University of Victoria Child Care Discussion Paper...Page | 3 University of Victoria Child Care...

University of Victoria Child Care Discussion Paper

Prepared for the Associate Vice President (Students)

Division of Student Affairs

by Jane Beach

October 2009

Table of Contents

Introduction …………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……….…… 1

1. The context for child care in BC …………………………………………………………………………….…….. 1

2. The status of child care at UVic …………………………………………………………………………………… 5

3. Child care at selected universities …………………………………………………………………..…………… 9

4. Delivery models and considerations …………………………………………………..…………………..…… 18

5. Summary of options ……………………………………………………………………………...………………..… 24

Appendix 1. Types of child care in BC ………………………………………………………………………………. 27

Appendix 2. Child Care Operating Funding rates ……………………………………………………………… 29

Appendix 3. Child care fee subsidy rates ………………………………………………………………………….. 30

Appendix 4. Board of Governors guidelines for child care at UBC ………………….………………… 31

Appendix 5. Minimum space requirements for child care centres in BC ……….…………………. 32

Appendix 6. Summary of City of Vancouver Design Guidelines ………………………………………… 33

Appendix 7. UVic Campus Plan: preferred future building locations ………………………………… 38

Page | 1 University of Victoria Child Care Discussion Paper October 2009

The university understands the need for increased access to quality child care. We have a

shared interest in this with faculty, student and staff parents and are making efforts to find

long-term, sustainable solutions to address the need for additional high-quality child care

options.

Gayle Gorrill , Vice-President Finance and Operations. The Ring July 2009

Introduction

Child care has been part of the UVic landscape for the last 40 years. From its modest beginnings as a

program for preschool age children in 1969, the program has expanded in size and coverage over the

years, moved to purpose-built facilities in 1993, and added its final centre in 2001. In its current

capacity, UVic Child Care Services’ six centres serve a total of 88 children from infants through

kindergarten and 50 school age children, and is operated under the aegis of Student and Ancillary

Services.

As is the case with many universities across the country today, the demand for on-campus child care far

outstrips supply, and options to expand provision and increase access to high quality, affordable child

care for students, staff and faculty are being examined. Universities have come to understand that

access to quality child care is essential to enable many parents to continue their education; for staff,

particularly women, to participate in the labour force; and to be competitive in the recruitment and

retention of faculty. UVic is currently examining options to increase the supply of child care on campus

and access to child care off campus for students, staff and faculty.

This report has been prepared for the Associate Vice President (Students), as a discussion paper on

issues and options related to the expansion of child care for the university community.

It is not a comprehensive review, nor does it examine current services or demand, or include

stakeholder input. It is intended to inform dialogue and future planning activities, on the assumption

that an in-depth, facilitated, multi-stakeholder process will be necessary to ensure that goals are

established, options assessed and feasibility examined, with all points of view and priorities taken into

account within the context of the university’s available resources.

The report is organized into the following sections:

1. The context for child care in BC

2. The status of child care at UVic

3. Child care at selected universities

4. Delivery models and considerations

5. Summary of options

1. The context for child care in BC

Child care, like health care and education operates under provincial jurisdiction. Each province and

territory has legislation and regulations that apply to child care centres, part-day preschools and family

child care homes. The regulations cover staff education, child to staff ratios, the physical environment

and program and administrative practices, and they vary considerably across jurisdictions. The


regulations do not ensure quality, but are deemed to be the minimum health and safety provisions to

protect children from harm.

Unlike health and education, child care is not an entitlement. It is regulated as a market service,

operating primarily on a fee-for-service basis, according to what the market will bear, with little public

support in the way of funding, planning or delivery.

As a result, the child care system has developed in an ad hoc manner and operates without a coherent

policy framework. Some families have access to affordable child care, others do not. Some child care

centres receive substantial assistance from employers or sponsoring organizations and are able to pay

reasonable wages; others receive little such funding and cannot pay comparable wages. There is little

equity for children, for parents, or for those working in child care. The development and operation of

regulated child care depends on the ability and willingness of parents, voluntary groups, employers and

for-profit operators to determine need, find a suitable location, hire staff, ensure compliance with

regulations, and adequate funding to sustain the program. Since child care is very labour intensive, staff

wages account for most of the operating expenses which primarily come from parent fees. This often

results in an ongoing tension between affordability for parents and the ability to pay staff fair wages.

Provinces determine the types and levels of funding for child care. There are some federal transfers to

the provinces for child care through the Canada Health Transfer, but the amounts have been

significantly reduced in the last two years. In 2004-05 the federal government of the day began the first

steps in the implementation of a national early learning and child care and negotiated bi-lateral

agreements with each province and territory for funding expansion of services, according to a set of

principles related to quality, universality, accessibility and developmentally appropriate practice. This

agreement was subsequently cancelled after a change in government and the funding withdrawn as of

2007. BC put much of those federal funds into major capital, with some targeted grants of up to 75%

funding to a maximum of $500,000 for the development of child care in post secondary institutions.

However, capital funding has not been available for either the 2008 or 2009 fiscal years, and in 2009,

minor capital grants available for emergency repairs and relocation have been reduced from a maximum

of $5,000 to $2,000.

Following is a snapshot of child care in BC.

Child Care Spaces

In 2008 in BC1 there were a total of:

Children 0-12: 567,900

Children with mothers in the labour force: 358,700

Total regulated spaces: 87,538

o 24,727 full-day centre-based spaces for children 0-5 years

o 19,910 part-day preschool spaces for children 30 months – 5 years

o 28,233 out of school spaces

1 Source of BC data: Beach, J.; Friendly, M.; Ferns, C.; Prabhu, N.; Forer, B. (2009) Early Childhood Education and

Care in Canada 2008. Toronto, ON: Childcare Resource and Research Unit.


o 33 emergency care spaces2

o 14,635 regulated family child care spaces

Overall coverage (the percentage of children 0-12 for whom there is a regulated child care space): 15.4%

See Appendix 1 for details on care types and maximum numbers of children permitted.

Child Care Funding

Overall, the provincial government contributes approximately 10% - 15% of the cost of child care, and

parents approximately 85%. In 2008, the provincial government spent

$88.4 million in fee subsidies in regulated care

$61.9 million in child care operating funding

$ 53.9 million in supported child development, for children with additional support needs

$12.6 million in major and minor capital

The total provincial spending was $216.7 million, or:

$382 per capita under 12 years, compared to the national average of $663

$2,476 (including capital and fee subsidies) for each regulated child care space, compared to the

national average of $3,560

Operating funding is available to child care centres and family child care homes through the Child care

operating fund (CCOF), and is based on enrolment, the age of the children and hours of care. The rates

range from $12.00/day for full-day infant space in a centre, to $.73/day for a part-day school age space.

See Appendix 2 for details of CCOF rates.

Fee subsidies are available for eligible families in both regulated and unregulated care and paid to the child care facility on behalf of the parent. Eligibility is based on income, family size, age of children and

the type of care chosen. The family must qualify under an income test and have a social criteria – that

is, the parent/s must be employed or self-employed, looking for work, attending school or taking part in

an employment related training program, have a medical condition that interferes with the parent’s

ability to care for his or her child; have child care recommended by MCFD under the Child, Family and

Community Service Act; or the child is attending a licensed preschool. The number of subsidies provided

to families is not capped, so all families who are eligible are entitled to a subsidy.

Fee subsidies may be used in for-profit, non-profit, regulated or unregulated child care and preschool

programs. Families who use in-own-home child care may be eligible for subsidy when the caregiver is

not a relative who resides with the family.

2 This type of care has since been eliminated and has been replace by “occasional” care


Financial eligibility for fee subsidy:

Child care centres Family child care

Turning point Break-even point Turning point Break-even point

1 parent, 1 child $30,984 $48,984 $30,984 $45,384

2 parents, 2 children 35,016 50,256 35,016 49,416

Note: The turning point is the net income level up to which full subsidy is available. Partial subsidy is available up

to the break-even point at which income subsidy ceases. The turning point and break-even point depend on the

type of child care and the age of the child(ren). These figures are for illustrative purposes only. Subsidy thresholds

are approximates and will change depending on family size and composition, age of the child, type of care chosen,

etc.

Maximum subsidy rates vary according to the age of child, and type and hours of care. See Appendix 3

for details of full-day and part-day subsidy rates. Child care providers may charge subsidized parents

above the maximum subsidy rates.

Median monthly child care fees across BC in 2008 were as follows:

For full-time centre-based care

Infant Care $765

Toddler Care 720

3 to 5 Care 565

Kindergarten Care 425

Out of school Grade 1+ (a.m. and p.m.) 250

Preschool (3 times/week) 128.50

For full-time family child care

Infant Care $660

Toddler Care 650

3 to 5 Care 600

Kindergarten Care 550

School Age Care 350

Median hourly wages for group child care staff by position type were:

Owner/Operator $15.63

Administrator 20.00

Program Supervisor 16.99

Senior Caregiver 15.50

Caregiver 13.50

Supported Child Development Worker 14.00

Assistant 12.43

Source of fee and wage information: 2007/2008 Annual Child Care Provider Profile Report, Government of British

Columbia

Recent developments

The Ministry of Education has been expanding its role and delivery of programs for young children. In

2006 StrongStart BC was introduced. A free early learning program for preschool-aged children

accompanied by a parent or caregiver, the centres are located in public schools and staffed with Early

Childhood Educators. There are currently close to 200 sites across the province - five in the Victoria

school district- with a provincial commitment to increase the number to 400 by 2010. As the number of

programs continues to grow, concern has been expressed by some child care operators, that StrongStart


BC may draw experienced and qualified Early Childhood Educators from child care programs to the

higher paying, funded positions in the school districts.

In 2008 the Ministry of Education Early Learning Agency conducted a study of the feasibility of full day

kindergarten for 5-year olds, with the possibility of future full-day pre-kindergarten for 3- and 4-year

olds. The plan was put on hold due to the recent economic downturn, but in its August 2009 Throne

Speech, the government announced the phased implementation of full school-day kindergarten for 5-

year olds in September 2010. This initiative will have implications for child care programs who currently

offer half-day kindergarten programs and/or child care for kindergarten age children, though it is too

soon to know exactly what those implications will be on staffing, provision and funding.

2. The status of child care at UVic

Child care spaces on and near campus

UVic Child Care Services operates six centres in three complexes north of Sinclair Avenue and east of

Finnerty Road, with a total capacity of 138 children

10 under 18 months

28 18 months – 3 years

25 3-4 years

25 4-5 years

50 out of school care

In addition to the spaces listed above, a pilot program was scheduled to begin operation in September

2009. A part-day preschool program will operate in the out of school space, while the school-age

children are attending school.

The kindergarten program is a registered independent school, enabling children to stay at the child care

program for the full day, minimizing transition times and transportation for these young children.

School-age children primarily attend Frank Hobbs and Campus View Elementary schools, with some

attending Arbutus Middle School.

As of August 2009, there were approximately 300 children on the waiting list, more than twice the

capacity of the centres. Parents may spend up to two years waiting for a space.

The 22 infant and toddler spaces in the Harry Lou-Poy centre are allocated 60% for staff and faculty and

40% for students. The actually enrolment closely reflects these allocations. The other 116 spaces are

allocated 75% for students and 25% for students. Actual enrolment is closer to 33% students and 66%

staff and faculty.

There are some child care facilities near the UVic campus, though primarily offering part-day preschool

and out of school care. According to the Ministry of Children and Family Development website,3 within

a two kilometre radius of the university there are:

No centres licensed for infants age 0-36 months

3 It was beyond the scope of this report to confirm the currency and accuracy of the MCFD spaces and centres, to

determine if spaces were available, or to comment on the quality of provision


A full and part-day preschool and kindercare program, and out of school care for children in

grade 1 at Arbutus Grove located next to Frank Hobbs school, with 48 spaces children 30

months – 5 years and 11 out of school spaces, as well as 23 out of school spaces at Frank Hobbs

school

Lambrick Park Preschool and children, with 20 spaces for children 30 months – 5 years and 20

preschool spaces

Wiseways Preschool with eight spaces for children 30 months – 5 years and 40 preschool spaces

G.R. Pearkes Child Care Services, with 32 spaces for children 30 months – 5 years, and 15

preschool spaces

Beaches Daycare, with eight spaces for children 30 months – 5 years

Maria Montessori Academy with 56 spaces for children 30 months – 5 years, 36 preschool

spaces and 40 out of school spaces

Campus View Out of School Club with 68 spaces

Henderson Fun Factory with 30 out of school spaces

Kids Club St. Dunstans, with 40 out of school spaces

In addition, the MCFD website identifies seven regulated family child care homes within a two mile

radius of the campus.

Child Care Services: staffing

UVic Child Care Services are staffed with a full-time manager, administrative support, 15 full-time and

nine part-time early childhood staff; two additional .71fte ECEs will staff the pilot preschool program.

According to financial information provided by Financial Planning and Operations, the 2008/09

operating expenses totalled $1,528,034, of which approximately 94% was for salaries and benefits. Staff

are members of CUPE 951, and full-time annual salaries range between $36,348 - $37,956 for an Early

Childhood Educator and between $40,776 - $41,280 for a supervisor.

Child Care Services: funding and fees

The university provides the space rent free, and pays the salaries of the manager and administrative

support. According to figures provided by Financial Planning and Operations, in 2008/09 the university

provided $511,642 in funding to the child care centre for the following:

Child care manager and admin support 126,260

Supplies 2,990

Salary increase funding - annual grant 188,024

Pay Equity Funding - annual grant 189,589

Utilities 4,778

Total funding - operating 511,642

In addition the university provides plus in-kind services such as payroll services. According to these

figures, the university contributes an average of $3,708/child/year. Excluding the manager and


administrative support, the contribution averages $2,793/ child/year. Parent fees - including

government fee subsidies - and provincial Child Care Operating Funding cover program staff salaries,

program supplies, janitorial services, minor maintenance and other costs.

In addition to the university support, primary revenue sources4 (annualized) are:

Parent fees: $935,101 (an average of $6,776/child/year)

Ministry of Children and Family Development Child Care Operating Funding: $184,605. Funding

ranges from approximately $3,132/year for each child under three years, to $1,430/year for a

child aged 3-5 and $780/year for a school-age child attending 4 hours or more/day

Parent fees vary by the age of the child, family size and by gross family income. The range of fees by age

group is as follows:

0-18 months: $958 - $1,087

18-36 months $803 - $892

3-5 years $567 - $678

After school care $247 - $271

Parents who are eligible for government fee subsidies pay the difference between the subsidy rate and

the full fee. This means that a fully subsidized parent with a child under 18 months would pay between

$208-$337/month; and a fully subsidized parent with a child aged 3-5 would pay between $168 –

257/month. Child care bursaries are available through the UVic Student Society (UVSS) through the

Graduate Student Society (GSS) for student members with demonstrated financial need based on British

Columbia Student Assistance Program (BCSAP) standards and child care costs. Eligible services may

include: UVic Child Care Services, other child care and babysitting services.

In addition to the child care centres on campus, The Family Centre, located in Student Family Housing,

offers support to parents and information about child-related programs and services. It also operates a

parent-tot drop-in program.

The significant shortage of child care spaces has not been identified in the university’s major strategic

planning documents, but a number of recent activities have highlighted the issues and begun steps to

examine options for expansion.

In 2007 UVic introduced its Strategic Plan A Vision for the Future – Building on Strength, approved by

the Senate and Board of Governors. It…

sets long-term goals and a vision of being a university of choice for outstanding students,

faculty and staff from British Columbia, Canada and around the world. It sets ambitious

goals in terms of attracting and supporting outstanding people, building the quality of our

programs in research and education and strengthening the linkages with our external

communities locally and around the world. The plan also stresses the efforts we must make

to obtain the resources we need to achieve our goals and our commitment to stewarding

these resources in a sustainable fashion.

4 Figures provided by Financial Planning and Operations


The Plan sets out 33 objectives and key strategies to achieve them. However, increased access to child

care, which would contribute to several of the objectives, is not mentioned among the strategies.

In January 2008, the Human Resources released its Strategic Direction, developed to support the

Strategic Plan. It identifies five strategic goals:

Investing in our People

Encouraging Leadership at All Levels

Facilitating a Positive and Effective UVic Workplace

Attracting and Retaining Talent

Leading by Example – our HR Culture

Key strategies are articulated for each goal, yet child care is not mentioned as a strategy to help meet

any of the goals.

UVic Human Resources does advertise child care on its website in support of faculty and staff

recruitment:

The university is widely recognized for its innovative and responsive programs,

interdisciplinary and international initiatives, and a diverse and welcoming learning

community. The University of Victoria is a diverse and dynamic learning community. People

love working here because their work makes a difference. The university values different

perspectives, supports personal and professional growth and encourages work life balance.

Here are other great reasons to work here:

….. on-site child care

Recently the shortage of child care has been receiving wider attention.

An article in the July 2009 issue of The Ring5 describes the increasing unmet demand, and steps that are

being taken, including

The planned implementation of the part-day program at Child Care Services

A program at the UVic Family Centre on to provide training for Family Housing residents who

wish to offer in-home child care

The establishment of a child care steering committee, to investigate models of child care service

delivery, and identifying the capital and operating costs and the rate implications for families

An external review of existing child care services, including a self study, exploring the possibility

of increasing capacity in the existing centres, and increasing collaboration with academic units

The UVic Academic Women’s Caucus held a forum on work-life balance in January 2008, and highlighted

child care as a key issue to address. A group of university staff, faculty and students recently formed the

University Childcare Action Group, to organize an awareness campaign, with a long-term goal of creating

more spaces on campus. The group recently put forward the following motion, received by the Board of

Governors at its May 26, 2009 meeting.

5 Retrieved August 27, 2009 from: http://ring.uvic.ca/09jul10/child-care.html

http://ring.uvic.ca/09jul10/child-care.html


Whereas the provision of sufficient childcare is a key factor in faculty and staff recruitment,

retention, productivity, student enrolment, and quality of life for all members of the UVic

community; and in light of the growing crisis around the availability of childcare to UVic

faculty, students and staff, the UVic Childcare Action Group urges the Administration to

immediately expand the number of full-time childcare spaces on campus to meet the demand.

Due to recent infrastructure funding, multiple renovation projects and plans for a new athletic

facility and residence tower, the University has an especially propitious opportunity to include

childcare facilities within these new building projects. We eagerly await the opportunity to

work with you in furtherance of this goal.6

A regular external review of Child Care Services is underway, which includes a self-study, and an

evaluation of current services that will examine the effectiveness, strengths and challenges of the

program and how it might best be situated to meet student, staff and faculty needs. The review report

is expected later in the fall; therefore discussion about any potential role of Child Care Services in

planning, collaborating and leading expansion is not deemed appropriate for this report.

3. Child care at selected universities

All mid- size and large universities in Canada have at least one child care centre on campus. While

they vary in size and ages served they have some elements in common.

All are operated as not for profit entities, either an ancillary service or department of the

university, or as a separate non-profit organization with a board of directors, usually

comprising parents, community and university representatives

All receive some in kind and direct financial support from the sponsoring university

Demand exceeds supply and there are waiting lists

Fees are at the high end of market rates

As well:

Fewer offer infant care than toddler and preschool age care

Many do not offer school age care for children in grades 1 and older

Most offer both full- and part-time care

The vast majority operate regular daytime hours Monday - Friday

Some offer bursaries for students, or a child care benefit for eligible staff or faculty

Several universities have at least one centre that operates as a research facility for

academic departments

Priorities are established for students, staff and faculty, but there is considerable variation

across programs as to whether or not there are defined targets for particular populations

or general statements of principle

Several campus child care centres are actively involved in child care advocacy as a way of

bringing attention to the wider issue of the lack of affordable, quality child care options

6 Retrieved August 28, 2009 from http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=97988513469

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=97988513469


Many campus-based centres and/or their affiliated departments use their websites to

disseminate information on the research on the importance of the early years and the

impact of high quality child care on children’s development. They focus as much on the

quality and philosophy of provision, and goals for serving children and supporting

childhood, as they do about the support for parents

Since the context for child care delivery, regulations, program funding and subsidy systems vary

significantly across the country, the details of the operation of centres in other provinces may not

necessarily be applicable to the UVic situation. For example:

Manitoba sets maximum fees that can be charged to parents ($18.80/day for a preschool

age child), and funds programs at a level that enables them to pay staff wages, according

to a salary scale established by the Manitoba Child Care Association. Fully subsidized

parents cannot be charged more than $1.40 day, so affordability is not an issue for

student parents.

In Quebec parents pay $7/day for child care, and the government more than tripled the

number of child care spaces since the initial implementation of their family reform

program in 1997. As a result, child care is more available and affordable than in most of

the country, reducing pressure on the universities to expand on campus

A few snapshots of university campus child care have been provided for illustration purposes,

including the program at Camosun College, due to its proximity to UVic. A closer look is given to

programs at two large universities: the University of Toronto (U of T and the University of British

Columbia (UBC) –U of T due to the range of services provided and UBC due to the comprehensive

demand forecasting and expansion planning activities recently undertaken. Clearly the particular

circumstances of these universities are different from UVic, but some of the activities and lessons

learned may be informative as UVic considers options for expansion.

Snapshots

Simon Fraser University

The SFU Childcare Society operates 12 programs collectively known as the Children's Centre. The

Children's Centre is an independent, non-profit society with registered charitable organization

status

The Centre is housed in a purpose-build complex

Programs include full- and part-time care for infants, toddlers, 3-5 year olds and school-age

children, licensed for a total of 234 children

There are over 900 children on the waiting list

Full-time monthly fees range from $1,113 for an infant to $769 for a 3-5 year old and $392 for

after-school care

Bursaries are available for eligible students and staff, equal to one-month’s fees

The university maintains a Teaching Support Staff Union Bursary and allocates $50,000 each

academic year to be distributed to eligible employees through an application process

Child care staff are qualified ECEs or School Age Providers and members of the BCGEU


The SFU Childcare Society philosophy articulates its commitment to publicly funded child care

and to quality provision, as noted below.7

Vision: The SFU Childcare Society vision is for publicly-funded child care that is accessible and

affordable and that can accommodate families’ diverse child care needs. A place where children

are nurtured and encouraged to grow and develop, where programs are delivered by caring and

qualified staff who are compensated commensurate with their education, training and

expertise.

Mission: The SFU Childcare Society mission is to provide the highest quality child care services to

children of students, staff and faculty of Simon Fraser University, and to children of families in

the broader community.

Pillars of quality: The SFU Childcare Society believes that quality child care is achieved through:

o Recruiting, hiring and retaining qualified early childhood and school age educators.

o Partnering with parents by valuing their involvement and recognizing they are the people

who know their children best.

o Programming that enhances the social, physical, intellectual, creative, emotional and moral

development of each child.

o Meeting, and wherever possible, exceeding Provincial Health Ministry licensing standards.

Values & principles The SFU Childcare Society:

o Values and respects the unique needs and personality of each individual.

o Believes that play is a child’s response to life, the medium through which s/he learns.

o Recognizes that a well-equipped and creative play yard, in a natural setting, encourages all

aspects of a child’s development.

o Believes that providing a safe, healthy and nurturing environment means that it must be

free from prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination and that it promotes inter-cultural

understanding.

o Values our collaborative relationship with Simon Fraser University.

o Values advocacy work that benefits children and families.

Camosun College

Camosun directly operates five child-care programs at both its campuses: for 8 infants, 8

toddlers and 24 3-5 year olds at the Interurban campus, and 8 toddlers and 16 3-5 year olds at

the Lansdowne campus

In 1990, the college assumed responsibility for child care and contributed to both the facilities

and related services, as well as provided funds to sustain the operations of Child-Care Services.

In 1995, the college received provincial government funding to construct a purpose-built child-

care facility at the Interurban Campus

7 Retrieved from the SFU Childcare Society website August 28, 2009 at: http://www.sfu.ca/childcare-

society/philosophy.html

http://www.sfu.ca/childcare-society/philosophy.html

http://www.sfu.ca/childcare-society/philosophy.html


In addition to support from the college, some revenues are provided by the Camosun College

Student Society, Camosun College Faculty Association, CUPE 2081, and the Camosun College

Exempt Employee Group

Full-time monthly fees range from $1,045 for an infant to $765 for a 3-5 year old. Fees are

slightly reduced for Camosun students

The University of Northern British Columbia

The UNBC Child Care Society operates full- and part-time child-care programs for children in

three different programs

o 12 toddler spaces

o 25 3-5 spaces

o Part-time child care and preschool for children 3-5

The programs are housed in a stand-alone, purpose-built facility, one of the first purpose-built

facilities in Prince George

Full-time monthly are $760 for toddler care and $610 for a 3-5 year old. Fees are reduced

slightly for UNBC students

The University provides free occupancy, heat, hydro and janitorial/cleaning services, payroll

support and an annual operating subsidy

The society is considered an ancillary service and reports to the Vice President Business and

Finance

The University of Alberta

The University of Alberta financially supports five accredited non-profit child care centres that

are governed by individual parent and community Boards of Directors

In total, centres are licensed for 235 children from birth – age 6

Full- and part-time care is available

Fees vary by age of child and by centre, ranging from $775/month - $1,185/month. There are

currently 600 children on the waiting list

While the five centres are managed by individual boards of directors, they share a common

mission and philosophy

Mission:

o The University affiliated daycare programs at the University of Alberta campus are

family oriented child care centres which develop trust and respond to the needs of the

child as well as the family.

o Our goal is to offer safe, happy, and healthy environments where children develop

intellectually, physically, emotionally, socially, and creatively to their individual

potential.

Program Philosophy:

o To plan and implement learning through play programs, through center based activities

o To foster the growth and development of the "Whole Child"


o To encourage children to develop responsibility, independence, self reliance and self

worth

o To enable each child to develop at his or her own pace in a safe, secure and nuturing

environment

o To treat each child with respect, thus allowing each child the ability to express individual

feeling and emotions

Under an agreement between the university and Kids and Company, as of September 2009,

parents can make their own arrangements for:

o Regular full or part-time day care services for children ranging from infant to twelve years of

age

o Emergency back-up child care for situations where regular arrangements are interrupted

o Elder care support services and information including home support services

o Web links and Web Clips containing useful work/life information

o Catered meal services

in a an off campus facility serving corporate clients of Kids and Company

The university also provides a child care benefit for academic employees. The Child Care Benefit

is limited to 50% reimbursement of expenses to a maximum of $2,000 per year per eligible child.

Waterloo University

There are four on-site child care at the University of Waterloo

The Early Learning Centre (ECEC), offering half-day programs for a total of 60 children 2.5-5

years is operated by the psychology department and the ECEC Advisory Committee. The centre

operates as a research facility for the study of child development by undergraduate, graduate

students and faculty in the Psychology Department. Fees for five mornings a week are

$347/month

The other three centres are operated by non-profit boards of directors; one serves children from

3 months – 6 years, and it also operates a summer camp for children age 4-7. The other two

offer care for children from 18 months – 6 years

Waterloo has also purchased an annual membership with Kids and Company to enable parents

to access their off campus facility serving 120 children age 3months – 6 years, and emergency

back-up child care when regular care arrangements break down

The University of British Columbia

UBC Child Care Services (UBC-CCS) provides full- and part-day, full-year child care for

children 0-12. As of January 2009, there were 373 spaces in 19 centres, with a total

enrolment of 385 children, and additional spaces becoming operational in 2009, for a

total of 457 licensed spaces

In spring, 2009 there were close to 1,500 children on the waiting list; average wait

time for a space is 1-2 years

The monthly parent fees are as follows.


Age Category UBC Employee

Student University Neighourhood

Infant $1,090 -$50 $1,490

Toddler $1,005 -$25 $1,305

3-5 and K $735 -$25 $850

School age $325 No student rate

$375

UBC-CCS is an ancillary operation within Housing and Conferences. The university has

provided the funds for all capital construction, provides the space rent free, covers

utilities, janitorial, maintenance and major repairs, as well as the administrative cost of

the executive director and other administrative staff

In 1994 the university The Board of Governors issued a document on its support for

child care and the types of funding it would provide. See Appendix 4 for details

There are some other non-profit providers on campus that offer part-day care for

preschool and kindergarten children

In addition to regulated child care on campus, some informal care is available:

o A parent-run babysitting co-op is open to families in UBC family and faculty housing

o The UBC Families Forum website aimed at those living in Family Housing on campus,

provides a venue for those needing and offering child care (usually unregulated

arrangements), including casual care and nanny care

o Individuals willing to provide occasional, part-time or full-time care may fill in a form

available at one of the housing offices and place it in a binder that is kept there. Parents

seeking care for their children may use the binder to find caregivers that meet their needs.

As of February 2009 there were approximately 30 names in the registry. There is no

screening of individuals, and information about the binder is by word of mouth and

occasional references in the Acadia Park newsletter

o A recent University Neighbourhood Association newsletter made note of the number of

grandmothers living on campus with their children to care for grandchildren

The UBC Department of Human Resources has identified child care as one of its top

three priorities and as an issue in numerous consultation documents and strategies

including its January 2008 framework document Focus on People: Workplace Practices

Expanding child care services on campus is included as one of the goals in the strategies

to recruit and retain staff and faculty to UBC

In February 2009 the department undertook a Workplace Experiences Survey, the first

survey of its kind, asking staff and faculty to comment on their work experiences at UBC.

Responses to the survey will help inform the priority initiatives within the Focus on People

Framework. Survey results will be made available in the fall of 2009

Between October 2008 and May 2009 the university undertook an expansion plan project,

which examined current and future demand estimates for child care services at UBC

resulting from new development and assessed options for addressing potential demand.

It was developed within the context of the current policy climate and funding


arrangements for child care, other early childhood initiatives underway in BC, and growth

projections and capital projects underway or planned at UBC.

o A project steering committee was established to guide the process and outcomes of

the various project activities, and was made of key stakeholders including senior staff

from Housing, Campus Planning and Human Resources, representatives of the Alma

Mater Society, the Graduate Students Society, and the Faculty Association, parents

and the executive director of UBC-CCS

o Principles and policy options for calculating demand and supply were developed

o A strategy to fulfill current expansion targets and provide projections for future

expansion targets was developed

o Various business models for the development and operation of new services were

examined

o An expansion plan was approved, with a goal of doubling spaces on campus over the

long term

University of Toronto

The University of Toronto (U of T) offers varied child care services on campus and information for

parents. While much larger than UVic, and operating a very different child care and funding and

policy environment, the combination of services offered may provide some useful information as

UVic considers options for expansion. U of T is involved in the following:

Three centres operated by the university’s Early Learning Centre, including one that is

used as a research facility

Two centres on-campus, operated by non-profit parent boards

A child care centre in a student residence, operated by George Brown College as one of its

several lab schools

An arrangement with a corporate child care chain to enable parents to access emergency

care

A family resource centre offering parent-child drop in programs, a childminding service

and information on child care

A Family Life Office providing a wide range of information, referrals and supports for

parents

Of note:

None of the centres provide after school care, though a number provide care for

kindergarten age children

The fees vary by program, except for the three that are directly operated by the Early

Learning Centre. These centres are the only ones offering lower rates for students –

between $198 - $275/month lower than fees for staff and faculty

All programs offer both full-time and part-time care; the ELC sites reserve 25% of all space

for part-time use


The Early Learning Centre is a department of the university; it operates three child care centres,

two located in the main St George campus, and a new centre which opened in August 2009 at its

Mississauga campus.

The Glen Morris site, a research and childcare facility provides 102 spaces for children 0-5

The Bloor St. site, located in the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at U of T provides 24

spaces for children 2.5 – 5 years

The University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) site provides 26 spaces for toddlers and

preschoolers

The fees for full-time care at all three centres are as follows:

Full-Time Faculty / Staff Fees:

Infants $1,790/month

Toddlers $1,606/month

Jr. Pre-School $1,180/month

Sr. Pre-School $1,180/month

Full-Time Student Fees:



Jr. Pre-School $982/month

Sr. Pre-School $982/month

25% of spaces are reserved for part-time care arrangements.

Students contribute fees specifically designated toward child care support; full-time UTM and St.

George campus students as well as part-time undergraduate students with financial need can

apply.

Dollars for Daycare Grants are funded through a $1.00 student levy collected annually. The

Student Union administers the Dollars for Daycare levy collected from all students, and provides

these funds back to campus child care services to support reduced child care costs for student-

users.

The Early Learning Centre also operates a Family Resource Centre, where parents or caregivers can

spend time with their children, expand their networks and obtain resources and information. The

centre also offers a childminding service which parents can book by the hour, at a rate of $12/hour for

children under 2 years and $10/hour for children over 2.

There are three other U of T affiliated child care centres:

Campus Cooperative Day Care Centre, licensed for 50 children 3 months – 5 years, is a

parent/staff managed facility. Full-time fees are:



Preschoolers $930/month

N’sheemaehn Child Care Centre (on the Scarborough Campus), licensed for 54 children 0-5, is

governed by a Parent-University Board of Directors. Full-time fees are:


Toddlers $998/month

Preschoolers $814/month


The University of Toronto “Child Care Centre on Charles” is located in a student family housing

residence and is operated by George Brown College as a training lab school. It is licensed for 52

children 0-5. Full time fees are:



Preschoolers $1,168/month

Back up child care for staff and faculty is available through the university’s membership in Kids

and Company, a corporate child care chain with centres in a number of provinces. This program is

intended for use when there is a breakdown in the child’s regular child care arrangement. For a

fee of $350 per child, the family may access up to 20 visits to any of the Kids and Company

locations where there may be a vacancy on the days needed, at any time during the university’s

12 month membership term. As well, information on four community-based facilities that offer

emergency care is provided on the university Family Care Office website.

The Family Care Office created an online directory of university student babysitters to assist staff,

faculty, and student parents in finding occasional child care. The office maintains a website with

relevant links for parents, maintains a resource library and offers workshops on parenting issues.

A key difference between Ontario and BC is that in Ontario subsidies are not an entitlement and

there are long waiting lists for eligible families to access the limited number of subsidized spaces.

In the City of Toronto, there are about 12,000 eligible families waiting for a subsidized space.

However, there is not a fixed rate for subsidy as there is in BC, so once a parent is in a subsidized

space, close to the full cost of care is covered, making the care affordable for low-modest income

families. As a result of the very high cost of care in Toronto in general, there are long waiting lists

at the U of T centres for subsidized spaces, and at the same time occasional vacancies , and at U

of T, there are long waiting lists for parents needing a fee subsidy, and sometimes vacancies for

parents who can pay the full fee.

US Campus child care

In the United States there are more than 2,500 campus child care centres, which are managed in a

variety of ways. According to a report on campus child care,8 results of a 2003 survey show

Approximately 35% are managed by an academic unit of the university

30% are managed by Student Affairs programs

12% are managed by administration/financial services

10% are managed by Human Resources services

The rest are managed by separate non-profit societies, parent cooperatives or outside

vendors

8 Boswell, T. Campus Child Care Centres (2003) ERIC Clearinghouse on Higher Education. Retrieved August 27, 2007

from: http://www.ericdigests.org/2005-2/child-care.html

http://www.ericdigests.org/2005-2/child-care.html


Approximately half of the centres surveyed reported serving the dual purpose of

providing service to parents and serving as a research lab site for the university,

compared to 10% that reported solely caring for children of students staff and faculty

Many universities in the United States also have work/life or family support programs that

provide information and resources on child care, as well as supporting child care services on

campus. A brief sample includes the following:

Yale University’s Worklife Program provides information on the six Yale affiliated child

care centres, child care resource and referral services, quality indicators, information on

types of care, an on-line child care directory, back up care and babysitting, and guidelines

for choosing child care

University of California Berkeley Work and Family provides information about on- and

off-campus child care, in-home child care, sick child care, types of child care, how to select

child care, child care resources, referral agencies and services, and guidelines for

evaluating child care

Michigan State University Family Resource Centre provides family resource and referral

services, emergency backup child care service, sick child care service, child care grants,

parenting classes, and free child care for students before final exams to facilitate studying

The University of Arizona Life and Work Family Connections provides services and

resources including child care assistance and referrals, sick child care and emergency

back-up care, financial assistance for child care for employees and students, local, state

and national child care resources, and child care articles

The University of Washington Human Resources Benefits and Work/Life office provides

information on the four on-site child care centres, on child care assistance programs for

students, area child care referral, a nanny share network and maintains a caregiver

directory

4. Delivery models and considerations

There are no quick, easy, or inexpensive solutions to the address the growing child care needs at UVic.

Similar concerns and challenges are seen across much the country - whether at a university campus or

elsewhere. Questions about who should pay for child care, and how, and who has primary responsibility

for service delivery have been ongoing for more than 30 years. Issues related to the quality,

affordability and availability continue to demand public attention.

In 2004 Canada participated in the Thematic Review of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC),

undertaken by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, part of a 20-country

review. Canada had the lowest rate of access to ECEC of all countries for children 3-6, and spent the

lowest percentage of GDP on ECEC programs. The international review team expressed concern about

the general quality of provision. They found that standards in Canada lower than in most countries, that

facilities were generally poor, even in newly built centres, and there was a lack of adequate and

available outdoor space. The report recommended that Canada substantially increase public funding of

services, develop a national quality framework for early childhood services, and that provincial


governments develop, with major stakeholder groups, an early childhood strategy, with priority targets,

benchmarks and timelines.

In the absence of a child care system, employers, community organizations, parent groups and

individuals develop and operate programs within their capacity and resources.

Child care is particularly important for universities. It is an important service to support:

Recruitment and retention of university faculty

Participation of student parents in higher education

The role of the university as a leader in life-long learning

The quality of life in family housing

The economic benefits of a well educated population

The long term benefits of children participating in a quality early childhood experience

In order to determine the most effective use of resources to increase the supply of child care at UVic in a

manner that supports quality provision, meets a variety of needs and is sustainable, goals, targets and

timelines need to be established. It will be important to have input of major stakeholders, such as

representatives of

Undergraduate and graduate student unions

Faculty association

Campus planning

Planning and Priorities Committee

Office of the Vice-President Academic and Provost

Human Resources

Finance and Operations

The Unit for Child Care Research and Professional Development, School of Child and Youth Care

UVic Child Care Services

Key to successful child care planning is the development of principles for expansion, so that when

difficult decisions and compromises need to be made the principles can be used to assess the options

and focus on priorities. Involving the key stakeholders will help ensure that the broader university

community takes ownership of the process and decisions made. A community forum and or focus

groups with parents would help define priorities and identify specific needs and challenges they face. It

typically takes 4-6 months to develop principles, establish goals, targets and timetables, undertake the

necessary consultation, develop a strategy and secure necessary support from senior management.

Some key steps in the process include:

Calculating demand While various methods have been developed to estimate demand, it is not

an exact science. Public policy has a significant impact on demand and changes in policy can

increase or decrease demand. For example, if the province implements its plan for full day

kindergarten at no cost to parents, it is likely that the demand for fee-based child care for this age

will drop. When subsidy eligibility levels are raised or lowered it has an impact on affordability for

families at or near the income cut-off, and therefore affects demand.


In the UVic context there are three methods likely to be useful:

o A child care needs survey of students, staff and faculty An on-line survey could provide detailed

information about ages of children, parental preferences and needs, but is time-consuming to

develop, advertise and analyse.

o Wait-list management There are about 300 children on the Child Care Services waiting list, but

an examination of the ages of children, the group sizes needed for those age groups, and the

proportion of infant/toddler to 3-5 spaces to ensure space for younger children to move as

they reach the next age category would significantly reduce the number viable to develop. For

example, two groups of under 3 and two groups of 3-5 care would result in 74 additional

spaces

o The modified “Vancouver Formula” The City of Vancouver has developed demand projections

for child care for new residential and commercial developments. In some situations

calculations are based on square footage of commercial development, and by calculating the

estimated average number of children per residential unit multiplied by the labour force

participation rate of mothers for residential development. It also uses a simpler formula of

approximately 1 child care space for every 100 people in the community. With approximately

23,000 students, staff and faculty, this would put the demand at about 230 spaces, or about 92

additional spaces

Determining type of care Parents need different types of arrangements depending on the age

of their child, work/study hours and preference. The types of supports and child care arrangements

a parent may need are illustrated in the diagram below.

Early Childhood education and care and family supports

Parents and

children

Preschool

Infant, toddler, 3-5 child care

centres

Regulated and informal family child

care

Family resource and

parenting support

Maternity parental

leaveout of

school care

Kindergarten


Universities are involved in all of the above, though to a lesser extent in family child care than in

centre-based care. Maternity and parental benefit top-up payments for staff and faculty do not

directly provide child care, but may allow the parent the choice of staying home for the full length

of leave or returning to work, and may reduce the demand for infant care.

On-campus centre-based care for toddlers and 3-5 year olds is the most usual form of provision

among universities. Infant care, while in high demand is challenging to provide due to the high cost

and, with longer maternity leaves, the short period of time many infants are in that age group

before needing a space in a toddler program. Of note is the age grouping of the younger children at

SFU Children’s Centre. There is one program for 12 infants 3 - 18 months, and six programs for

children 1-3 years. This recognizes the older age at which many infants are starting child care, and

creates a group in which children can remain for two years, thus avoiding a bottleneck for moving

to an older age group.

Centre-based care offers many advantages for families, but also provides an opportunity for

partnership with an academic unit for research activities and placements for students in a variety of

disciplines. U of T, Waterloo, Guelph and Ryerson are but a few of the universities with a child

care/child development research lab.

Family resource and parenting support is not widely offered at Canadian universities, but is quite

common in the US. Often operating as part of the HR department, this type of support can provide

information and referral to parents to off-campus child care, can keep abreast of vacancies, fees,

and types of care available, and provide parents information on what to look for in a quality

arrangement.

Family child care can be difficult to organize, especially in a province such as BC, where caregivers

are individually licensed, or where licence not required providers can care for a maximum of two

children. Recruiting caregivers, providing training, support and monitoring could be done in

partnership or a fee for service agreement with the Victoria Child Care Resource and Referral, for

recruitment targeted to communities near UVic.

The Family Life Centre on campus has begun exploring the possibility of recruiting some licence-

not- required providers from the family housing units. Ensuring opportunities for training,

networking and access to resources would be important to help ensure the necessary support to

providers and quality for children.

Determining program size Consideration must be given to maximum group size allowed in

regulation, a balance of age groupings that ensure available spaces for children to move at the

appropriate times and efficiencies of scale and available space. Infant and toddler care is much

more expensive to provide, so cross-subsidization across age groups should be considered. One

flexible configuration is for a “pod” accommodating up to 50 children can be organized, for

example as:

o two infant/toddler centres and a 3-5 centre

o two 3-5 centres

o a part-day 3-5 centre and a full-day 3-5 centre


Available outdoor space has an impact on program size; it is important that the outdoor playspace

be immediately adjacent to the indoor space and that children have freedom of movement

between the two.

Provincial regulations for square footage is the minimum, which most campus child care centres

exceed. The regulations call for 3.7 square metres net per child indoors, not including hallways,

bathrooms, storage, kitchen adult space, and 7 square metres per child outdoor space. The City of

Vancouver developed space guidelines based on best practice; in addition to defining the amount

of space, it defines the preferred location of core and ancillary services, and the organization and

space allocation of program space. It suggests between 15 m2/child and 10m2/child gross area,

depending on age. All centres built in Vancouver conform to these guidelines. See Appendix 5 for

the provincial requirements and Appendix 6 for the Vancouver guidelines.

Determining type of construction The current UVic Child Care Services are concentrated in one

part of the campus. While there are numerous benefits to having the centres located close

together – such as maximized administrative and staffing efficiencies, ease of drop-off for parents

with more than one child attending the programs, and a strong cohesive child care community on

campus – it may not be feasible to add additional centres in the immediate vicinity. The

development of child care in various locations on the campus, tied to new facility development, or

connected to academic units would increase access for families, but attention should be given to

keeping individual centres connected to a larger entity, to ensure a consistent level of quality.

Options for child care development include new, purpose-built stand-alone space, purpose-built

space within new facility development and retrofit space. Regardless of type of construction, several

questions need to be considered when identifying potential locations for new centres, such as:

o Is the location suitable – away from heavy traffic and environmental concerns?

o Is the square footage sufficient to meet or exceed licensing requirements?

o Is there adequate outdoor play space adjacent to the building?

o Can the indoor spaces be situated to allow for direct access to each outdoor playspace?

o Are easements a factor?

o What kind of natural light occurs in the building?

o Does the building have good setbacks, a balanced scale, and good quality materials?

o Are natural features such as parks, walks, and views available?

o Is the entrance as close as possible to natural grade to facilitate access?

o Does the building have a level, weather-protected area at entrance at grade to accommodate

strollers, bicycles, wheelchairs, and easy access?

o Does it get enough sun?

o Is the parking sufficient?

o What is the proximity to public transit?

o What is the proximity to other University facilities?

Should UVic wish to develop spaces separate from other campus facility development, a short-mid

term solution could include the construction of a modular building, constructed in advance of the


completion more permanent centres. A modular centre could go through the same design process

with an architect and conform to the similar design guidelines as a permanent purpose-built child

care centre.

Modular buildings cost is one option that costs less than concrete construction and can be

completed in a shorter time. As they are constructed in a factory, the site preparation can be done

while fabrication is underway. As a result, less noise and disruption occurs for the local community.

A new modular building could offer a residential feel and homey environment. A modular building is

easier to add on to than traditional buildings, providing the flexibility to adjust to changing needs on

campus.

Modular child-care facilities are better suited to small- and medium-sized programs of up to 50

children, though larger-scale development is possible. A modular building, built to high standards on

a concrete pad and well maintained should have a life span of approximately 30 years. Modular

design uses the concept of rotated modular units to break up the repetitive box-like nature of

traditional modular design. Once a permanent facility is constructed in the vicinity of the modular

facility, the modular centre could be moved to a different location on campus.

Costs Using 2009 costs for recent child care construction:

o Capital costs for each 25 space centre would cost approximately $625,000 for wood

construction and $750,000 for concrete construction, built to residential standards, excluding

the cost of land.

o Playground costs are approximately $80,000 - $100,000 per site and on the age of children

served

o Set-up costs, to equip and furnish each 25 space centre are estimated at approximately $75,000

o Operational start-up costs include hiring and orienting staff before revenues from fees are

realized, gradual entry of children, administrative expenses involved in start-up,

communications and related expenses

o Operating support. At current levels of support, as identified by Financial Planning and

Operations, operating subsidies for each 25-space centre would be approximately $70,000/year,

not including additional administrative staffing. It should be noted, however, that most campus

child care centres do pay for cleaning, maintenance or major repairs. As far back as 1995, the

Campus Child Care Association of British Columbia White Paper on Support for Campus Child

Care in British Columbia recommended that post secondary institutions provide

– Rent-free space

– Utilities

– Major maintenance projects

– Staff functioning as administrators

– Accounting services

– Unionized housekeeping services when the collective agreement prohibits contracting

out

Determining governance structure There are three main governance structures for child care:

direct operation, similar to the existing centres on the UVic campus, or in partnership with an


academic unit; establishing a non-profit board of directors to manage the centre/s; and contracting

with a private provider.

o Direct operation allows the university maximum control over the physical facilities and input

into the operation. It allows for a coherent approach across existing and new centres, flexibility

to manage spaces among centres, and equity for staff, as they would likely be organized into the

same collective bargaining unit. However, this option requires the in-kind support of functions

such as payroll services that other options do not.

o A non-profit board likely means greater input from and responsibility for parents and less in-kind

support, such as payroll services, for the university. Staff would not necessarily be unionized,

but if their salaries and benefits were significantly lower than in the existing centres, turnover

could be high, thereby having a negative impact on quality. Staff wages and working conditions

have an impact on the ability of a teacher to do her/his job well, to have high job satisfaction

and on ensuring a stable work force.

o Almost no universities currently contract out management of on-campus child care to private

operators. Numerous studies shown that in general, or-profit operation care offers lower

quality; staff are paid less and are often less qualified, resulting in higher turnover. Many

universities have been leaders in the provision of quality ECEC, with strong commitments to

equity, supporting diversity and being responsive to the particular needs of their campus

community, which is more likely with directly operated or board-managed services.

o Some universities have purchased corporate memberships in the Ontario-based Kids and

Company, a fast-growing chain of child care centres, as an additional off-campus option for

parents . Kids and Company establishes child care centres in major urban areas and spaces are

available to parents whose employers have purchased memberships. Parents pay market fees

for the care. Emergency back up care is also available to parents whose employers are

corporate members, when they pay $350/child for up to 20 visits within a membership year. In

at least two of the universities, parents have expressed considerable concern about partnering

with a for-profit corporate chain

o The pros and cons of various management structures should be part of the discussion of a

steering committee strategy development

o Note: Partnerships or collaboration with off-campus child care centres could be an option, for

example, giving first priority to university affiliated parents under some kind of financial

agreement. However, there are so few child care facilities in the vicinity of UVic, that this is not

considered feasible.

5. Summary of options

The options put forward are not intended as recommendations; rather they are intended to inform the

development of a larger planning process. They are based on lessons learned from and information

provided by other campus-based programs, the existing child care policy context and service delivery in

BC and readily available information about child care needs at UVic.

Form a multi-stakeholder child care expansion plan steering committee to identify priorities and

guide development


Develop principles, goals targets and timelines for expansion. A target of between 75-100

additional spaces over the long term would likely meet much of the demand, especially if

flexibility in enrolment was considered

When the findings of the external review of UVic Child Care Services are available, determine

the best role for Child Care Services to play in the expansion

A new facility developed in collaboration with an academic partner, such as the Unit for Child

Care Research, would support the university goal of becoming a leading edge research

community. The pedagogical support available from the Unit could position the child care child

care facility to illustrate best practice and be used as a training facility for other providers, and

for students in a variety of faculties to undertake practicum placements.

Review the Preferred Future Building Locations (see Appendix 7) for opportunities to incorporate

child care into new facility development, including additional family housing

Consider creating a staff function within Human Resources to develop information on child care

for parents, create a directory of services and keep track of vacancies in community-based

programs, connect parents with community resources. An example of services provided at a

family care office can be found at: http://www.familycare.utoronto.ca/

Strengthen the function of the UVic Family Centre to work in partnership with the Victoria Child

Care Resource and Referral to support the recruitment, training and provision of resources to

family child care providers on or near campus to serve university-affiliated families

In the short term, once the external review of Child Care Services has been completed, consider

some changes to the existing operation that could address some immediate needs:

o Allow some amount of part-time and flexible enrolment. While it is important for children

to develop peer relationships and relate to a consistent group, most campus programs

allocate some spaces for part time care, without negatively affecting the quality of care. At

UVic children are expected to attend five days a week and be at the centre before 9:30 am.

There may well be some parents who only need part time care, but are required to use a

full time space. Sharing of spaces, or offering regular part-time options could see more

families being served

o Given that there are some options for out of school care in the community, consider how

essential the provision of school age care on campus is. The 50 space centre – or part of it -

could be reconfigured to serve younger children where demand is higher. If school age care

is deemed a priority, consider whether it could be provided, at least in the short-medium

term in alternate space off campus, as children are already spending the majority of the

school day off campus. Perhaps collaboration with the local elementary schools to expand

existing school based after school care would be an option

o Re-vamp the Child Care Services website. Depending on the outcome of the review,

consider making the vision, philosophy and mission of the program more visible; raising its

profile and helping inform the community about the importance of quality child care to

children, families and the university

Consider a public awareness campaign and seek opportunities to make representation to senior

university personnel on child care issues, challenges and potential solutions

http://www.familycare.utoronto.ca/


Seek opportunities to make representation to provincial and federal politicians and officials

about the child care crisis at UVic and the university’s efforts and commitments to date;

consider joining forces with other universities to highlight the issues specific to campus child

care

Join/approach child care advocacy groups, such as the Coalition of Child Care Advocates of

British Columbia for written information on the impact of public policy on children, families and

communities

Consider a small student levy for child care. For example $2/term/student could generate about

$72,000/year, which could help offset fees for student parents, or support the ongoing

operation of on campus facilities

Whatever choices are made, adequate funds will be needed to ensure sustainability of any program.

Each new space has an initial capital cost, and maintenance, recapitalization and operating costs.

These costs must be planned for upfront with strategies for the necessary long-term funding to be in

place prior to construction, in order to ensure the stability and longevity of child care spaces. The

majority of the burden of these costs cannot be borne by parents but rather planned for and funded

through other sponsorship.


Appendix 1. Types of child care in BC9

Unregulated family child care

Maximum number of children permitted: two, not including children related to the caregiver. This category is often

referred to as “licence-not-required” (LNR).

A registered licence-not-required (RLNR) provider is registered with a Child Care Resource and Referral Program

(see OTHER category below for description) and meets the requirements of registration.

Licensed Child Care

Group child care (under 36 months)

Group care for no more than 13 hours/day for no more than 12 children from birth to 36 months.

Group child care (30 months to school age)

Group programs for no more than 13 hours/day for no more than 25 children, age 30 months to school age.

Preschool (30 months to school age)

Group programs that provide child care to preschool children for no more than four hours/day per child for no

more than 20 children.

Group child care (school age)

Care outside school hours, including during school vacations, for children attending school (including kindergarten)

for no more than 13 hours/day for no more than 25 children.

Occasional child care

Occasional or short-term care for children at least 18 months old for no more than 40 hours in a calendar month to

each child. Maximum of 16 children if a child under three years of age is present and a maximum of 20 children if

all children are three years of age or older.

Multi-age child care

Group care by an early childhood educator to at least eight children of various ages. No more than three children

may be under 36 months

Maximum staff:child ratios and group sizes in licensed centres

Age Staff:child ratios Max. group sizes

0-3 yrs 1:4 12

30 mos–school-age 1:8 25

Preschool 1:10 20

School-age 1:10 or 1:15 20-25

Occasional 1:4 or 1:8 16-20

Multi-age 1:8 8

9 Excerpt from Beach, J.; Friendly, M.; Ferns, C.; Prabhu, N.; Forer, B. (2009) Early Childhood Education and Care in

Canada 2008. Toronto, ON: Childcare Resource and Research Unit.


Family child care

Care in a private home for no more than seven children, aged birth to 12 years. A family child care provider may

care for no more than four children younger than four years of age and no more than two children under two

years of age, if the youngest child is older than 12 months. If a child younger than 12 months is present, only three

of the seven children may be under four years of age, and only one may be younger than 12 months. Children 12

years or older who are related to the caregiver are not included in this definition.

In-home multi-age child care

Care by an early childhood educator to no more than eight children in the educator’s personal residence. No more

than three children may be under 36 months.

Other

Child Care Resource and Referral (CCRR) programs are provincially funded to provide information, support and

training to licensed, RLNR and LNR family child care providers. They provide workshops, networking opportunities,

home visits, access to child care resources (equipment, toys, library materials), a registry of child care providers

and a referral service for families looking for child care. The registry includes RLNR child care providers who have

met the conditions for registration with a CCRR.


Appendix 2. Child Care Operating Funding rates

Group Child Care: Daily rates

Rate Category 4 hours or less More than 4 hours

0 to 35 months $6.00 $12.00

3 years to kindergarten $2.74 $5.48

Grade 1 to 12 years $1.40 $2.80

Preschool $1.37 -

Family Child Care Providers: Daily rates

Rate Category 4 hours or less More than 4 hours

0 to 35 months $1.85 $3.70

3 years to kindergarten $1.41 $2.82

Grade 1 to 12 years $0.73 $1.46


Appendix 3. Child care fee subsidy rates

Maximum fee subsidy by age of child

Type of care Part-day monthly Full-day monthly

(4 hrs or less/day, unless both (more than 4 hrs/day or both before and after school before and after school care provided) provided)

Centre-based 0-18 months $375.00 $750.00 19-36 months $317.50 $635.00 36 months + $275.00 $550.00 Kindergarten $272.00 $340.00 Six years and over $207.50 $415.00

Type of care Part-day monthly Full-day monthly (4 hrs or less/day, unless both (more than 4 hrs/day or both before and after school `1before and after school care provided) provided)

Care Surrounding School Day* $170.00 $200.00 Preschool $225.00 —

Licensed family child care and registered licence-not-required child care Type of care Part-day monthly Full-day monthly

(4 hrs or less/day, unless both (more than 4 hrs/day or both before and after school before and after school care provided) provided)

0-18 months $300.00 $600.00 19-36 months $300.00 $600.00 36 months + $275.00 $550.00 Six years and over $207.50 $415.00

Licence-not-required 0-18 months $219.00 $438.00 19-36 months $202.00 $404.00 Over 36 months $177.00 $354.00

In-child’s-home First child (0-18 mos) $197.00 $394.00 First child (over 18 mos) $159.00 $318.00 Second child (0-18 mos) $99.00 $198.00 Each additional child $73.50 $147.00

On days that school is not in session, school age children are subsidized at the “six and over” rate for the relevant type of care.


Appendix 4. Board of Governors guidelines for child care at UBC

Revised December 2, 1994

After Board of Governors Meeting

Held December 1, 1994

GUIDELINES FOR THE PROVISION OF

CHILD CARE SERVICES AT THE

UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

The University:

1. is committed to enhancing the environment and opportunities for learning, teaching, working, and research for students, staff, and faculty.

2. recognizes the paramount role of successful parenting in human development and that effective parenting must be child/parent centered; that is, the individual needs of children cannot be considered separately from those of their parents.

3. recognizes that provision and availability of high quality child care on campus is highly desirable to a segment of the student, faculty and staff population in our dynamic academic institution and complements alternate methods and venues for child care off campus.

4. recognizes that costs of high quality child care are a significant factor for most staff, student and faculty families.

5. is committed, within available resources, to financially support the provision and utilization of high quality child care services on campus. The University support will, however, be limited to the capital, major repairs, heat, light and power for the buildings, and the central administrative support unit for all child care centres. In addition, through the Department of Housing and Conferences, the University will continue to provide janitorial and accounting services.

6. requires that all direct costs of operating child care centres be, however, the responsibility of user groups. Such direct costs, for example, include the cost of salaries, benefits, supplies, minor repairs, furnishings and equipment, etc.

7. will continue to provide financial assistance to student parents based on need.

8. recognizes that all financial/budgetary allocations within the University are in reality trade-offs between competing demands.


Appendix 5. Minimum space requirements for child care centres in BC

Indoor space:

3.7 square metres/child in a centre for children under 36 months, from 30 months to school age

and in excluding hallways, built-in storage areas and bathrooms;

4 square metres/child in special-needs daycare;10

3 square metres/child in out-of-school care;

A separate area required for each group: of 12 children under 36 months or 25 children 30

months to school-age or 20 in kindergarten or grade 1 or 25 in higher grades or 16 children not

yet in grade 1 attending a centre where at least 25% of the children have a special need or 20 in

preschool;

A sleeping arrangement not located in an activity area for each child under 36 months;

One toilet and washbasin for 12 children under 36 months; one for eight children in special-

needs day care. For both groups, a change table that is not in the food preparation area and an

additional washbasin convenient to the change table. One toilet and washbasin for every 10

children 30 months to school age. Bathrooms must be on the same floor as the facility;

One toilet and washbasin for 15 children in an out-of-school program; and

Note that the space requirements in the regulations do not include space for storage, kitchen

facilities, staff room, hallways and other ancillary uses. The average gross floor requirements are

between 5-7 square metres/child.

Outdoor space:

7 square metres per child; and

The outdoor play area must be enclosed by a fence.

10 A group child care facility in which at least 25% of the children have special needs.


Appendix 6. Summary of City of Vancouver Design Guidelines

Indoor space

Minimum indoor space

required per child:

individual age groups

Age group and group

size

Total minimum net

activity area (square

metres)

Total gross indoor

area11 (square metres)

Minimum net

area per child

(square metres)

Infant (12 spaces) 82 182 6.83

Toddler (12 spaces) 82 182 6.83

Preschooler (25 spaces) 128 247 5.12

Preschool (part-day) (20

spaces) 78 153 3.9

Minimum indoor space

required per child shared

facilities

Age group and group

size

Total minimum net

activity area (square

metres)

Total gross indoor

area12 (square metres)

Minimum net

area per child

(square metres)

Infant and toddler (24

spaces)

164 336-364 6.8

Toddler and preschooler

(37 spaces) 210 401-429 5.7

Infant, toddler and

preschooler (49 spaces) 292 555-611 6

Infant, toddler,

preschooler and

preschool (69 spaces)

370 764 5.3

Conditions and

organizational

requirements of play

space

Infants

Activity settings, defined by physical location, visible boundaries, work and sitting surfaces,

materials storage and display, a mood or personality, should be designed to accommodate a variety

of discrete activities. They should be delineated by a combination of fixed and moveable elements.

Where changes in level are employed ramps should be used. The gross motor/nap room and the

quiet room should be designed to open up to the activity room to enable shared use and enhance

flexibility. The minimum recommended activity settings by age group are listed below

7 settings: art/sensory; dramatic play; manipulative toy; 2 for quiet reading; 2 settings climbing and

crawling.

Toddler 8 settings: art; water sand and sensory; dramatic play; blocks; puzzles and manipulative toys; blocks;

gross motor/movement, quiet retreat for 1-2 children

3-5 yrs and preschool 12 settings: art; water; sand/texture; dramatic play; science; puzzles and games; manipulative toys;

blocks; gross motor/circle; reading; wheeled and construction toys; quiet retreat for 1-2 children

The activity rooms should have waterproof flooring throughout except in infant group child care

where much of the space should be carpeted. Activity settings should be delineated by a

combination of fixed and movable elements (hung partitions, bookcases, storage units, etc).

11 The gross floor area does not include stairwells, elevator shafts and lobbies. 12 If facility design permits support spaces, laundry rooms, parents’ rooms and staff washrooms may be shared by two or three groups with a commensurate reduction in area.


Sleep and rest area

requirements for infants

Facilities for infants and toddlers should provide two smaller rooms for napping so that fussy infants

do not disturb sleeping infants. These rooms may accommodate more than one activity and should

both open up to the primary activity space

Sleep and rest area

requirements for

preschool age children

An enclosed gross motor/nap room should able to be opened up to the activity room to promote

shared use. Nap space should be sized to accommodate 12 children sleeping on mats, located away

from the outdoor play areas, and located to allow children to sleep without being disturbed by the

activities around them.

Diapering, toileting and

washing requirements

For programs with children under 36 months and/or children with special needs a dedicated diaper

changing area, located with visual access to the main activity area and close to the laundry, separated

from the main activity area by a Dutch door or other partition 750-900 mm high. The diaper

changing area should include a changing surface approx. 800mm high and 600 mm deep; an adjacent

sink large and deep enough to bathe children, outfitted with elbow faucets and a hand held shower

attachment; space for several large, lined containers with lids for soiled diapers within arms reach of

staff; shelves and drawers for supplies, and enough shelf space for children’s individual supplies;

hooks or shelves for mobiles or small toys and a mirror along or behind changing surface; adequate

ventilation to remove odours without drafts and sufficient heat; a nearby toilet; room for 3 or 4

potties.

Toddler and preschool facilities should provide a children’s washroom for each group immediately

accessible from the cubby and activity areas. Staff should be able to visually supervise the entrance to

the washroom from the main activity area. The infant and toddler toilets should be unscreened. For

preschool groups there should be one partially screened toilet. The number of fixtures must conform

to the Community Care Facilities Licensing Regulations, and be immediately accessible from the cubby

and activity areas. Urinals should not be provided.

Children’s eating areas Enough space is required to seat all children at once for snacks and meals.

Entrances and exits

There should be only one entry door with additional locked or alarmed doors as required by

regulations for emergency egress only. It should not be necessary to enter one group’s space to access

another group. Ideally, for security and programming reasons, the entry should be directly from the

covered outdoor play space. If it is through a hallway or stairway and not directly from the outdoors,

the route should provide views to the outdoors, community spaces, or into the child care. Long dark

or harshly lit institutional corridors should be avoided. The preferred entry way is via the cubby area

and from there into the primary activity area.

Light, ventilation and

heating requirements

All major indoor activity spaces used by children should have a direct source of natural light from a

minimum of 10 percent of the wall area of the room. These major spaces should have a balanced

distribution of windows. Natural light is preferred for staff rooms and offices. Support areas such as

washrooms, kitchens and storage rooms do not require natural light.

The facility should have its own heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems separate from the

rest of the building.

Height specifications Locations below grade are unacceptable due to requirements for natural light and outdoor areas.


Office and staff room

Staff offices should be provided for administrative activities, private interviews and meetings, and

for staff breaks. The offices should be accessible to each group and be within hearing range of the

primary activity area(s). There should be visual supervision of the primary activity areas from the

office by means of a window or door.

A single staff office may be shared by two or more groups if easily accessible to each group and

within hearing range of primary activity area(s). If a single office is used for two or more groups, a

staff lounge should also be provided.

One individual staff/handicapped washroom with one toilet and sink should be provided for each

facility, for up to 25 staff. Provision of an accessible shower within the staff washroom is desirable.

This washroom should be large enough to permit assisted toileting. One staff washroom may be

shared by 2 more groups.

Kitchen/food preparation

area

A kitchen should be provided for the preparation and clean up of snacks and lunches. Two groups

can share one kitchen if it is located to be readily accessible to both. Kitchens may be located within

an alcove of the primary activity space, but must be separated by a child-height counter. An open

kitchenette (along a wall) is not allowed.

If there is a shared kitchen, infant programs should have separate ½ size fridges and small

microwaves properly mounted at counter height.

Storage for children’s

belongings and play

equipment

Three categories of storage should be provided for each group: active storage – accessible to children

from activity setting; semi-active storage, shelves and cabinets accessible to staff above or near

activity settings and storage room for longer term storage and larger equipment.

There should be dedicated sleeping mat storage adjacent to sleeping area; personal storage for

children and staff, a variety of wall cabinets and shelves, floor units and open visible storage.

Infant and toddler programs should provide storage space for parent-owned strollers and car seats.

Tall, heavy cupboards and other furniture items should be fixed to the wall, designed to address

seismic safety concerns.

A separate cubby area should be provided for each group, directly accessible to the washroom and

outdoor covered play area, with one cubby for each child; child care centres with part-time children

should include extra cubbies. There should be sufficient open floor space for a group of eight

children with one staff to get dressed for winter conditions, separated from the activities of the other

children. The cubby area is best located immediately inside the entry used by children when using

the outside play yard.

Other indoor

requirements/

additional information

A quiet room should be provided for toddler and preschool groups, in a separate room with a door,

used for quiet activities involving one staff and up to three children. There should be enough space

for a small table, chairs and some storage.

A small separate room should be provided for parents as a resource room for reading, staff/parent

conferences or breast-feeding. It should be private from the program areas and separate from the

staff office. One parent room may be shared by two or more groups.

A lockable laundry should be provided which is not accessible to children, with washer/dryer and

folding counter. One laundry area may be shared by two or more groups.

A lockable laundry area with a floor sink, storage shelves and impervious wall coverings should be

provided within the childcare facility, where appropriate, or immediately adjacent to it.


Outdoor play space requirements

Minimum outdoor space

requirements: individual

age groups

Age group and group

size

Covered outdoor

(square metres)

Total outdoor13

(square metres)

Total outdoor per

child per child (square

metres)

Infant (12 spaces) 22 85 7.1

Toddler (12 spaces) 33 130-170 10.8-14.2

Preschooler (25 spaces) 45 265-350 10.6-14

Preschool (part-day)

(20 spaces)

33 140 7

Minimum outdoor space

requirements: shared

facility

Age group and group

size

Covered outdoor

(square metres)

Total outdoor14

(square metres)

Total outdoor per

child per child (square

metres)

Infant and toddler (24

spaces) 55 215-255 9-10.6

Toddler and

preschooler (37 spaces) 78 390-520 10.5-14

Infant, toddler and

preschooler (49 spaces) 100 475-605 9.7-12.3

Infant, toddler,

preschooler and

preschool (69 spaces)

133 615-745 8.9-10.8

Proximity to indoor space

Outdoor space should be at the same level as the indoor space (plus or minus .5 metres) and

contiguous with it. The facility should be within .8 km of a park or playground to supplement the

outdoor play area.

Fencing and enclosures

All fences should be designed to be unclimbable and of sufficient height and material strength to

prevent children from getting out of the yard and strangers from reaching or climbing into the yard.

Roof-top or above-grade play areas should provide perimeter safety rails and fences with vision

panels to discourage climbing, for viewing.

Playground specifics

The outdoor space should offer a variety of surfaces and terrains, including resilient fall surface, as

approved by the public health inspector at all places where children can climb, slide or fall.

The outdoor play area should be divided into play zones: a covered play area adjacent to entry; a

creative zone located near indoors or in the covered area; a fantasy zone near the covered area; a

social zone in a central location, shady in summer, sunny in winter; a dramatic zone with space for a

house setting, props and utensils, large blocks and interlocking construction toys. It is appropriate

13 Outdoor areas may be reduced in shared situations by up to 25% for toddler and preschoolers if an appropriate park or

playground is within .5 km walking distance and available for regular use. 14 Outdoor areas may be reduced in shared situations by up to 25% if: a covered area is provided adjacent to each group, the

outdoor area is shared by three or more groups, each group retains control of an area for individual use and appropriate

playground or park is within .5 km and is available for regular use


for the wheeled toy route to extend from this area; a physical zone located away from quieter zones,

but adjacent to dramatic zone; a natural element zone including vegetable plots, fragrant flowers, soil

for digging, animal hutches, sand, water, trees shrubs and wind toys, such as sails or banners; a hose

bib for watering purposes.

Other considerations

Outdoor play space should have a favourable microclimate (i.e. wind protection and direct sunlight),

and between 1/3 and ½ should be clear space for group activities and physical movement. A paved

path or route for wheeled toys should wind around the other activity areas.

Outdoor space should be acoustically buffered from traffic and parking and other disruptive noises,

fumes and odours.

If the outdoor play space is on a roof, vegetation and play equipment should be wind resistant. The

play space should be free of skylights, roof vents and/or mechanical equipment.

The outdoor space should be oriented to receive a minimum of 3 hours of direct sunlight per day at

the winter solstice. Two hours of sunlight should occur during typical playtimes of 9:30-11:30 am or

1:30-4:00 pm.

The area should be protected against flooding.


Appendix 7. UVic Campus Plan: preferred future building locations

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