Child Care Advisory Committee

Mandate	Composition	Term of Office	Appointment Policies/ Applications
Meetings	Remuneration	Staff Contact

Role

While it is the legislative mandate of the Municipal Council to make the final decision on all matters that affect the Municipality, the role of an advisory committee is to provide recommendations, advice and information to the Municipal Council on those specialized matters which relate to the purpose of the advisory committee, to facilitate public input to City Council on programs and ideas and to assist in enhancing the quality of life of the community, in keeping with the Municipal Council’s Strategic Plan principles. Advisory committees shall conduct themselves in keeping with the policies set by the Municipal Council pertaining to advisory committees, and also in keeping with the Council Procedure By-law.

Mandate

The Child Care Advisory Committee provides information, advice and recommendations to Municipal Council through the Community Service Committee on issues affecting early learning and child care of children from 0 years up to and including 12 years of age such as, but not limited to, special needs funding, resource centres funding, wage subsidy, childcare fee subsidy and health and safety issues, such as playgrounds.

The Advisory Committee provides an opportunity for information sharing between Municipal, Provincial and Federal social service administrations and the child care community.

Composition

Voting Members

Thirteen members at large, representing the following sectors:

Licensed Child Care Providers (at least seven members representing the current composition of multi and single site child care and early learning sector for children from infancy through 12 years of age, including Licensed Home Child Care agency)
Post-Secondary Early Childhood Education Departments
Early Child Education Resource Centre
Ontario Early Years Centre
Informed Community Members

Non-Voting Resource Group

At least one representative of each of the following:

Government:

Ministry of Children and Youth Services
Ministry of Education, Early Learning Division
City's Community Services Department

Community Agencies:

Middlesex-London Public Health Unit
Children’s Aid Society
Local School Boards
Support Services for children with special needs

Sub-committees and Working Groups

The Advisory Committee may form sub-committees and working groups as may be necessary to address specific issues; it being noted that the City Clerk's office does not provide secretariat support to these sub-committees or groups. These sub-committees and working groups shall draw upon members from the Advisory Committee as well as outside resource members as deemed necessary. The Chair of a sub-committee and/or working group shall be a voting member of the Advisory Committee.

Term of Office

Concurrent with the term of the Municipal Council making the appointment.

Appointment Policies

Appointments shall be in keeping with Council policy.

Qualifications

The representatives should be able to speak on behalf of the sector they represent. Members shall be chosen for their special expertise, experience, dedication and commitment to the mandate of the Committee. Non-voting representatives from local resource groups shall be members or employees of the organization they represent.

Conduct

The conduct of Advisory Committee members shall be in keeping with Council Policy.

Meetings

Meetings shall be held three times annually at a date and time set by the City Clerk in consultation with the advisory committee. Length of meetings shall vary depending on the agenda. Meetings of working groups that have been formed by the Advisory Committee may meet at any time and at any location and are in addition to the regular meetings of the Advisory Committee.