Description:
Recommendations
The General Manager, Children's Services recommends that:
1. City Council reaffirm the need for additional Provincial resources in the amounts of: $10.413 million in capital for child care outside of schools and $14.599 million in transitional/operating funds, to address the transitional impacts of full-day kindergarten on child care as requested by City Council in November 2011.
2. City Council request that the Province of Ontario provide new child care fee subsidies to ensure that child care spaces for all age groups are accessible to low-income families, especially given the increasing number of spaces becoming available in the system for younger children whose care is more costly.
3. City Council request that the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) and the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB): (a) amend their lease agreements with third party operators of FDK before- and after-school programs to better reflect and solidify the partnership; and (b) revisit occupancy costs charged to third-party operators in schools in pursuit of a more seamless and cost-effective system, recognizing that both the Boards and child care operators share responsibility for a successful early learning system.
Summary
This report provides an update on the implementation of Full-Day Kindergarten (FDK) and the transition to an integrated early learning and care system. FDK implementation is currently in the third year of a five year process. The report reviews the resources that have been requested from the Province, what has been received to date and what is still required. This report also updates the Ward Analysis, which projects the licensed child care capacity in each city ward at full implementation of the program. This analysis was first reported to City Council in November 2011.