The Early Learning and Child Care in Peel Council Task Force met on Thursday, June 28, 2012 at 8:41 a.m., in the Council Chamber, Regional Administrative Headquarters, 10 Peel Centre Drive, Suite A, Brampton.

Chaired by Councillor Miles.



1. DECLARATIONS OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST - Nil


2 . APPROVAL OF MINUTES

a) Minutes of the Early Learning and Child Care in Peel Council Task Force (ELCCTF-2012-3) meeting held on May 24, 2012

RECOMMENDATION ELCCTF-8-2012:

Moved by Councillor Sanderson,
Seconded by Councillor Saito;

That the Minutes of the Early Learning and Child Care in Peel Council Task Force (ELCCTF-2012-3) meeting held on May 24, 2012, be approved.

b) Report from the Clerk Regarding the Early Learning and Child Care in Peel Council Task Force (ELCCTF-2012-4) meeting held on June 7, 2012.

Received

3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA

RECOMMENDATION ELCCFT-9-2012:

Moved by Councillor Crombie,
Seconded by Councillor Moore;

That the agenda for the June 28, 2012 Early Learning and Child Care in Peel Council Task Force meeting be amended to include a presentation by Jagmeet Singh, Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for Bramalea-Gore-Malton, to be dealt with under Presentations - Item 4a ii;

And further, that the agenda for the June 28, 2012, Early Learning and Child Care in Peel Council Task Force meeting be approved, as amended.

4. PRESENTATIONS

a) System Funding and Exploring Service Delivery Options

i) Presentation by Janet Menard, Commissioner, Human Services

Received

A copy of the presentation is available from the Office of the Regional Clerk

Janet Menard, Commissioner of Human Services provided a presentation analyzing the funding details and challenges of the four service delivery options as directed by Council Resolutions 2012-112 and 2012-113. The options discussed were: looking at leasing our centres to an external operator and remaining as landlord and system manager; that the centres refocus to serve more children with special needs and low-income families and after care centres; other cost saving measures such as fee increases, salary adjustments; and, the possible phased-in closure of the Learn.Play.Care (LPC) centres.

Councillor Crombie noted her concern over the recent news that New Steps Malton child care centre would be closing. She stressed given the amount of information being presented to the Task Force members that an additional meeting be considered.

Councillor Thompson inquired as to the additional costs of providing special needs services compared to regular child care services. John Arcella, Manager, Financial Support Unit, responded that on average, children with special needs require an additional $3,000 in funding for a total of $13,000 per year.

Councillor Sanderson inquired whether staff has been looking at buying-out the current leases on some of the existing centres. Janet Menard responded that staff have been examining the penalties associated with terminating the leases. Councillor Sanderson further inquired if there has been any interest from the private sector in taking over existing centres. Janet Menard responded that there has been some interest conveyed to staff.

Councillor Sanderson further inquired if the Howden and Greenbriar centres were, as noted, not up to current Day Nurseries Act (DNA) code. Janet Menard responded that they are not up to current standards but have been grandfathered in by the province. Councillor Sanderson inquired whether all the parents currently using the evening care at the Chinguacousy centre required the full evening. Sonia Pace, Director, Children’s Service Operations, responded that the evening pickups by parents are staggered throughout the evening with the last child picked up by 11:00 p.m.

Councillor Saito inquired whether private centres would be able to absorb the displaced children, along with the gap in available special needs spaces, should the LPC centres be phased-out. Janet Menard responded that analysis has been done in the areas surrounding the various LPC centres to identify child care vacancies where fee subsidy spaces are available through licensed child care centres and home child care programs, and there is enough to accommodate the displaced children. She added that private providers have conveyed that they favour integration of children with special needs but require additional financial support to do so.

Councillor Sprovieri inquired whether any parents of the LPC children have indicated a willingness to pay more for the service. Janet Menard stated that she has seen several suggestions of increased fees in several communications from full-fee paying parents.

Councillor Hames inquired whether the province contributes funding for special needs child care. Janet Menard confirmed that $3.8 million of the total funding is for special needs children, $3 million of which goes to outside child care agencies, and $800,000 is directed to the LPCs.

Councillor Moore requested that the wording around “savings” be changed to reflect the fact that the Task Force and staff are looking not at savings, but rather a re-direction or re-investment of existing funds for the system, as a whole. Councillor Moore requested that staff continue to follow-up with the school boards regarding the flexible boundaries issue to allow children to attend school and receive child care outside their home area. Councillor Moore further requested that staff ensure all of the information that has been provided to the Task Force is compiled for a submission to the province for their information about how child care works at the local level.

Additional item 4a ii

ii) Presentation by Jagmeet Singh, MPP for Bramalea-Gore-Malton

Received

Jagmeet Singh, MPP, provided comments on the work and mandate of the Task Force and stressed the importance of quality child care in the Region of Peel. He emphasized child care as a building block of all communities, and that a lack of quality child care affects the most vulnerable in society, and an investment in child care pays great social dividends later in life that can reduce the costs of other government services.

5. COMMUNICATIONS

a) Kathy Cunningham, Peekaboo Child Care Centre, Email dated February 1, 2012, Expressing Concerns Regarding the Potential Closure of the Region of Peel Child Care Centres

Received

b) Liz De Melo, Email dated May 30, 2012, Expressing Concerns Regarding the Potential Closure of the Region of Peel Child Care Centres

Received

c) Phung Quach, Email dated May 30, 2012, Expressing Concerns Regarding the Potential Closure of the Region of Peel Child Care Centres

Received

d) Heather Briggs, Email dated June 1, 2012, Encouraging the Region of Peel to Keep the Learn.Play.Care Centres Open

Received

e) Melanie Palaypayon, Email dated June 1, 2012, Regarding the Region of Peel’s Role in Supporting Children with Special Needs

Received

f) Silvia Acevedo, Email dated June 1, 2012, Expressing Concerns Regarding the Potential Closure of the Region of Peel Child Care Centres

Received

g) Betty Colavito, Email dated June 1, 2012, Sharing Her Positive Experience with Childcare at the Sunshine Children’s Centre

Received

h) Mary Farrugia, Email dated June 4, 2012, Regarding the Importance of Providing Evening Care/Extended Childcare Hours at the Region of Peel Child Care Centres

Received

i) Lee and Joanna, Email dated June 4, 2012, Expressing Concerns Regarding the Potential Closure of the Region of Peel Child Care Centres

Received

j) Leanne Davidson, Email dated June 5, 2012, Regarding the Region of Peel’s Role in Supporting Children with Special Needs

Received

k) Angela Cribb, Email dated June 5, 2012, Suggesting Recommendations for Consideration to the Early Learning and Child Care in Peel Council Task Force (ELCCTF)

Received

l) Eric Deng, Email dated June 5, 2012, Expressing Concerns Regarding the Potential Closure of the Region of Peel Child Care Centres

Received

m) Martha Friendly, Executive Director, Childcare Resource and Research Unit, Memo dated June 6, 2012, Providing Discussion Points for the Early Learning and Child Care in Peel Council Task Force (ELCCTF)

Received

n) Katarina and Zoran Rakic, Email dated June 6, 2012, Expressing Concerns Regarding the Potential Closure of the Region of Peel Child Care Centres

Received

o) John Garland, Email dated June 6, 2012, Expressing Concerns Regarding the Potential Closure of the Region of Peel Child Care Centres

Received

p) Ye Yang, Email dated June 6, 2012, Expressing Concerns Regarding the Potential Closure of the Region of Peel Child Care Centres

Received

q) Daphne Lok, Email dated June 6, 2012, Regarding a Parent’s Perspective on the Learn Play Care System

Received

r) Daphne Lok, Email dated June 6, 2012, Regarding a Professional’s Perspective on the Learn Play Care System

Received

s) Bijan Nouri, Email dated June 6, 2012, Expressing Concerns Regarding the Potential Closure of the Region of Peel Child Care Centres

Received

t) Charles Casuga, Email dated June 7, 2012, Expressing Concerns Regarding the Potential Closure of the Region of Peel Child Care Centres

Received

u) Nalini Seepersaud, Email dated June 7, 2012, Expressing Concerns Regarding the Potential Closure of the Region of Peel Child Care Centres

Received

v) Patricia Pulido, Email dated June 7, 2012, Expressing Concerns Regarding the Potential Closure of the Region of Peel Child Care Centres

Received

w) Tomasz Krawczynski, Email dated June 7, 2012, Expressing Concerns Regarding the Potential Closure of the Region of Peel Child Care Centres

Received

x) Ghazala Khan, Email dated June 7, 2012, Expressing Concerns Regarding the Potential Closure of the Region of Peel Child Care Centres

Received

y) Leslie Dungog, Email dated June 7, 2012, Expressing Concerns Regarding the Potential Closure of the Region of Peel Child Care Centres

Received

z) Jinmiao Xu, Email dated June 7, 2012, Expressing Concerns Regarding the Potential Closure of the Region of Peel Child Care Centres

Received

aa) David Burga, Email dated June 7, 2012, Expressing Concerns Regarding the Potential Closure of the Region of Peel Child Care Centres

Received

bb) Joseph Bergie, Email dated June 7, 2012, Expressing Concerns Regarding the Potential Closure of the Region of Peel Child Care Centres

Received

cc) Marie Vic Gonzalez, Email dated June 7, 2012, Expressing Concerns Regarding the Potential Closure of the Region of Peel Child Care Centres

Received

dd) Makiba Holder, Email dated June 10, 2012, Expressing Concerns Regarding the Potential Closure of the Region of Peel Child Care Centres

Received

ee) Naeem Tajuddin, Email dated June 12, 2012, Expressing Concerns Regarding the Potential Closure of the Region of Peel Child Care Centres

Received

ff) Hridiya Devkishin, Email dated June 12, 2012, Expressing Concerns Regarding the Potential Closure of the Region of Peel Child Care Centres

Received

6. OTHER BUSINESS - Nil

7. NEXT MEETING

The next meeting of the Early Learning and Child Care in Peel Council Task Force is scheduled for Thursday, July 5, 2012 at 8:30 a.m., Regional Administrative Headquarters, Council Chamber, 5th floor, 10 Peel Centre Drive, Suite A, Brampton, Ontario.

Please forward regrets to Curtiss Law, Committee Clerk, (905) 791-7800, ext. 4330 or at curtiss.law@peelregion.ca.


8. ADJOURNMENT

The meeting adjourned at 11:06 a.m.