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Early childhood care and education in Canada: Provinces and territories 1998

Early childhood care and education in Alberta
Planning and development Provincial context Legislation History Related services Planning and development Standards and regulations Space statistics Provincial context Child care services Provincial official responsible for child care Legislation Recent developments History Standards and regulations Children with special needs Child care services Key provincial organizations Recent developments Municipal role Administration Funding Standards and regulations Aboriginal child care Children with special needs
Funding AB


 
CHILD CARE FEE SUBSIDY PROGRAM

Fee assistance is paid directly to service providers on behalf of eligible parents.

There is a two-step eligibility process. Parents must first demonstrate need for subsidized child care, e.g. employed, enrolled in a training program, parent has a special need, or child has a special need. An income test is then applied.

There is no cap on the number of subsidies.

Eligibility for fee subsidy (net income, 1998) 
  Turning point Break-even point
1 parent, 1 child $20,520 $30,720
2 parents, 2 children 24,120 45,720
The turning point is the income level up to which full subsidy is available. Partial subsidy is available up to the break-even point at which income subsidy ceases.

Maximum subsidy/child/month (1998)
Infants in child care centres $475
Other ages in child care centres 380
Children in family day care 300

There is a minimum user fee of $40/month/family. Child care centres and family day care home providers may surcharge parents above the minimum $40.

Children receiving subsidies may enrol in non-profit or for-profit licensed child care centres, and approved family day care homes. Subsidies are not available in drop-in centres or nursery schools.

Average percentage of centre revenue from fee subsidies   36.2%

PUBLIC FUNDING FOR REGULATED CHILD CARE (1998)

One-time funding   
None.

Recurring funding

Centre-based operating grants  
  Funding per child/month (1998)
0-12 mos $58
13-18 mos 43
19-35 mos 29
3-4 yrs 22
4 yrs + 17
Note that between 1995 and 1999, the provincial gowvernment was phasing out operating grants so the amounts decreased several times. Until April 1999, centre-based operating grants were available to all licensed non-profit and for-profit full-day centres. Operating grants were discontinued as of April 1, 1999.

Family day home agency administration fee    A monthly administrative fee is paid to approved family day home agencies which contract with the Ministry to recruit, train and supervise individual day home providers, collect fees, and pay providers. Both non-profit and for-profit programs are eligible for this funding program.

0-35 months
     1st 10 children enrolled $95
     next 10 children enrolled 63
3-6 years
     1st 10 children enrolled 65
     next 10 children enrolled 50

Other funding

Special needs (Inclusive Child Care) funding    Funding is provided to assist in the integration of children with special needs. Funding may be used for specialized resource staff or for consultation and training services. There is no upper limit on the grant to an individual program. Both non-profit and for-profit programs are eligible to apply for special needs funding.

Average percentage of centre revenue from gowvernment grants   7.5%

PROVINCIAL ALLOCATIONS FOR REGULATED CHILD CARE (1998)

Fee subsidy $32,158,000
One time funding none
Recurring funding
      Operating grants 15,513,000
      Family day home agency admin. fee 4,928,000
Other funding
      Special needs funding 1,698,000
Total $54,297,000

Annual regulated child care allocation for each child 0-12yrs (1998)  $102.02
(estimate based on provincial budget)

FEDERAL FUNDING

Entitlements on child care expenditures No longer available
(See FEDERAL ROLE for more information)

SALARIES (1998)

Mean gross hourly wage for child care staff
(full and part-time staff combined)
Centres
Assistant Teachers $7.90
Teachers 8.36
Teachers Directors 9.90
Administrative Directors 12.73
Family day care
Information not available

Average percentage of centre budget spent on wages and benefits  77.2%

FEES (1998)

Median monthly parent fees for full-time care
Centres
Infants (Age 0-17 mos) $525
Toddler (Age 18 mos - 3 yrs) 450
Preschool (Age 3 yrs -5.11yrs) 425
School-age Information not available
Average daily fee in family day care
Age three $16.00

Average percentage of centre revenue from parent fees  53.8%

 
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