ChildCareBC Bulletin

Edition 93, September 18, 2024

Archived editions

New $10 a Day Intake Coming this Fall

The Government of Canada and the Government of British Columbia, through the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, will partner to open a new $10 a Day intake this fall from October 1 to October 31. Providers who are interested in joining the $10 a Day ChildCareBC program can find eligibility criteria and information on how to apply online.

This is part of the Province’s commitment to expand access to $10 a day child care throughout British Columbia. The Province has already passed its initial goal of more than 15,000 spaces by the end of 2024, and is on track to achieve the next goal of 20,000 spaces by spring 2026.

Successful applicants will be notified in the new year. Eligible providers will be able to use the My ChildCareBC Services portal with their existing login credentials to apply to become a $10 a Day ChildCareBC Centre.

The Verification Audit Unit

The Province, through ChildCareBC, is committed to building a future where access to affordable, quality, culturally safe and inclusive child care is a core service that families can rely on.

Families, child care providers and early learning professionals are supported through various ChildCareBC programs to reduce child care fees for families, help child care providers with operating costs, lift up the sector through wage enhancements and create new child care centres.

The Province is working to balance public funding with public accountability to ensure ChildCareBC  programs are financially responsible, accountable and function as intended.

All ChildCareBC programs and funding recipients may be assessed by the Verification and Audit Unit (VAU). The VAU looks for administrative errors, overpayments and reviews for compliance with program policies, rules and requirements. ChildCareBC programs and funding recipients may be subject to periodic VAU assessments and spot checks for accuracy. An assessment request does not indicate wrongdoing has occurred. 

Child care providers can review the program’s funding guidelines and their individual funding agreements to ensure that they are following program policies, rules and requirements, and reporting any discrepancies to the ministry. This includes proper record keeping for their funding program. 

Assessments ensure that funding recipients are entitled to the funds they receive and are using funds as intended. Questions about the assessment process can be directed to the Verification Audit Unit team.

2025-26 Minor Capital Funding Requests for School Districts

School districts started preparing their 2024-25 and 2025-26 capital plans for child care using the expanded Capital Asset Planning System (MyCAPS) on April 8, 2024. As a reminder, submissions for 2025-26 child care minor capital funding requests will be accepted until September 29, 2024. For more information, refer to the Capital Plan Instructions.

School districts with questions about the process or capital concept development can contact the Child Care Regional Director and Planning Officer team. School districts with questions about child care operational planning and programming can contact the Child Care Development Support team at ccdevsupport@gov.bc.ca.  

Appetite to Play: Meal Planning and Eating Well in the Early Years workshop

Child Health BC is hosting a new Appetite to Play (ATP) online workshop this fall: Meal Planning and Eating Well in the Early Years, with the next seminar being held on Wednesday October 23 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

This workshop is open to early years professionals who are interested in learning more about meal planning, eating well in the early years, and who want to increase their knowledge on nutrition in early years. Participants will learn key topics, practical strategies and useful provincial food guides for creating environments and practices that support children in eating well.

This online workshop is being facilitated by Registered Dietitian and ATP Lead trainer Shannon Smith. All information provided through the workshop aligns with provincial requirements for all licensed child care facilities.

For further information on this workshop and to register, please visit Meal Planning and Eating Well in the Early Years.

Join the 2024 Child Care Sector Engagement Pool

The 2024 Child Care Sector Engagement Pool Survey is now open. All child care professionals, organizations and child care sector partners in British Columbia are invited to participate in a short survey to join ChildCareBC’s pool of organizations and individuals who are interested in participating in upcoming engagements. The information and feedback we receive during these engagement sessions help us continue to work to build an affordable, inclusive and quality child care system in British Columbia.

The 2024 Child Care Sector Engagement Pool is a refresh of the previously named Provider Pools gathered in 2020 and 2022. Thank you to all providers and professionals who have participated in a variety of engagements over the last few years as a result of the previous pools. Previous participants will be replaced with this new 2024 Child Care Sector Engagement Pool. To continue to participate in this engagement process, please fill out this year’s survey.

The survey will ask for demographic information specific to your credentials and the child care facility where you work as well as methods and topics of engagement that interest you. It will take approximately 10 minutes to complete.

First Tripartite Memorandum of Understanding on Early Learning and Child Care for First Nations

On September 12, 2024, the First Nations Leadership Council (the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, the First Nations Summit and the British Columbia Assembly of First Nations) and the governments of British Columbia and Canada gathered to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on early learning and child care for First Nations in British Columbia.

This MOU is the first of its kind in Canada and is an important step on our reconciliation journey toward advancing early learning and child care. Under this MOU, a Political Table and a Technical Table will be established to co-develop a collaborative, rights-based and distinctions-based approach to early learning and child care for First Nations in British Columbia. The goal is to support the self-determination of First Nations in British Columbia and advance First Nations’ jurisdiction in early learning and child care.

The First Nations Leadership Council (FNLC), and the Governments of British Columbia and Canada recognize that First Nations families and children are best supported by early learning and child care programs and services that are designed and led by their community, and respond to local cultures, languages, traditions, practices and laws. Having access to these programs and services is instrumental in creating a foundation for a child’s cultural identity and sense of self.

To learn more about this historic agreement, please read the Government of Canada news release.