Care for Our Kids
WHAT IS CARE FOR OUR KIDS?
Care For Our Kids is a child care research project for the Central Okanagan. It’s being conducted by Urban Matters CCC on behalf of the District of Lake Country, City of Kelowna, City of West Kelowna, District of Peachland, Childhood Connections and Westbank First Nation. Through research and information collection via focus groups, interviews, and a large workshop, an Action Plan will be completed by February 2020. This Action Plan will be a guide for the Province to help improve child care in the Central Okanagan.
What Communities are Involved?
Current and future child care options and needs are being assessed in six communities within the Central Okanagan:
- District of Lake Country
- City of Kelowna
- Westbank First Nation
- City of West Kelowna
- District of Peachland
The District of Lake Country, City of Kelowna, City of West Kelowna, and District of Peachland collaborated with the Childhood Connections – Okanagan Family & Childcare Society to receive provincial funding through the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) to conduct this study and are working together because of the known crossover in child care needs between these communities.
Why Is This Project Happening Now?
In September 2018, British Columbia’s Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) announced two new funding programs. These new funding programs will help government better understand local child care needs across the province and influence the creation of future child care spaces.
Care For Our Kids is a regional assessment, research, and planning project that is a result of funding received from MCFD. While this doesn’t mean immediate changes in child care for Central Okanagan families, the information created as a result of this project could be used to advocate for future improvement.
More information about the funding programs can be found here.