the Coalition of Child Care

Advocates of BC and the Early Childhood Educators of BC.

This Plan has the potential to make a real difference for BC children,families and communities.

We urge politicians to commit to the Plan's vision and work withcommunities to immediately begin its implementation.


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What Can You Do?

Endorse the Plan yourself / your organization

Circulate and mail in the Postcards

Use Facebook & Twitterto share information

Start a petition that asks the Premier &Leader of Opposition to implement the Plan.

Email your MLA, MP, Council & School Board

asking them to support the Plan.


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Thank you!

community plan for a public system of integrated early care and learning in british columbia

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