Operational Bulletin 508 - March 14, 2013

This section contains policy, procedures and guidance used by IRCC staff. It is posted on the department’s website as a courtesy to stakeholders.

Settlement Program Support Services Provisions for Care for Newcomer Children

Summary

The purpose of this Operational Bulletin (OB) is to inform settlement officers of changes to Citizenship and Immigration Canada – (CIC) funded child-care services under the Settlement Program. In April 2013, a new unlicensed child-care model, Care for Newcomer Children (CNC), will replace existing Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) Childminding and (in Ontario) Occasional Childcare (OCC) services. CNC comprises three types of care: Long-Term, Short-Term, and Combined Care which together can support the full range of settlement services funded by CIC.

Issue

On April 1, 2013, Care for Newcomer Children (CNC) will be introduced to address concerns raised about the previously offered LINC Childminding and OCC services.

Background

Evaluations and consultations with regions, service provider organizations (SPOs) and the childcare monitoring agency funded by CIC identified concerns about existing LINC Childminding and OCC practices. The new CNC childcare model addresses issues such as:

  • inefficient use of resources,
  • ineffective and outdated practices,
  • inconsistent service offerings across regions, and
  • lack of flexibility to support adult settlement services.

CNC is a new, child-care support service that enables eligible parents to attend CIC-funded settlement services while their children are cared for onsite. The CNC model provides for care that is flexible, comprehensive and more efficient than the previous system. It is governed by one set of requirements and an operations manual which is accessible online at www.cmascanada.ca.

The CNC model can be used in provinces to allow exemptions from daycare licensing for situations where parents and children are at the same site. As in the past, SPOs may also apply CIC funding to purchase licensed care seats or to set up a licensed daycare. In all cases, the requirements of current provincial legislation are key to choosing appropriate child care to support settlement programming.

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