Child Care Assessment Municipality of SaanichTillicum Village

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Saanich Childcare Assessment Summary Tillicum village area of Saanich is designated as a high density area. The Municipality of Saanich has made a commitment to pursuing both opportunities for increasing child care capacity and inter sectoral collaborations to support the development of communities. Saanich currently needs 1709 additional full time child care spaces

Background In January 2009, the regional early year’s network, PLAY Victoria, undertook a major study, “Understanding the Early Years” to determine the status of young children and families in our region. The results of this study presented findings and child care briefs to key municipalities including Saanich (Childcare Brief, Saanich 2009). At that time, Saanich needed an additional 1600 spaces to meet regional child care goals. In 2011, Success by 6 and Saanich Municipality (Parks and Recreation) cofunded and created an Early Childhood Development Strategy which outlines key goals relating to childcare in Saanich: Goal #2- To enhance economic viability, and ensure sustainable, supportive, and appropriate child care as an essential element of community infrastructure. a. Developing a Municipal Child Care Strategy in cooperation with the child care community b. Determining how much care needs to be provided in the community c. Identifying opportunities for increasing the number of care spaces that are provided. (Saanich Parks and Recreation, Early Childhood Development Strategy, 2011) The Saanich Official Community Plan (2008), Section 4.2 (Built Environment) and Section 5 (Social Well Being) outlines commitments of the Municipality to manage growth through urban centres and villages. Tillicum Village, a major centre is currently undergoing housing expansion at the recently built housing complex of Tillicum and Burnside. Continued density is planned for this neighbourhood. The Municipality also commits to continue community involvement and inter sectoral partnerships as contributing to the social fabric of Saanich. In 2013, the Provincial Government through the Ministry of Children and Family Development announced its Early Years Strategy. Over the next three

years, government will give $32 million of funding to communities to support the creation of up to 2,000 new licensed child care spaces, with the goal of opening 13,000 new spaces over the next eight years. Emphasis will be placed on creating spaces in areas currently underserved by child care. The government will also add additional funds to communities who delivery a ‘hub model’ of integrated services including licensed childcare. (Family’s Agenda, Early Years Strategy, 2013, p.4)

Growing Neighbourhood, Growing Needs      

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Tillicum School has experienced increased kindergarten enrolment during the 2013/14 school year and in 2014, Tillicum Strong Start Centre will relocate to MacKenzie Elementary School. There were over 130 infants/toddlers registered at Tillicum Strong Start in January, 2013. Saanich Neighbourhood Place continues to see a growth in the number of families with young children. According to the 2011 census, 4,555 children 0- 4yr were living in Saanich. 1845 of those children or approximately 40 % live in the five census areas (Interurban, Hastings, Carey, Tillicum and Saanich Core) served by the Tillicum Village core. In 2011, the number of census families2 in Saanich was 31,310, which represents an increase of 0.4% from 2006. According to 2011 census, 15.4% of family households in Saanich are lone parent families, this is up slightly from 2006 There were 866 live births in Saanich in 2012

Vulnerable Children in Saanich Early Development Indicator (HELP, UBC, 2013) Over the past 10 years, a longitudinal research project carried out by school districts in partnership with the Human Early Learning Partnership of University of British Columbia conduct kindergarten assessments of students to determine the early indicators of their overall development based on five areas of child development (physical, social, emotional, language, communication) The Greater Victoria School District is divided into 10 neighbourhoods based on the numbers of children within the given postal codes. In 2012, the results of Wave 5 of the study provided the following information:

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30% of the children in the Carey/Glanford neighbourhoods (equivalent to the 5 core census areas) were found to be vulnerable in one or more areas of their development  This neighbourhood has more vulnerable children than any other neighbourhood in Saanich.  Children scored the highest rates of vulnerability in social competence and physical competence. Note: over the three waves of EDI (6 years) this area has continued to show an increase in the overall vulnerabilities of children

Quality Childcare- What is it? Licensed childcare is a key determinant for enhanced quality care. The provincial regulations and monitoring of physical space, curriculum and staff qualifications are benchmarks in determining quality care. Early brain research demonstrates that the critical periods of a child’s brain development happen in the first six years. The opportunity for young children to have positive interactions is critical during these sensitive periods of development.

The Canadian Social Determinants of Health outline early childhood experiences strongly influence the long-term health of children and access to regulated childcare is an important contributor to children’s well-being. (Social Determinants of Health, the Canadian Facts, 2010). Quality childcare is determined by a number of factors which are represented in licensed, regulated programs: 1. 2. 3. 4.

Learning Environment Adult/Child Ratios Qualifications/Remuneration of Staff Programming

5. Public and Non-Profit Delivery 6. Legislative standards and monitoring 7. Funding “High quality child care programs simultaneously support families to balance work and family commitments while they provide developmentally appropriate learning environments for children. Population health studies highlight the importance of positive early childhood experiences in determining healthy outcomes for all areas of children’s development. Nurturing, stimulating child care helps strengthen children’s dispositions to be life-long Learners and productive participants in society” (Childcare Advocacy Fact Sheet, www.ccaa.ca).

Child Care Capacity in Saanich There is currently 1 space for every 2.7 children aged five and under. The regional goal is one licensed childcare space per every 1.4 children. An estimated 1700 additional spaces in Saanich are necessary Through the regional early year’s network, the availability of childcare spaces is monitored on a semiannual basis to determine trends. Saanich has a total of 2032 childcare spaces of which only 803 are licensed full day care. The remaining childcare spaces represent unlicensed, childminding, school age and multi-age spaces. (August, CCRR, 2013)    

There are only 169 licensed infant-toddler spaces in Saanich. There are 1246 licensed childcare spaces for children ages 2.5 to 5 years of age. There are 700 licensed preschool spaces for children 3-5 years of age. There is currently 1 full time space for every 3.03 children aged 4 and under. A regional goal is one space per every 1.4 children. An estimated 1,709 additional spaces in Saanich are necessary to meet this ratio.

Licensed Child Care Spaces August 2013 Number of Licensed Group Licensed Children Care (under 36 Group Care months) (30 mos. to school age) Saanic 4555 169 634 h Victori 2820 131 612 a

Licensed Preschool4hours/day or less 578 222