Appendices
Appendix 1: Information to Note
About Us
For online information about the ministry view: http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/about_us/index.htm.
Contact Information
For telephone numbers and addresses of ministry offices see the provincial government blue pages of a telephone book, or view the information online: http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/regions/index.htm. The mailing address for the Ministry of Children and Family Development is: PO Box 9721 Stn Prov Govt Victoria, B.C. V8W 9S2.
Helpline for Children in British Columbia
Phone 310-1234, free from anywhere in the province anytime; to use the telephone device for the deaf, dial 1 866 660-0505. The Helpline for Children provides round-the-clock access to professionals to respond to concerns that a child under the age of 19 years may be abused. Abuse can be abandonment, desertion, neglect, ill-treatment or failure to meet physical, emotional or medical needs. Calls can be anonymous — and abuse can be stopped. For online information view: http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/child_protection/reportabuse.htm.
Adoption Site — for information on adopting one of B.C.'s waiting children
For information on adopting a child, phone toll-free in B.C.: 1 877 ADOPT 07 (1 877 236-7807) or phone a nearby ministry office. Hundreds of children in the permanent care of the ministry are waiting to be adopted into permanent, loving families. Applicants do not need to be married, wealthy or own their own home to adopt a waiting child. Please phone today for information or view: http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/adoption/index.htm.
Be a Foster Parent — B.C.'s foster parents make a positive difference for vulnerable children in need
For information, phone the B.C. Federation of Foster Parent Associations' Fosterline at 1 800 663-9999(outside B.C. phone 1 604 660-7696) or the Federation of Aboriginal Foster Parents toll-free at 1 866 291-7091. For online information view: http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/foster/index.html.
Child Care B.C. Helpline — for information on child care
For information and referrals for B.C. child care programs and services for parents and child care providers phone 1 888 338-6622. For online information view: http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/childcare/.
Autism Site — information for parents on Autism Spectrum Disorders
For online information view: http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/autism/index.htm.
Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP) Site — for information on early childhood development research
For information on the Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP) an interdisciplinary research partnership related to early child development view: http://www.earlylearning.ubc.ca/.
Community Living British Columbia's Website
The provincial community living authority's website provides up-to-date information on services for adults with developmental disabilities. For online information view: http://www.communitylivingbc.ca/ or phone 1 877 660-2522.
Appendix 2: Glossary of Terms
ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION (ADR): an option for resolving family differences instead of going through the court system. Examples include family group conferencing and mediation.
CHILD AND YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH: refers to children and youth with mental disorders that interfere significantly with daily functioning, such as anxiety disorder, conduct disorder, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, any depressive disorder, substance abuse, pervasive development disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, Tourette's disorder, any eating disorder and bipolar disorder.
CHILD CARE: refers to the care and supervision of a child in a child care setting, other than: a) by the child's parent; or, b) while the child is attending an educational program provided under the School Act or the Independent School Act.
- LICENSED CHILD CARE: refers to child care spaces that are licensed under the Child Care Licensing Regulations of the Community Care and Assisted Living Act. It includes any group or family child care provider licensed in B.C. These regulations govern safety and health factors and the factors related to the delivery of child care, including: the qualifications of the caregiver; the group size; and the ratio of qualified caregivers to the number of children that are permitted. The Ministry of Health is responsible for licensing child care facilities.
- LICENCE-NOT-REQUIRED CHILD CARE: child care providers that provide care to less than three children are not required to have a licence and are not subject to qualifications or standards for education as set out in the regulations of the Community Care and Assisted Living Act. These providers are encouraged, but not required, to register with the Child Care Resource and Referral program. Registration means that these caregivers have met a number of important requirements including: criminal record checks; character references; a home-setting review; a physician's report on their physical and emotional capacity to care for children; and first aid training.
- REGULATED CHILD CARE: refers to programs that meet safety and health standards that are established and monitored by provincial governments. It includes both licensed child care that is monitored by the Ministry of Health licensing officers and licence not required child care that is registered with the Child Care Resource and Referral program.
CHILD IN CARE or CHILDREN IN CARE: refers to any child under 19 years of age in the care of the Director under the Child, Family and Community Service Act.
CHILDREN AND YOUTH WITH SPECIAL NEEDS: children with special needs have significant impairments in one or more of the following areas: health, cognition, behavioural, communication, sensory motor, social/emotional/behavioural or self-help (adaptive), and require specialized supports to enhance or improve their health, development or participation in daily activities at home, school and in their communities.
DELEGATED ABORIGINAL AGENCIES: refers to Aboriginal agencies with delegated child welfare authority under the Child, Family and Community Service Act.
FAMILY DEVELOPMENT RESPONSE (FDR): an alternative to child protection investigations that focuses on parental involvement, assessing a family's strengths and risks, and providing services as required by the child and family. These may include parenting programs, anger management, counselling, mental health and other services.
HIGH-RISK YOUTH: refers to youth aged 16 to 18 who experience significant and often multiple challenges in their transition to adulthood such as sexual exploitation, alcohol and drug misuse, living on the street, and mental health problems.
KITH AND KIN AGREEMENT: a written agreement between a social worker and a child's extended family member or other person known to the child, to care for and financially support the child's living arrangement. The child is not under government care and the parent remains the legal guardian. The parent agrees to this arrangement and is involved in the child's care plan.
MENTAL ILLNESS and MENTAL DISORDER: used interchangeably to mean any emotional, behavioural, or brain-related condition that causes significant impairment in functioning as defined in standard diagnostic protocols.
OUT-OF-CARE OPTIONS: options, including kith and kin agreements, that can be utilized either to prevent a child coming into the child welfare foster care system, or to leave the foster care system to be cared for by someone other than the parent.
SEXUALLY EXPLOITED YOUTH: refers to a person under the age of 19 who has been manipulated or forced to engage in sexual activity in exchange for money, drugs, food, shelter or other considerations.
SUPPORTED CHILD DEVELOPMENT: a range of consulting and support services that support children with special needs to participate in inclusive community child care settings, including preschool.
Appendix 3: Ministerial Accountability Statements
Under the Balanced Budget and Ministerial Accountability Act, Ministers of State are accountable for specific results for each year. During 2005/06, the Ministry of Children and Family Development had two sets of accountabilities for the Minister of State. The following outlines the Accountability Statements for the Minister of State for Early Childhood Development (ECD) and for the Minister of State for Child Care. Progress on these accountabilities were reported to the Government Caucus Committee for Social Development on March 20, 2006. Both sets of accountabilities were met with the outcomes listed below:
| Minister of State for ECD Accountability Statement |
Outcome |
|---|---|
| Increasing the number of children with special needs and their families that receive supported child development services from 5,277 to 5,500 by March 31, 2006 and reporting on the results in the MCFD Service Plan Report for 2005/06. | • Achieved. There were over 5,500 supported child development services that were provided to children with special needs and their families in 2005/06. |
| Increasing the number of Aboriginal initiatives that enhance early childhood development services for young Aboriginal children and their families from 86 to 90 by March 31, 2006 and reporting on the results in the Ministry of Children and Family Development Service Plan Report for 2005/06. | • Achieved. There were four new Aboriginal Seeds of Empathy initiatives established in Aboriginal Head Start programs in 2005/06. As a result there are a total of 90 Aboriginal initiatives. |
| Establishing baselines for all communities, by school district and neighbourhood, of the percentage of children who enter kindergarten "ready to learn" by November 30, 2005 and reporting the results in the MCFD Service Plan Report for 2005/06. | • Achieved. Baselines were established for all communities, school districts and neighbourhoods. • All B.C. school districts have now implemented phase one of the Early Development Instrument (EDI) to kindergarten students across B.C. to measure "readiness to learn." Over 95 per cent of B.C.'s kindergarten children have been assessed. |
| Minister of State for Child Care Accountability Statement |
Outcome |
|---|---|
| In consultation with the Minister of Children and Family Development and the Minister of Education and the Minister Responsible for Early Learning and Literacy, develop and present a plan to the Government Caucus Committee (GCC) for Social Development which outlines actions to strengthen linkages and build better partnerships between child care, early childhood development, and early learning initiatives, and to increase public awareness of the array of services available. | • Achieved. The Minister of State presented a plan to the GCC for Social Development on March 20, 2006. |
| Produce a draft Family Friendly Workplace strategy and action plan for consultation and present it to the Provincial Child Care Council (PCCC). | • Achieved. The strategy and action plan were presented to the PCCC in February 2006. |
| With other ministers and as a member of the Canada Northwest Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Partnership (CNFASDP), develop a plan for B.C.'s role in the promotion of research and evaluation in FASD prevention and support which is consistent with priorities identified in the provincial FASD Strategic Plan, and present it to the GCC for Social Development. | • Achieved. The Minister of State presented the plan that described B.C.'s role in the promotion of research and evaluation in FASD prevention and support to the GCC for Social Development on March 20, 2006. |
| Develop a plan in collaboration with the Ministers of Advanced Education and Health to increase the number of skilled and qualified Behavioural Interventionists for children with autism in B.C. and present the plan to the GCC for Social Development. | • Achieved. A cross-government plan was developed in collaboration with stakeholder ministries. • The Minister of State provided the plan to the GCC for Social Development on March 20, 2006. • A Behavioural Interventionists Training project is underway and includes a curriculum for core training for Behavioural Interventionists. |
Appendix 4: Ministry Service Delivery Regions
As illustrated by the map below, the Ministry of Children and Family Development is organized into five service delivery regions:
1. North
2. Fraser
3. Vancouver Coastal
4. Vancouver Island
5. Interior
For further information regarding profiles of the Ministry of Children and Family Development regions, highlights of regional activities, as well as contact information, publications and related links, visit: http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/regions/index.htm.
