Minister Polak's response to J. Cobb

To Jane Cobb



Dear Ms. Cobb:

Thank you for your e-mail of October 13, 2009, regarding recent decisions about the Office of the Provincial Advisors for Infant Development Program (IDP), Aboriginal Infant Development Program (AIDP), Supported Child Development (SCD) and Children First (CF). I understand you also wrote to the Honourable Gordon Campbell, Premier, and Lesley du Toit, Deputy Minister. Premier Campbell and Deputy Minister du Toit have asked that I respond on their behalf and as Minister of Children and Family Development and Minister Responsible for Child Care, I am pleased to do so.

I would like to make very clear that direct services to children will not be reduced as a result of the decision to discontinue the advisor positions. Regional direct services will not be reduced for IDP and SCD, as maintaining direct services to children and families is our priority.

· We expect to invest almost $18 million in the Infant Development Program this fiscal year.

· We intend to invest more than $57 million in the Supported Child Development Program this fiscal year.



In the last week of September 2009, the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) met with the Development Disabilities Association and the Comox Valley Child Development Association to advise them of the ministry’s decision to discontinue the Provincial IDP, SCD and CF Advisors roles. In addition, an agreement was reached with the British Columbia Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres to extend the Aboriginal Infant Development Advisor for a six month period, during which an analysis of this position and the budget will determine its future role within ministry transformation of services and supports to Aboriginal families. As part of this analysis, options to support the ongoing development of the Aboriginal Supported Child Development Program, for which there has never been a Provincial Advisor position, will also be considered.



As part of this change, it must be noted that since the inception of the IDP Advisor in 1975, Dana Brynelson has made extraordinary contributions and been an outstanding leader in establishing and supporting Infant Development Programs throughout the province. Similarly, the SCD Advisors, Tanya Brown and her predecessor Lorraine Aitken, have made significant contributions through establishing, supporting and mentoring Supported Child Development programs across the province.





Diana Elliott will continue as the Provincial Aboriginal Infant Development Program Advisor while the analysis is completed. Diana has held this position for the past seven years and has been instrumental in supporting nineteen additional programs in this province.

Historically, the Provincial Advisor for IDP and SCD included funds to support professional development and training for community agency staff; transition planning will take place to determine options on how these opportunities will be managed in the future. The roles of the regional IDP Advisors will also be planned for in the transition.



The Children First Initiative focuses on raising community awareness of the importance of supporting children in their early years through public education and co-ordination of community-based early childhood development coalitions with local representatives of government ministries, school districts, businesses and municipal governments.

With the elimination of the Children First Provincial Advisor position, the ministry will continue to support these Children First community planning tables. We are maintaining a $4 million annual budget to support the 45 such Children First initiatives across British Columbia .

These have been particularly difficult decisions based on our need to protect direct services to children, youth and their families. With continued economic uncertainty, budget pressures and the need to preserve the direct service levels in our agencies, difficult decisions must be made in the best interest of our families. The impacted professionals are held in our highest regard and we acknowledge and value their contributions.

Should you have any questions regarding the information in this letter please call Jackie Behrens, Project Manager, Regional Council Support Team, MCFD. Jackie can be reached by telephone at

250 356-2896 or via e-mail at Jackqueline.Behrens@gov.bc.ca.

Sincerely,



ORIGINAL SIGNED BY



Mary Polak

Minister

pc: Honourable Gordon Campbell

Sent on behalf of the Minister by:

Client Relations Branch

Office of the Deputy Minister

Ministry of Children and Family Development

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