The best investment you’ll ever make

Early Learning and Care in Golden, BC

November 2011

What excitement does this afternoon hold?

• Introduction• Introduce the concept that Early Learning and Care is

an economic determinant in a community. • Highlight the impact of Early Learning to children’s life

long development and success.• Tell you what the parents in Golden have said.• Q&A• Brainstorming, Scenario building and Discussion• Formal session concludes. Informal networking and

Q&A to follow.

Today’s guidelines

• Respect for the roles that everyone plays in this room and in our community (if they are not represented in this room today).

• Keep comments forward thinking• Parking lot• Mindful of the time• Share the floor• If you need to stretch, use the washroom, or get a

snack or during, feel free. We won’t have any structured breaks in our short session today

• Not a debate• Use the Ladder of Inference to your benefit.

Who’s behind this?

Why are you all here today?

• Learn about child care in Golden• Hear about this Feasibility Study• Ask questions to clarify your understanding of the

issue• Have a discussion and start to consider how the

community can come together to strengthen the options that parents will have for early learning and care of their children 0 – 5.

• To make a difference

Icebreaker: Describe this object

Feasibility study for Infant/Toddler and/or group daycare in Golden, BC

Objectives

Objective #1

Conduct the research to determine the feasibility and viability of such a facility – approach the study anew. Provide data and research that looks at what’s happening in our local area, but also what is happenings in other similar regions with like demographics/psychographics and economic pressures.

 

fea·si·bil·i·ty fēzəˈbilitē

feasibility - the quality of being doable

Feasibility Study:

An analysis and evaluation of a proposed project to determine if it (1) is technically feasible, (2) is feasible within the estimated cost and (3) will be viable. Feasibility studies are almost always conducted where large sums are at stake.

vi·a·ble ˈvīəbəl

Capable of working successfully; Able to break even or make a profit. “The proposed investment was economically viable".

Objective #2

Look at specific types of models that could sustain a facility in a small rural BC community – best practices. Look at the overall social/environmental and economic (the triple bottom-line)issues facing the Golden and Area A area and using global research, look at how a unique model(s) could sustain such a facility.

Objective #3

Review the value of linking various training and education models with the childcare centre. College of the Rockies is very interested in supporting our community to help sustain a child care facility, however, the facility must be tied to education and training.

We have an opportunity here

We have an opportunity here

It’s all about vision…

“[We] envision a caring community that acknowledges, values and supports the shared responsibility of investing in our children so that they may live, learn, play and dream in safe and healthy surroundings”

…and a vibrant community

Mayor Aman Virk defined a vibrant community as one with families; one in which families can be seen walking down the street, participating in community activities.

Interview with Aman Virk by Laurie Dalzell, Town Office, February 4, 2009.

Collaboration…

• Business• Town of Golden• Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy• Golden Area Initiatives• Community Support workers• Interior Health Authority• Ministry of Children and Families• College of the Rockies• Okanagan Regional Library• Parents• Giving Tree Child Care Society• Golden Employment Services• Columbia Valley Credit Union• Public Health• School District #6 Administration and School Board• Early Childhood Development Coalition• Golden Family Centre• Community Resource Society• Golden Women’s Centre

…and our children

Golden’s community of Early Learning and Care

• Parents• Early Childhood Development Coalition• Giving Tree Child Care Society• Child Care Resource and Referral • Mother Goose Program• Skills Upgrading for Parents at COTR• Strong Start (at APES)• 7 Licensed Family Child Care locations• 2 licensed Preschools (Giant Steps and Little Chimps)• 5 Registered Licensed Not Required (LNR)• Bubbling Babies (Public Health)• Wee Care Drop In• Parson Kids Club• GCRS Afterschool Care Program at APES

Early Development Instrument

Vulnerability as measured by the EDI

Physical Social Emotional Language Communication One or more0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

WindermereKimberly GoldenSD6 overallRevelstoke

So what?15 x 15:

A Comprehensive Policy Framework for Early Human Capital Investment in BC

New paradigm of economic development

Description of current care options

• Licensed family care• Registered License Not Required• Licensed Pre school• Family members• Trade with friends• Paid private babysitters

LNR

• 2 children or a sibling group other than the care giver’s own children. If it is a Registered LNR that means that the caregiver is registered with the Child Care Referral Service.

Licensed family care

• This is the only “day care” option that parents have in Golden.

• Home based care• Rigorous licensing process• The women that run these business truly care

about our children and about the parents whom they serve.

• They hold various levels of certification

Numbers puzzle

• 1 under 1• 2 under 2• 3 under 3• 4 under 4

Current full-time capacity with Licensed Care in Golden

• 7 infants• 7-12 – 23 mo. • 7-24 -35 mo. • 7-36 – 47 mo. • 21- 4 and older

If there are 0 infants (currently the case), then,

21 - 12 – 35 month 7 – 36 – 47 month old21 – 4 – 12 year olds

To fill the family home daycare is like doing a tile puzzle

Survey says…

Three surveys created:

• Parents• Employers• Family home child care providers

Survey data:

• 118 households• 24 employers

and business owners

• 5 of the 7 family home child care providers

• 173 children 0 – 14 represented

• 107 preschool aged—22% of the total population of LHA18

• 21 Future parents represented

What type of child care people access now

The mad dash…or the shuffle

44%

32%

15%

8%2%

12345

Parent satisfaction with current situation

3% 10%

26%

28%

33%

Not at allPoorlyAdaquatelyGoodCompletely

Current working situation

What she said…“Would love to work if I could find childcare at an affordable rate, for all 3 in the same place, for the hours I require - flexibility being key”

“Being new to Golden and looking for work opportunities is challenging with limited care options. I'm hesitant to seek out work if I can't cover the hours for child care.”

“I work full-time and then some, my childcare provider is extremely flexible and accommodating.”

How much and what type is needed?

“I still need the same amount of child care, but now that my daughter is in full day school, there is not so much planning or stress around finding day care.”

“The hardest need to fill is on the spot childcare so that I can attend a job interview”

“I was previously unemployed after maternity leave, since I was unable to find daycare to return to work. Now I am trying to return to the workforce full time again.”

Future Parents get out their crystal ball…

Having choices…

90%

Employer Surveys

There is truly a lack of child care options for our staff

“Child care has always been a challenge for working families in Golden - cost and availability are the two major barriers to access. Staffing (licensed to practice ECEs) - hard to find.”

“Our business runs from noon until after midnight. With child care options always stopping at 5:00pm the only option for our staff who work nights are to rely on family members or partners. We have had one employee quit when this arrangement put too much strain on her relationship with her husband.”

Observations up to this point?

• Questions about what we’ve covered so far?• Any thing that stands out?

Large group Q&A

Small group discussion topics

• Ways to enhance meaningful communication and action on this topic.

• What resources can we pool and how can we do it to make a facility available that has an early learning and care element to it (group child care)?

• Why is this an important topic for community economic development?

• How is your organization impacted by the availability (or lack of availability) of early learning and care options?

Regroup and Share

Commitments not campaign promises.

Questions? Comments?

• Thank you for participating today.• The final report is due by December 16. We will

be holding a community presentation around that date the we look forward to seeing you all at.

• If you have any further questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to contact me or someone on the oversight committee:

• laurie@mavenconnector.ca; 530.544.3302• Karen Cathcart, Joanne McCullough, Rhonda

Smith