Poverty Awareness in York Region

Current system can't ensure help goes to most deserving
By Patrick Dare, The Ottawa CitizenNovember 26, 2009

The City of Ottawa should give subsidies for child-care space to families rather than child-care agencies, according to an audit released Wednesday.

Auditor general Alain Lalonde's review of children's services found families most in need are not necessarily getting the help they need. Ottawa is the only city in Ontario that gives the fee subsidies to agencies rather than families, Lalonde says.

The auditor said that a system where needy parents are assigned the funding for child care should be easier to control than a system where the agencies get the funds directly. Also, funding families gives them more freedom to choose which centre to use, he said.

Lalonde said that, under the current system, the most needy families don't necessarily get the subsidies.

There are 19,300 licensed child-care spaces in Ottawa and there are 11,800 children on wait lists. Lalonde's audit says that number doesn't give an accurate picture of the need in the community partly because it is not routinely updated and includes children who are not yet born.

The audit makes 28 recommendations and city management has agreed to all of them.

Aaron Burry, general manager of parks, recreation and cultural services at the city, said the city administration didn't create the system of funding child-care agencies but that city council will choose whether to follow the funding model recommended by Lalonde.

One of the complicating issues is the announcement recently of full-day school for four- and five-year-olds.

The city's funding for child care has risen gradually over the last several years. In 2006, it was $84 million and, last year, it had reached $90 million. This year, the spending is expected to be $93 million and the proposed budget for next year is $95 million.

- 11,800: The number of children now on waiting lists for licensed child-care spaces in Ottawa

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Sara Landriault
stay at home mom
President, National Family Childcare Association
http://www.careofthechild.com/
http://www.incomesplitting.org/
landriault@ripnet.com
613-258-4854